Henry was born November 29, 1923 in St. Charles, MO at 720 No. Benton Avenue. In 1928 they moved to Ridge Avenue in St. Louis. His parents were John Henry Braucksieker and Clara Benne. He had four siblings, Wilbur, Ludell, Lilly and Anita. In 1931 they moved to Foristell then back to St. Louis in 1935. He graduated from Ben Blewet High School in 1941. He signed with the White Sox's in 1941; and played in Lockport, NY in the poney league. In 1942 Henry enlisted in the Coast Guard and went to boot camp on Curtis Bay, Maryland for four weeks including two weeks of commando training. Aboard the Restless out of Savanna, GA doing convoy duty from Charleston, SC.

In January 1943 he boarded the USS Cavalier in Hoboken, NY. After a shake down cruise they headed for the Hawaii. After two months training on June 1st they departed for an invasion of Saipan. He drove a LCVP (landing craft vehicle personnel) in the invasions. On June 16 the invasion of Saipan began.

The next invasion was Leyte on Oct 20, 1944. Then the Linaayen Gulf Landing on Jan 9-10, 1945. The next invasion was Subic Bay on Jan 29, 1945. On January 30 the Cavalier was hit by a torpedo on her port side. She was towed into Pearl Harbor arriving May 1, 1945.

Henry was shipped to U.S. aboard troop transport in the hospital to San Francisco hospital and then to Cleveland hospital and then after four and half months in the hospital he was honorably discharged.