Denny was raised in Fonda and Council Bluffs, Iowa until the age of 15 when joined the Iowa National Guard. Denny soon transferred to the Marines, and after serving 61/2 months, was discharged when his age was revealed.
When the conflict in Korea broke out, Denny immediately saw his chance to serve his country and himself in the Far East. In Japan, he was assigned to the 7th Infantry Division. He was deployed to Korea and took part in the landing at Inchon on the 15th of September in 1950. After helping to secure Seoul, Denny and his team were dispatched to Pusan to prepare for another landing at Iwon, North Korea. An early winter storm saw temperatures between -35 and-40 degrees with wind chills of 120 below zero. Frostbite and freezing to death was common.
On November 28 an enemy force of around 120,000 strong struck Denny and his division. The division comprised of 15,000 Marines and Army, and tragically, only 3,500 troops survived the attack. Fighting back to Hamhung, along with 100,000 refugees, the survivors were taken by ship provided by the U.S. Navy. As the battles progressed, Denny was wounded on May 23,1951. In September 1952, Denny returned to the Far East and in Jan 1953 was deployed back to Korea with the 1st Cavalry Division. Answering the draft in June of 1954, he served, yet again, for another 8 1/2 years
Like many others experiencing war, Denny became an alcoholic. He had been married twice when he met his soon to be third wife. They were together for 35 years. Denny’s wife passed away in 2003.
Denny received his Puppy Jake Foundation service dog, Simon, in 2015. As Denny says, “My salvation has been Puppy Jake Foundation where I received Simon, my service dogs. I have now been sober almost 44 years and live alone. Believe me when I say Simon has been a great help to me and my quality of life.”