By February 7, 1882, he was serving as a seaman on the training ship USS Portsmouth.

On that day, while Portsmouth was at the Washington Navy Yard, Courtney and another sailor, Boatswain's Mate Thomas Cramen, jumped overboard and rescued Jack-of-the-Dust Charles Taliaferro from drowning.

For this action, both Courtney and Cramen were awarded the Medal of Honor two and a half years later, on October 18, 1884.

[2] Courtney's official Medal of Honor citation reads: On board the U.S. Training Ship Portsmouth, Washington Navy Yard, 7 February 1882.

Jumping overboard from that vessel, Courtney assisted in rescuing Charles Taliaferro, jack-of-the-dust, from drowning.