Augustus M. Gurney
Augustus Milton Gurney | |
|---|---|
Brigadier General | |
| Unit | Field Artillery Branch |
| Battles / wars | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Legion of Merit |
Augustus Milton Gurney (February 18, 1895 – April 10, 1967) was an officer in the
Early career
Augustus M. Gurney was born on February 18, 1895, in
Gurney graduated with Bachelor of Science degree on April 20, 1917, shortly following the United States entry into World War I, and was commissioned second lieutenant in the Field Artillery Branch. He embarked for France as a member of 1st Field Artillery Brigade and served consecutively as Battery commander and as a balloon observer during Meuse–Argonne offensive.[2][1]
Following a tour of
In May 1925, Gurney entered the Yale University and graduated two years later with Master of Science degree. His schooling continued with two-years course at the Army Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and one-year instruction at Army War College in Washington, D.C., and later assumed duty as an instructor at the Army Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth.[2][1]
World War II
Gurney was promoted to lieutenant colonel on June 1, 1940, and joined the headquarters, II Corps under Major General Henry C. Pratt and served as Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence until August 1941, when he was appointed Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations with II Corps. While in this capacity, Gurney was promoted to colonel on December 11, 1941, just four days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.[3][2][1]
He was promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier general on April 16, 1942, and ordered to
Gurney was then attached to the headquarters, Second United States Army under lieutenant general Lloyd Fredendall in Memphis, Tennessee, and served in this capacity until June 1944, when he was appointed chief of staff under Fredendall. He was co-responsible for the training of replacements for the units going overseas and received the Legion of Merit for his service.[3][4][2][1]
Postwar service
Gurney remained in the Army following the War and assumed duty as Commanding General, Camp Earle, Alaska in October 1945. He remained in this capacity until January 1946, when he assumed command of Adak Army Base, Alaska. Gurney was reverted to the peacetime rank of colonel on April 30, 1946, and remained in Adak until the end of March 1947.[3][2][1]
He was subsequently ordered to
Retirement
Gurney retired with his wartime rank of brigadier general in early 1954 for physical disability and settled in his native Oneonta, where he was active in civic duties. He later moved to
He was married in 1919 to Dora Bonbright of New York City, who died in 1944. Their two daughters, Margaret (Peg) Gurney and Louise Gurney Ferrell survive him. In 1946 he married Gladys Kirton of Aynor, South Carolina, who survives him at Southern Pines, North Carolina.[2]
Decorations
Here is Brigadier general Gurney's ribbon bar:[4]
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| 1st Row | Legion of Merit | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd Row | World War I Victory Medal with two battle clasps |
Army of Occupation of Germany Medal | American Defense Service Medal | |||||||||||
| 3rd Row | American Campaign Medal | World War II Victory Medal
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National Defense Service Medal | |||||||||||
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Augustus M. Gurney Papers – Army Center of Military History". Army Military History Division. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Augustus M. Gurney 1917 – West Point Association of Graduates".
- ^ a b c d e "Biography of Brigadier-General Augustus M. Gurney (1895 – 1967), USA". generals.dk. generals.dk Websites. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
- ^ a b "Valor awards for Augustus M. Gurney". valor.militarytimes.com. Militarytimes Websites. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
- ^ "Augustus M. Gurney, 72, Retired Brigadier General – The New York Times". The New York Times. 13 April 1967.