Medal of Honor: W. M. Corry, Jr.

WILLIAM MERRILL CORRY JR

Lieutenant Commander, US Navy

Born: 5 October 1889, Quincy, Florida
Died: 6 October 1920, Hartford, Connecticut

Citation: For heroic service in attempting to rescue a brother officer from a flame-enveloped airplane. On 2 October 1920, an airplane in which Lt. Comdr. Corry was a passenger crashed and burst into flames [near Hartford, Connecticut]. He was thrown 30 feet clear of the plane and, though injured, rushed back to the burning machine and endeavored to release the pilot. In so doing he sustained serious burns, from which he died 4 days later.


Notes: At the time of his death, Corry was assigned as aviation aide to the Commander in Chief, Atlantic Fleet, aboard USS Pennsylvania (BB 38).
USS Corry (DD 334), USS Corry (DD 463), USS Corry (DD 817) and Corry Field (now NTTC Corry Station, Pensacola, Florida) were named in his honour.