George Kennedy - film actor and veteran

This actor states he served with 1st and then 3rd Armies in 1943-45. His best friend Davy Reed was killed alongside him at this time. I have searched quite a few sites and although his later career is covered there's a lot of confusion. He claims to have been awarded two bronze stars which argues a distinguished service. He fought in the battle of the Bulge but again gives few details. I assume he rose to NCO rank. Post war he re-enlisted, rising to staff sergeant rank to attend OCS and eventually leave the service a Captain in 1959

Can anyone give any more details of his war service. I know his initial enlistment was in the USAAC but he was transferred to the Army because of his...bulk. He spent some time at Fort Dix but this doesn't help much in locating his unit given the numbers than processed through this camp.

regards

Keith

 

Blimey. Just as write I find a whole raft of sources that show he was with the 99th Infantry Division! He was awarded a Bronze Star as a Lieutenant in 1947 although I am not sure what for.

 

I never would've thought that.....I thought he was good in the parts he was in.....he had a small part in In Harm's Way.....he was good in Cool Hand Luke ...also in Airport, which I just watched again...I don't think he was an all around actor.....he just didn't fit some roles....but Airport 79 was really ridiculous.....very laughable....
16 years in the service??....he must've liked it...

 

That 1947 bronze star would have been the award without the "V" device given post-war to most soldiers who earned the CIB and met some other criteria.

 

The "two bronze stars" may refer to battle stars rather than the Bronze Star Medal. That is a common point of confusion. KB is likely correct about the 1947 Bronze Star conversion. That would have meant that he did see combat since that was required to be awarded the CIB.

Do you have links for the sources you found? That may be helpful for others who are interested.

 

Don't forget The Dirty Dozen.

 

The information about his service in WW2 is from his book "Trust Me". He makes the claims for bronze stars, I think he is perhaps confused. There is a photo of him receiving a BS in 1947. As for battle stars I think he is entitled to one.

 

I don't doubt he did earn two bronze star medals during the war, if that is what he actually said. Those would have had the V for Valor device, but nobody would have been there to take the picture of the award. The 1947 award would have been the post-war award without the "V" and in peacetime there is generally a ceremony and the recipient gets a photo.

The bronze campaign stars are a very different thing and often get confused with the Bronze Star Medal by journalists or family members. Soldiers rarely exaggerate awards, but admirers often don't understand the awards and do. The small campaign stars are worn on the ribbon for the campaign medal, for instance soldiers who served in the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign, got a Medal with that title - the EAME is the usual acronym. And for each phase of the larger campaign a small bronze star was attached. For example a soldier might earn the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and have three bronze stars attached for phases he participated in - Normandy, Ardennes, Rhineland, etc. If he served in five campaigns, the bronze stars were replaced with a single silver star, if six, he had a silver star and another bronze star, etc. I'm sure some soldiers who served in Divisions that were in North Africa, Sicily, Italy then northern Europe probably had ten bronze battle starts (two silver stars) on their EAME Medal.

 

deleted

 

February 18, 1925 - February 28, 2016





http://www.aol.com/article/2016/02/29/george-kennedy-dies-at-age-91/21320518/

 

Joy Harmon, from New York CIty, don't cha know!