John Lee Canley (20 December 1937 – 11 May 2022) was a United States Marine Corps, United States Marine and a recipient of the United States Armed Forces, United States military's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in January/February 1968 during the Battle of Huế. At the time of this action Canley was a gunnery sergeant with Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines. Canley was originally awarded the Navy Cross but this was upgraded to the Medal of Honor, which was presented on 17 October 2018. The Expeditionary Sea Base ''USS John L. Canley'' (ESB-6) is named for him.

Early life

Canley was born in Caledonia, Arkansas, on 20 December 1937. His father was employed at a chemical plant; his mother worked as a restaurant manager. Canley was raised in nearby El Dorado, Arkansas, El Dorado. In 1953, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps from Little Rock, Arkansas. He retired in 1981.

Military career

On the morning of 31 January 1968, Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines was loaded onto trucks and sent to reinforce United States and South Vietnamese forces under siege in Huế. As the Convoy#Road convoys, convoy approached the southern suburbs of the city, they began to come under increased sniper fire. In one village, the troops dismounted and cleared the houses on either side of the main street before proceeding. The Marine convoy stopped several times to eliminate resistance in heavy house-to-house and street-to-street fighting before proceeding again. During this fighting the company commander, Captain Gordon Batcheller, was wounded. Gunnery Sergeant Canley assumed command of the company, and he and Sergeant Alfredo Cantu Gonzalez led the Marines in the defense of the convoy, actions for which Gonzalez would later be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. At about 15:15 after bloody fighting the Marines managed to make their way toward the besieged Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) compound (). Canley was awarded the Navy Cross in 1970. Canley retired from the Marine Corps on 23 October 1981.

Medal of Honor

United States House of Representatives, Representative Julia Brownley sponsored a Public and private bills, private bill in United States Congress, Congress for Canley's Navy Cross to be upgraded to the Medal of Honor. On 21 December 2017, the House of Representatives waived the five-year time limit for the award of the Medal of Honor, and the Senate later took similar action. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis recommended the upgrade to President Donald Trump, who approved the award in July 2018. On Wednesday, 17 October 2018, Trump awarded the Medal of Honor to Canley.

USS ''John L. Canley''

On 22 June 2022, five weeks after Canley's death, the Expeditionary Sea Base ''USS John L. Canley'' (ESB-6) was christened at a shipyard in San Diego. His daughter Patricia Sargent performed the christening of the ship.

Personal life

Canley was married to Viktoria Fenech. Together, they had one child (Patricia), as well as a stepson (David) from Fenech's previous relationship. They eventually divorced. He also had two children with Toyo Adaniya Russeau: Ricky and Yukari. After retiring from the Marine Corps, Canley resided in Oxnard, California. Canley died on 11 May 2022, at his daughter's home in Bend, Oregon. He was 84, and suffered from cancer prior to his death.

Medal of Honor citation

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of Congress the Medal of Honor to

Awards and decorations

References

External links

Medal of Honor ceremony
{{DEFAULTSORT:Canley, John 1938 births 2022 deaths People from Union County, Arkansas People from Oxnard, California Burials at Arlington National Cemetery United States Marine Corps personnel of the Vietnam War United States Marines United States Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipients Vietnam War recipients of the Medal of Honor African-American United States Navy personnel Military personnel from Arkansas 21st-century African-American military personnel African Americans in the Vietnam War Deaths from cancer in Oregon