World War I Medal of Honor Recipient. He was awarded the Medal of Honor on May 3, 1919 for his actions as a corporal in Company F, 142nd Infantry, 36th Infantry Division, US Army, on October 8, 1918 near St. Etienne, France, in the final month of World War I. Born in Aurora, Missouri, he joined the US Army from Seminole, Oklahoma, following the US entry into World War I in April 1917. After completing his training, he was sent to the Western Front in France. On October 8, 1918 he singlehandedly captured an enemy machine gun position, an act which won him the Medal of Honor. After the war, he returned to Oklahoma where he died at the age of 39. His Medal of Honor citation reads: "After his platoon had started the attack Cpl. Turner assisted in organizing a platoon consisting of the battalion scouts, runners, and a detachment of Signal Corps. As second in command of this platoon he fearlessly led them forward through heavy enemy fire, continually encouraging the men. Later he encountered deadly machinegun fire which reduced the strength of his command to but 4 men, and these were obliged to take shelter. The enemy machinegun emplacement, 25 yards distant, kept up a continual fire from 4 machineguns. After the fire had shifted momentarily, Cpl. Turner rushed forward with fixed bayonet and charged the position alone capturing the strong point with a complement of 50 Germans and 1 machineguns. His remarkable display of courage and fearlessness was instrumental in destroying the strong point, the fire from which had blocked the advance of his company."
World War I Medal of Honor Recipient. He was awarded the Medal of Honor on May 3, 1919 for his actions as a corporal in Company F, 142nd Infantry, 36th Infantry Division, US Army, on October 8, 1918 near St. Etienne, France, in the final month of World War I. Born in Aurora, Missouri, he joined the US Army from Seminole, Oklahoma, following the US entry into World War I in April 1917. After completing his training, he was sent to the Western Front in France. On October 8, 1918 he singlehandedly captured an enemy machine gun position, an act which won him the Medal of Honor. After the war, he returned to Oklahoma where he died at the age of 39. His Medal of Honor citation reads: "After his platoon had started the attack Cpl. Turner assisted in organizing a platoon consisting of the battalion scouts, runners, and a detachment of Signal Corps. As second in command of this platoon he fearlessly led them forward through heavy enemy fire, continually encouraging the men. Later he encountered deadly machinegun fire which reduced the strength of his command to but 4 men, and these were obliged to take shelter. The enemy machinegun emplacement, 25 yards distant, kept up a continual fire from 4 machineguns. After the fire had shifted momentarily, Cpl. Turner rushed forward with fixed bayonet and charged the position alone capturing the strong point with a complement of 50 Germans and 1 machineguns. His remarkable display of courage and fearlessness was instrumental in destroying the strong point, the fire from which had blocked the advance of his company."
Bio by: William Bjornstad
Inscription
MEDAL OF HONOR
2D LT US ARMY
WORLD WAR I
Family Members
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