John Thomas Kennedy

John Thomas Kennedy (July 22, 1885 – September 26, 1969) was a highly decorated officer in the United States Army with the rank of Brigadier General. He distinguished himself during the fighting with Moro rebels in the Philippines in 1909 and received the Congressional Medal of Honor, the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration awarded for valor. He was the last surviving US veteran of the Philippine–American War to receive that medal.

Kennedy was promoted to Colonel in August 1938 and ordered back to the Army Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma for duty as Director, Department of Tactics and Signal Communication under School's Commandant, Brigadier general Augustine McIntyre.

Kennedy was transferred to that division under command of Major general James P. Marley and assumed duty as Commanding officer of the Divisional Artillery. He took part in the intensive training but his advanced age and poor health prevented Kennedy to remain with the division. He was relieved in late February 1941 and transferred to Fort Bragg, North Carolina for duty as Commanding Officer, Provisional Field Artillery Brigade there.

In July 1942, Kennedy was appointed a member of the seven-man Military Commission to try the eight Nazi saboteurs who were captured after landing on the Atlantic Coast from German submarines (Operation Pastorius).All saboteurs were sentenced to death, but sentences of two saboteurs were later commuted to life imprisonment.

Kennedy retired from active duty on January 31, 1946, after 38 years of commissioned service and received Legion of Merit for his service at Fort Bragg during the War. During his retirement, he was a member of the Presbyterian Church, Orangeburg Historical Society and the American Legion.

Brigadier general John T. Kennedy died due to complications from Coronary atherosclerosis at the Veterans Hospital in Columbia, South Carolina on September 26, 1969.

Decorations

Here is the ribbon bar of Brigadier general Kennedy:

1st RowMedal of Honor 2nd RowArmy Distinguished Service MedalSilver StarLegion of Merit 3rd RowPurple Heart Philippine Campaign Medal Mexican Service Medal 4th RowWorld War I Victory Medal with four battle claspsArmy of Occupation of Germany Medal American Defense Service Medal5th RowAmerican Campaign MedalWorld War II Victory MedalOrder of the Black Star, rank Officer (France)

Medal of Honor citation

His citation contains following:

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.

Distinguished Service Medal citation

His citation contains following:

As Regimental Commander during the St. Mihiel offensive and the Meuse-Argonne offensive, Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy displayed conspicuous efficiency, marked aggressiveness, and leadership. By his exceptional technical and executive ability he solved many perplexing problems, although much handicapped by losses in men, material, and animals. He at all times rendered invaluable support to the attacking Infantry and proved to be a material factor in the result achieved.