Korean War John Paul Coursey (December 20, 1914 – February 27, 1992) was a decorated officer and naval aviator in the United States Marine Corps with the rank of Brigadier General.

A survivor of the sinking of battleship Arizona during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he completed flight training and assumed command of Marine Transport Squadron 152 (VMR-152), operating in the Northern Solomons.

[1] While at the college, Coursey was active in Sigma Chi fraternity; Scabbard and Blade and also was a member of the Reserve Officer Training Corps unit for four years.

Coursey was ordered to San Diego, California, in July 1939 and joined the staff of the 2nd Marine Brigade under Brigadier general Clayton B. Vogel as Communications officer.

[1][5] Coursey was promoted to temporary rank of Major in August that year and served with Marine Detachment on Midway Atoll, before he was sent back to the United States in November.

He then joined the newly activated Marine Transport Squadron 953 at Camp Kearny in San Diego, California, and participated in the initial training of the unit.

Coursey served as Group's executive officer under Colonel Allen C. Koonce until mid-November that year, before assumed command of Marine Transport Squadron 152 (VMR-152), equipped with Douglas C-47 Skytrain planes.

[1][6][7] Coursey and his squadron provided air transport of personnel, equipment, and supplies, including aeromedical evacuation during the combats in Northern Solomons campaign, mostly on Bougainville Island.

[1] In July 1952, Coursey was ordered to Korea during the ongoing war there and assumed duty as Executive officer, Marine Aircraft Group 33 under Colonel Louis Robertshaw.

[1] On February 15, 1953, Coursey led a flight of Marine jet Grumman F9F Panther fighters in an aerial assault against heavily defended and highly inaccessible enemy positions in close proximity to the Panmunjon restricted area.

He promptly located the carefully camouflaged emplacements in mountainous terrain and initiated a daring low level bombing and strafing attack through intense defensive fire.

Coursey was subsequently ordered to Hawaii, where he joined the headquarters, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific under lieutenant general Edwin A. Pollock as Deputy Operations Officer (G-3).

Coursey assumed temporary additional duty as Commanding general, 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, which was activated as the combat response force following the Gulf of Tonkin incident.