Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Software, E-Resource Harvey C. Barnum, Jr. Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: Vietnam War, 1961-1975
- Branch of Service: Marine Corps
- Unit of Service: Battery A, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division; 2nd MAW (Marine Aircraft Wing); Company H, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division
- Location of Service: Quantico, Virginia; Okinawa, Japan; Vietnam; Philippines; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; Arlington, Virginia
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/89623
Interview / Recording
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About this Item
Title
- Harvey C. Barnum, Jr. Collection
Names
- Wilkerson, Thomas L.
- unknown interviewer
- Barnum Jr., Harvey C.
- Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation (CMOH)
Home State
- Virginia
Headings
- - Barnum Jr., Harvey C.
- - Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Marine Corps.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Race
- White
Status
- veteran
Service History
-
Vietnam War, 1961-1975
- Branch of Service: Marine Corps
- Unit of Service: Battery A, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division; 2nd MAW (Marine Aircraft Wing); Company H, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division
- Location of Service: Quantico, Virginia; Okinawa, Japan; Vietnam; Philippines; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; Arlington, Virginia
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Dates of Service: 1962-1989
- Entrance into Service: Commissioned
- Military Status: veteran
- Service History Note: The veteran earned the Medal of Honor for his conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. When the company was suddenly pinned down by a hail of extremely accurate enemy fire and was quickly separated from the remainder of the battalion by over 500 meters of open and fire-swept ground, and casualties mounted rapidly. Lieutenant Barnum quickly made a hazardous reconnaissance of the area, seeking targets for his artillery. Finding the rifle company commander mortally wounded and the radio operator killed, he, with complete disregard for his safety, gave aid to the dying commander, then removed the radio from the dead operator and strapped it to himself. He immediately assumed command of the rifle company, and moving at once into the midst of the heavy fire, rallying and giving encouragement to all units, reorganized them to replace the loss of key personnel and led their attack on enemy positions from which deadly fire continued to come. His sound and swift decisions and his obvious calm served to stabilize the badly decimated units and his gallant example as he stood exposed repeatedly to point out targets served as an inspiration to all. Provided with two armed helicopters, he moved fearlessly through enemy fire to control the air attack against the firmly entrenched enemy while skillfully directing one platoon in a successful counterattack on the key enemy positions. Having thus cleared a small area, he requested and directed the landing of two transport helicopters for the evacuation of the dead and wounded. He then assisted in the mopping up and final seizure of the battalion's objective. His gallant initiative and heroic conduct reflected great credit upon himself and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service [information taken from U.S. Army Center of Military History Medal of Honor Citations http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/mohviet.htm]. The veteran also served with Battery E, 2nd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division; 2nd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment; and as military secretary to the 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Materials
- Video: Betacam SP [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2003-09-15)
- Video: Betacam SP [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2003-09-15)
- Manuscript: Biographical information [2 items] -- Typewritten document (collected unknown)
- Computer File: Hard Drive [ item] -- Multiple types of electronic files (collected unknown)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/89623
Cite as
- Harvey C. Barnum, Jr. Collection (AFC/2001/001/89623), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- image
- video
Additional Metadata Formats
Part of
Wars & Conflicts
Service Branch
Location of Service
- Arlington, Virginia
- Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
- Fort Sill, Oklahoma
- Okinawa, Japan
- Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
- Philippines
- Quantico, Virginia
- Vietnam
Service Unit
- 12th Marine Regiment
- 1st Battalion
- 2nd Battalion
- 2nd MAW (Marine Aircraft Wing)
- 3rd Marine Division
- 9th Marine Regiment
- Battery a
- Company H