• Nov. 8, 1911 – July 30, 1945
• Born in Clinton, Tennessee, and raised in Knoxville
• Liberal Arts 1931-1932
• LT. Commander – Navy
• Earl O’Dell Henry served as a dental officer for 12 months at Parris Island, South Carolina, and 14 months at the U.S. Naval Academy. Served 12 months aboard the USS Indianapolis in the Pacific. He died aboard the USS Indianapolis when it was sunk on July 30, 1945, after the ship had delivered the components of the first atomic bomb to Tinian. 
• Dental Corps. KIA in the sinking of the USS Indianapolis.
• Memorialized at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Manila, Philippines, and Greenwood Cemetery in Knoxville, TN
• His collection of more than 80 mounted birds has been donated to Ijams Nature Center, Knoxville, TN. Every year, his professional life is recalled at the Earl Henry Memorial Dental Clinic.
• https://www.earlhenrybirdprints.com/
• https://knoxvillehistoryproject.org/knoxville-naturalists-earl-henry/

Earl O’Dell Henry (Nov. 8, 1911 – July 30, 1945) was born in Clinton, Tennessee, but spent most of his life living in Knoxville. He was a graduate of the University of Tennessee in 1932 and continued to live in Knoxville as a dentist. He was also a local naturalist and member of the East Tennessee Ornithological Society with Harry Ijams before the war.

Henry volunteered in the United States Navy’s Dental Corps. His skill and expertise granted him the rank of Lieutenant Commander, and he served in a number of posts throughout the war. He served for a year at Parris Island, South Carolina, and fourteen months at the United States Naval Academy. In the last year of the war, Lt. Comdr. Henry was stationed on board the USS Indianapolis as it delivered the atomic bomb components to Guam in July 1945. After making its delivery, the USS Indianapolis was heading towards the island of Leyte when it was struck by torpedoes from a Japanese submarine on July 30th. Lt. Comdr. Henry was killed alongside the over eight hundred crew members who lost their lives during the sinking of the ship and the following days stranded at sea. 

Lt. Comdr. Earl O. Henry is memorialized at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Manila, Philippines, and Greenwood Cemetery in Knoxville, Tennessee. He is also remembered through his work as a naturalist with his collection of more than 80 mounted birds at the Ijams Nature Center in Knoxville and the Earl O. Henry Birding Trail named there in his honor. For more information, see https://knoxvillehistoryproject.org/knoxville-naturalists-earl-henry/

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