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S/Sgt Day G. Turner was a paint mixer employed by the American Car and Foundry Co. before he enlisted in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania on 16 September 1943.

In December 1944 he was wounded in the hand by artillery shell fragments.

He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions on the day of his death. The citation reads: He commanded a 9-man squad with the mission of holding a critical flank position. When overwhelming numbers of the enemy attacked under cover of withering artillery, mortar, and rocket fire, he withdrew his squad into a nearby house, determined to defend it to the last man. The enemy attacked again and again and were repulsed with heavy losses. Supported by direct tank fire, they finally gained entrance, but the intrepid sergeant refused to surrender although 5 of his men were wounded and 1 was killed. He boldly flung a can of flaming oil at the first wave of attackers, dispersing them, and fought doggedly from room to room, closing with the enemy in fierce hand-to-hand encounters. He hurled hand grenade for hand grenade, bayoneted 2 fanatical Germans who rushed a doorway he was defending and fought on with the enemy's weapons when his own ammunition was expended. The savage fight raged for 4 hours, and finally, when only 3 men of the defending squad were left unwounded, the enemy surrendered. Twenty-five prisoners were taken, 11 enemy dead and a great number of wounded were counted. Sgt Turner's valiant stand will live on as a constant inspiration to his comrades.

He was killed by a head wound.

A monument was erected in Dahl, Luxembourg on the place were S/Sgt Turner fought on 8 January 1945.

His brother Ernest was killed on 28 July 1950 in Korea and was the first enlisted casualty of that war. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.