George Almy Percy (May 2, 1895 – January 10, 1970) was an American ice hockey player and United States Marine Corps officer who played for the

Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

and

Boston Athletic Association ice hockey team The Boston Athletic Association ice hockey team was an American amateur ice hockey team sponsored by the Boston Athletic Association that played in the American Amateur Hockey League, United States Amateur Hockey Association, and Eastern Amateur Ho ...

s and was a recipient of the Navy Cross for his actions during the

Battle of Iwo Jima The Battle of Iwo Jima (19 February – 26 March 1945) was a major battle in which the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and United States Navy (USN) landed on and eventually captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Imperial Japanese Army (IJ ...

Early life

Percy was born on May 2, 1895, in Arlington, Massachusetts to David Thomas and Maude (Almy) Percy. Percy attended Arlington High School and

Phillips Exeter Academy (not for oneself) la, Finis Origine Pendet (The End Depends Upon the Beginning) gr, Χάριτι Θεοῦ (By the Grace of God) , location = 20 Main Street , city = Exeter, New Hampshire , zipcode ...

. He played hockey and baseball at Phillips Exeter and was elected captain of the hockey team for the 1914–15 season, but instead enrolled in Harvard College.

Harvard

Percy entered Harvard College in 1914 and was elected captain of the freshman hockey team. In 1915, he won a strength competition against his fellow Crimson athletes, which resulted being nicknamed the "Harvard Hercules". He played on the varsity hockey team during the 1915–16 and 1916–17 and led the team in goals both years. Percy also played for the Harvard Crimson baseball team. He was elected captain of the hockey team for the 1917–18 season, but the team was suspended for the year due to World War I.

World War I

On June 1, 1917, Percy took a special examination to qualify for a commission in the United States Marine Corps. On July 16, he passed the physical examination and was enrolled with the temporary rank of second lieutenant. He received his permanent rank on July 29. He was stationed at Marine Corps Base Quantico until November 1917, when he was moved to

Fort Sill Fort Sill is a United States Army post north of Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles (136.8 km) southwest of Oklahoma City. It covers almost . The fort was first built during the Indian Wars. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark ...

, where he was a reconnaissance officer with the field artillery. In May 1918, he returned to Harvard as a recruiting officer.

Amateur hockey

Percy played for the Harvard Club during the 1919–20 season. The team folded after the season and Percy and three of his teammates signed with the Boston Athletic Association. Percy played for the B.A.A. from 1920 to 1922 and served as captain of the 1920–21 Boston Athletic Association hockey team. From 1922 to 1924, Percy played right wing for the Boston Hockey Club.

Personal life

On June 22, 1918, Percy married Hallie Elkins Davis, the granddaughter of former United States Senator

Henry G. Davis Henry Gassaway Davis (November 16, 1823 – March 11, 1916) was a millionaire and Senator from West Virginia. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for Vice President of the United States in 1904. Born on a farm in Howard County, Maryland, he bec ...

and a Washington D.C. socialite he met while stationed at Quantico. They had one son. On February 11, 1926, she was granted a divorce decree in Paris on the grounds that Percy had left their domicile. On April 14, 1930, Percy married Elvia Enders, a stage actress who played Madge Ferris in '' Little Accident'', after knowing each other for six weeks. They had two sons. In 1938, Percy leased an 11-room suite at 1040 Park Avenue in New York City. He later moved to 200 East 66th Street. On November 7, 1941, Elvia Percy received a divorce in Reno, Nevada on the charge of cruelty. Percy's final marriage was to Margaret Beauchamp. They had one son.

World War II

Percy served in the United States Marine Corps from 1942 to 1945. He was the executive officer of the 2nd Battalion,

21st Marine Regiment The 21st Marine Regiment (21st Marines) was an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps. Commissioned for service during World War II, the regiment fought in the battles of Bougainville, Guam and Iwo Jima. It fell under the comman ...

at the start of the Battle of Iwo Jima. When his commanding officer,

Lowell E. English Lowell Edward English (July 8, 1915 – September 29, 2005) was a highly decorated officer in the United States Marine Corps with the rank of major general who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He is most noted for his service a ...

, was wounded on March 2, 1945, Percy took over as commanding officer. His arm was severely wounded during an attack on March 8, but he refused to leave the field. He was wounded a second time that afternoon and again chose to remain with his troops. He led his force in an attack which ended on the cliffs overlooking the sea. On November 22, 1948, Percy was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Percy left the Marines with the rank of

Lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

. He then served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve until 1958, retiring with the rank of Colonel.

Business career

After World War I, Percy worked for Lee, Higginson & Co. In 1925, he became a European representative for the bank. He later worked for Clark Dodge & Co., where he retired as a vice president and director. In 1958, he was elected to the

American Museum of Natural History The American Museum of Natural History (abbreviated as AMNH) is a natural history museum on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. In Theodore Roosevelt Park, across the street from Central Park, the museum complex comprises 26 inter ...

's board of trustees. Percy died on January 10, 1970, at Brunswick Hospital in Amityville, New York.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Percy, George A. 1895 births 1970 deaths Boston Athletic Association ice hockey players Harvard Crimson baseball players Harvard Crimson men's ice hockey players Phillips Exeter Academy alumni Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States) Sportspeople from Arlington, Massachusetts United States Marine Corps personnel of World War I United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II