Edward H. Forney

Edward Hanna Forney (August 16, 1909 – January 21, 1965) was a highly decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of brigadier general. He is most noted for his part during the Hungnam evacuation during the Korean War, the largest U.S. amphibious evacuation of civilians, under combat conditions, in American history.

Early years

Forney was born on August 16, 1909, in Denver, Colorado, as the son of engineer Edward Francis Hanna Forney and his wife Pauline Lancaster Peyton. His family moved many times due to father's job and young Edward spent childhood in Havana, Cuba, Hollywood, California, New York City and finally in Washington, D.C. He also attended St. John's College High School there in 1927 and was admitted to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. During his time at the academy, Forney was active in the football, cross country running or water polo and graduated on June 4, 1931, with bachelor's degree. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps on the same date.

Forney was then transferred to the newly activated 1st Defense Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel Bertram A. Bone. This new type of marine units consisted of the batteries with 5"/51 caliber guns, searchlight and aircraft sound locator and antiaircraft groups with M2 Browning and M1917 Browning machine guns and was ideal for the defense of the U.S. naval bases in South Pacific from the attack from the sea and air.

He took part in the capture and subsequent occupation of Rendova Island during New Georgia Campaign at the beginning of July 1943 and received the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" and Navy Unit Commendation for his service there. Forney, who just distinguished himself in last campaign, was ordered to New Zealand in order to relieve his Naval Academy classmate, lieutenant colonel Samuel G. Taxis as commanding officer of 3rd Defense Battalion on August 26, 1943. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel for his new assignment.

Forney then took part in consolidation of Northern Solomons and following the redesignation of his unit to 3d Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion in June 1944, he led his unit back to Guadalcanal. One of Forney's last assignment on Guadalcanal was construction of camp near the village of Tetere and he was subsequently transferred to 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He served as Regimental executive officer under his old superior, Colonel Bertram A. Bone and participated in the amphibious exercise on Saipan in order to prepare 10th Marines for upcoming Okinawa campaign. However 10th Marines served as floating reserve force, and Forney did not see combat.

Later service and Korean War Col. Edward H. Forney, Deputy Chief of Staff, X Corps, receives Legion of Merit by MG Edward M. Almond, Commanding general X Corps, for his part in Hungnam Evacuation in December 1950. Upon the surrender of Japan, Forney took part in the occupation duties near Nagasaki and finally returned to the United States in February 1946. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of colonel on May 1, 1948, and ordered to Washington, D.C., where assumed duties as advisor to the Inter-American Defense Board. Forney served in this capacity until December 1948, when he was ordered for instruction at Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia.

Colonel Forney was subsequently appointed deputy chief of staff, X Corps under Lieutenant General Edward M. Almond and his principal duties were to advise Almond on the use of Marine and navy forces. He took part in the Inchon Landing and recapture of Seoul in September 1950 and received Air Medal while engaged in observation flights over enemy held territory. Stone commemorating the entrance to Forney Road on the ROK Marine Corps base in Pohang, South Korea. It opened in November 2010 at a ceremony involving the base commander and Forney's descendants. He was ordered to Paris, France in September 1951 and spent next two years as an instructor at NATO Defense College. Forney then served assignments with the U.S. Element, Standing Group, NATO, Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), as a Member of the International Planning Teams and on U.S. Joint and Combined Committee. Forney retired from the Marine Corps after 28 years of active service in June 1959 and was advanced to the rank of brigadier general for having been specially commended in combat. He also received Army Commendation Medal for his second tour of duty in Korea.

Forney met with then-Chief of Staff, Headquarters Marine Corps, Lieutenant general Wallace M. Greene in Saigon in February 1963 and discuss his conclusions with him. Unfortunately Forney's health began failing and he was diagnosed with the cancer. He lost his fight with the illness on January 21, 1965, and died in Letterman Army Hospital in San Francisco, California. He was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia.

Decorations

Here is the ribbon bar of Brigadier General Edward H. Forney: