Henry Bourgeois was born on 1 September 1921 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. He was married to Mildred Darbie. He died on 14 November 2009 in Covington, Louisiana, USA.
He joined the Marine Corps in 1940, served during both World War II and the Korean War. He retired in 1961 as a Lieutenant Colonel and pursued a subsequent career in the aerospace industry.