Harvey C. Barnum, Jr.

Harvey Curtiss Barnum Jr.
Harvey C. Barnum Jr., USMC, Medal of Honor recipient
Nickname(s)	"Barney"
Born	(1940-07-21) July 21, 1940 (age 76) Cheshire, Connecticut
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1962-1989
Rank	Colonel
Unit	1st Battalion, 12th Marines 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing 2nd Battalion, 12th Marines 2nd Battalion, 10th Marines
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Awards	Medal of Honor Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit Bronze Star (2) Purple Heart
Other work	Congressional Medal of Honor Society, President Acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs)

Colonel Harvey Curtiss Barnum Jr. (born July 21, 1940) is a retired United States Marine Corps officer who received the Medal of Honor for valor during the Vietnam War. He was the fourth Marine to receive the medal for valor in Vietnam. He retired from the Marine Corps in 1989 after more than 27 years of service. Barnum served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Reserve Affairs from July 23, 2001 to January 20, 2009. He also served as Acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) from January 21, 2009 to April 30, 2009.

Barnum was born July 21, 1940 in Cheshire, Connecticut. He was president of his Freshman and Senior Class at Cheshire High School, where he also played football and baseball. In high school, he was a member of the Boy Scouts of America, the “C” Club and the Gym Leaders Club. After graduation from high school, he entered Saint Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire.

At Saint Anselm College, Barnum joined the Marine Corps’ Platoon Leaders Class program in November 1958, and attended two summer training sessions, one in 1959 and the other in 1961. In June 1962, he graduated from Saint Anselm College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. He is a member of the Red Key Society (Rho Kappa Sigma) at Saint Anselm College. Upon graduation, he was commissioned a Marine Reserve second lieutenant.

Second Lieutenant Barnum was ordered to Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, Virginia, where he attended The Basic School until December 1962, when he began the Artillery Officers Orientation Course, graduating in February 1963. He was then ordered overseas and joined Battery A, 1st Battalion, 12th Marines, 3rd Marine Division on Okinawa, Japan. He served first as a forward observer and then as the Battalion’s liaison officer. In July 1964, he accepted appointment in the regular Marine Corps. Prior to completing his Okinawa tour, he also served as the battalion liaison officer. He was promoted to first lieutenant in December 1964.