John Thomas Kennedy

"John T. Kennedy" redirects here. For the 35th President of the United States, see John F. Kennedy. For other people with the same name, see John Kennedy (disambiguation).

John Thomas Kennedy
Kennedy at the Medal of Honor presentation ceremony at the White House (November 23, 1912)
Born(1885-07-22)July 22, 1885
Hendersonville, South Carolina, US
DiedSeptember 26, 1969(1969-09-26) (aged 84)
Columbia, South Carolina, US
Place of burial
Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance United States of America
Service / branch United States Army
Years of service1908–1946
Rank Brigadier General
Unit 6th U.S. Cavalry
Commands2nd Battalion, 83rd Field Artillery Regiment
Battles / warsPhilippine–American War
World War I
World War II
Awards Medal of Honor
Silver Star

Brigadier General John Thomas Kennedy (July 22, 1885 – September 26, 1969) was an Officer in the United States Army who received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Philippine–American War and the last surviving US veteran of the war to receive the medal.

Biography

Grave at Arlington National Cemetery

John Kennedy was born in Hendersonville, South Carolina. He attended The Citadel for one year, and graduated from West Point in 1908. Upon graduation he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 6th Cavalry Regiment. He served in the Philippines in 1909 and was awarded the Medal of Honor after being wounded leading an attack into a cave occupied by hostile Moro insurgents.

He transferred from the Cavalry to the Field Artillery in January 1917. In World War I he served as a field artillery officer and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the National Army. After the war, he reverted to his Regular Army rank of Captain but was promoted to the rank of Major in June 1920. Kennedy served as the Professor of Military Science at Auburn University from 1926 to 1931.

He graduated from the Command and General Staff College in 1924 and from the Army War College in 1932.[1]

During World War II he was the Post Commander at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, from 1942 to 1945 with the rank of Brigadier General.

He retired from the Army on January 31, 1946, and died at the Veterans Hospital in Columbia, South Carolina on September 26, 1969.[2]

General John T. Kennedy is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, in Section 7, plot 10076.

Awards

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 6th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Patian Island, Philippine Islands, July 4, 1909. Entered service at: Orangeburg, S.C. Birth: Hendersonville, S.C. Date of issue: Unknown.

Citation:

While in action against hostile Moros, he entered with a few enlisted men the mouth of a cave occupied by a desperate enemy, this act having been ordered after he had volunteered several times. In this action 2d Lt. Kennedy was severely wounded.

Dates of rank

  • Cadet, USMA – June 16, 1904
  • 2nd Lieutenant – February 14, 1908
  • 1st Lieutenant – December 18, 1914
  • Captain – February 26, 1917
  • Major (National Army) – August 5, 1917
  • Lieutenant Colonel (National Army) – June 25, 1918
  • Discharged from National Army – February 15, 1920
  • Major – June 20, 1920
  • Lieutenant Colonel – March 1, 1932
  • Colonel – January 1, 1937
  • Brigadier General (Army of the United States) – May 21, 1942
  • Retired (with rank of brigadier general) – January 31, 1946

See also

References

  1. ^ Official Army Register. 1948. pg. 2281.
  2. ^ "Brig. Gen. Kennedy; Won Medal of Honor". The Charlotte Observer. Columbia, South Carolina. Associated Press. September 27, 1969. p. 9. Retrieved January 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.