Medal of Honor Monday: Army Capt. Frederick F. Henry

Henry was born Sept. 23, 1919, in Vian, Oklahoma, to James and Ida Mae Henry as the third oldest of 13 children. As if they knew he would go on to do great things, his parents named him after Army Maj. Gen. Frederick Funston, a Medal of Honor recipient who served during the Philippine-American War at the turn of the century. 

The family eventually moved about three hours west to Clinton, Oklahoma, where Henry grew up before enlisting in the Army in September 1940. Five of his brothers also served during World War II, while two continued their service in Korea.  

Henry served in the 6th Army during World War II and earned a battlefield commission to second lieutenant while in the Pacific Theater in 1945. After hostilities ended, he served in Germany, where he met Lavon “Bonnie” Southam, a combat nurse, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. The pair later married and had two children, Frederick Jr. and Sharon.  

When the Korean War broke out, Henry’s unit, Company F of the 28th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, was one of the first to deploy to the peninsula in the summer of 1950.  

On Sept. 1, 1950, the 33-year-old first lieutenant was leading his platoon as it held a strategic ridge near the town of Andong, South Korea, when they were attacked by a much larger enemy force. Heavy mortar and artillery fire quickly threw the platoon into disarray. To keep the unit together, Henry left his foxhole so he could move around his men, ordering them to stay in place and return fire.  

Encouraged by Henry’s bravery, the platoon reformed its defensive line and delivered intense fire back, impeding the enemy’s advance. Unfortunately, the enemy succeeded in knocking out all communications, so Henry had no way of knowing if the main line of resistance was still in place.  

“There were bullets and shells falling all around,” Army Sgt. Richard Siman, who was part of Henry’s platoon, later told officials. “Our ammunition was running low.” 

Despite being seriously injured, Henry stayed put while ordering the wounded men in his platoon to evacuate. He had them give him all their weapons and ammunition before they left, so he could set up a one-man position. He then ordered the rest of his platoon to withdraw.  

Henry was last seen firing every weapon he had at the enemy. His Medal of Honor citation stated that his effort caused approximately 50 enemy casualties before he ran out of ammunition, and his position was overrun. His selfless actions that day saved his platoon and kept the enemy at bay long enough for the main line of resistance to fully push them back.  

Henry was initially listed as missing in action. He was officially declared dead on Dec. 31, 1953, and posthumously promoted to captain. His name is listed on the Wall of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu. According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, his remains have not yet been recovered.  

On Jan. 9, 1951, Henry’s widow received the Medal of Honor on his behalf from President Harry S. Truman during a White House ceremony. Four other fallen soldiers also posthumously received the honor that day.  

Henry has not been forgotten. In May 1960, a U.S. camp that’s part of current-day Army Garrison Daegu was named Camp Henry in his honor. In 2004, a memorial was dedicated to him at a park in his hometown of Vian. In 2013, he was inducted into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame. A year later, a highway near his hometown was renamed for him.