World War II Honoree

Joel Quinn Henry

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Jackson, Tennessee

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank Seaman Second Class. He was inducted into the United States Navy September 6, 1940 at Nashville, Tennessee, with recruit training at the U.S. Naval Training Station Norfolk, Virginia. Upon his graduation from boot camp, he was transferred to the USS Lexington AKA: Lady Lex, Aircraft Carrier CV-2, for duty as an on-the-job trainee. The Seagoing airbase and her shipmates participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea against the Imperial Japanese Naval Aviators (Battle Dates: May 4-8, 1942) in the South Pacific Theater of Operations. The Carrier sustained two aerial torpedo strikes and three bomb hits from enemy dive bombers on the Eighth at 11:00 hours. Following gasoline and ammunition explosions, she was abandoned and scuttled by the USS Phelps, Destroyer (DD-218). Reported missing in action, lost at sea on the day of the attack. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at the American Cemetery at Fort William-McKinley in Manila, Philippine Islands. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.