Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Contributed By And/Or Copyright
0602102101	32k	Henry Alexius Courtney Jr. was born on 06 January 1916, the youngest of four siblings, and raised in Duluth, Minnesota. After graduating from the University of Minnesota, he received a law degree from Loyola University. While in school, Courtney had contacted a Marine recruiter and began the process of becoming commissioned in the Marine Corps Reserve. He took the oath of service in February 1940 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve in March 1940. After a stint in Iceland, he commanded a company of Marines during the Battle of Guadalcanal. As a company commander on Guadalcanal in 1942, he shared in the Presidential Unit Citation awarded the First Marine Division. After a bout of malaria that briefly saw him returned to the United States, Courtney requested combat duty and joined 2nd Battalion, 22nd Marines in November 1944. While serving as executive officer of a battalion of the Sixth Marine Division on Okinawa, Major Courtney was killed in action after exhibiting great courage and self-sacrifice leading a successful night attack against enemy positions on Sugar Loaf Hill 15 May 1945. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, and a second Presidential Unit Citation that was earned by the Sixth Marine Division. USS Courtney (DE 1021) (1956-1973) was the first ship named in his honor. (Photo from the web site, Home of Heroes)		Mike Smolinski Clifton, N.J. Navsource DE/FF/LCS Archive Manager
0602102101	52k	02 November 1955: Bay City, Mich. - An AP Wire Photo, caption reads "Mrs. Henry A. Courtney, wife of Duluth, Minn. attorney cracks traditional bottle of champagne across the bow of USS Courtney as destroyer escort vessel was launched at Defoe Shipbuilding Co. yards here today. Ship was named for her son, Major Henry A. Courtney, Jr., Congressional Medal of Honor winner, a hero of the Okinawa Campaign in World War 2. Mr. Courtney is at left."		Ron Reeves Oaklyn, N.J.
0602102102	75k	undated (U.S. Navy Photo)		David Waters
0602102109	74k	An undated postcard view of Courtney celebrating UNITAS (shown at 150% of original size) from the collection of Raymond Strout)		Jonathan Eno
0602102108	82k	An undated postcard view of Courtney.    (Postcard © Arnold Art Store, Newport, R.I.; shown at 150% of original size) Caption reads: A unit of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet home-ported at Newport, R.I. on Narragansett Bay. (Official U.S. Navy photograph)		Mike Smolinski Clifton, N.J. Navsource DE/FF/LCS Archive Manager
0602102113	281k	April 1961: Newport, R.I. - Three views of USS Courtney (DE 1021) underway slowly in Narragansett Bay. (U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #NH82290, #NH82291, and #NH82292 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)
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0602102115	229k
0602102110	233k	1961: Panama Canal Zone - The U.S. Navy destroyer escorts USS Cromwell (DE 1014), USS Hammerberg (DE 1015), and USS Courtney (DE 1021) pass through the Pedro Miguel Locks of the Panama Canal. (U.S. Navy photo from All Hands Magazine)
0602102116	413k	24 May 1967: Newport, R.I. - Two views of USS Courtney (DE 1021) underway in Naragansett Bay. (U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #K-37771, and #NH107515 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)
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0602102118	383k	late 1960's: the Atlantic Ocean - USS Courtney (DE 1021) underway. (U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #NH 82293 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)
0602102110	171k	1967: Antwerp, Belgium - A photo of Courtney, moored inboard of USS John Willis (DE 1027) while on a port visit to Antwerp.		Gilbert Gyssels
0602104438	539k	25 August 1967: the Mediterranean Sea - USS Courtney (DE 1021) breaking away from USS Sylvania (AFS 2) after replenishing from her starboard side. Brumby had just broken away from her port side. The replenishment took place as the ships were travelling from Valletta, Malta to Castellammare, Sicily.		John McTeague North Reading, Mass.
0602102112	518k	early 1969: Naples, Italy - A photo of Courtney, med-moored in Naples, Harbor. The photo was taken from USS Grand Canyon (AD 28) while the destroyer tender was on her 13th, and final, Mediterranean deployment.		David Truby SF2, USN USS Grand Canyon (AR 28) Dec. 1968 - Mar. 1972
0602102103	224k	19 August 1970: Narragansett Bay, R.I. - An aerial starboard view of the escort ship USS Courtney (DE 1021) underway. (Official U.S. Navy Photograph by PHCS Walter H. Long) (Note: I served in Courtney from 1970-1972, when she was homeported in Naples. The previous image shows Courtney as-built, with Weapon Alfa and the rear 3-inch mount still installed. When I was aboard, she was in her final (modified) configuration, with only the forward 3-inch mount. The Commodore's cabin was added - modified as squadron flagship during overhaul. The rear mount was removed, replaced by the ITASS shack and spool. This overhaul prepared the squadron for deployment to new homeport at Naples, Italy.)		John Clingman ETR2, USN, 1969-1973
0602102104	316k	19 August 1970: Narragansett Bay, R.I. - An aerial port bow view of Courtney underway. (Official U.S. Navy Photograph by PHCS Walter H. Long)
0602102105	263k	19 August 1970: Narragansett Bay, R.I. - A port bow view of Courtney underway. (Official U.S. Navy Photograph by PHCS Walter H. Long)
0602102106	317k	19 August 1970: Narragansett Bay, R.I. - An aerial port quarter view of Courtney underway. (Official U.S. Navy Photograph by PHCS Walter H. Long)
0602102107	164k	19 August 1970: Narragansett Bay, R.I. - A port side view of Courtney underway. (Official U.S. Navy Photograph by PHCS Walter H. Long)
0602101517	278k	13 March 1971: Naples, Italy - U.S. Navy ships moored in Naples harbor. Ships present are (from left to right): USS Cascade (AD 16); USS Denebola (AF 56); USS Lester (DE 1022); USS Hammerberg (DE 1015); and USS Courtney (DE 1021). (U.S. Navy photo #K-88830 by PHC B.M. Anderson from the Naval History and Heritage Command)		Mike Smolinski Clifton, N.J. Navsource DE/FF/LCS Archive Manager
0616203	79k	18 June 1974: the Dep't of Defense Bid List for the scrapping of ex-DE's 162, 180, 181, 1015, 1021, and 1022 (Levy, Trumpeter, Straub, Hammerberg, Courtney, and Lester).		Ed Zajkowski      and Tim Rizzuto

Courtney Memorabilia
Early Ship's Emblem Courtesy of Mike Smolinski	Early Ship's Emblem Courtesy of Mike Smolinski	Welcome Aboard Pamphlet - 1969 Courtesy of William F. Fessenden	Ship's Lighter old style Courtesy of Mike Smolinski	Ship's Lighter new style Courtesy of Mike Smolinski	Cruise Patch Courtesy of Mike Smolinski	Crew Dep't Patch Courtesy of Mike Smolinski	Decommissioning Booklet 14 December 1973 Courtesy of Mike Smolinski

Contact information is compiled from various sources over a period of time and may, or may not, be correct. Every effort has been
made to list the newest contact. However, our entry is only as good as the latest information that's been sent to us. We list only
a contact for the ship if one has been sent to us. We do NOT have crew lists, rosters, or deck logs available. Please see the
Frequently Asked Questions section on NavSource's Main Page for that information.

Additional Resources

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Home of the Newport Dealeys
Tin Can Sailors
The U.S. Navy Memorial
Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
The Destroyer Escort Historical Museum
The Destroyer History Foundation

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This Page Created And Maintained By Mike Smolinski by Paul R. Yarnall, All Rights Reserved. Page Last Updated: 12 August 2023