Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1950 Lucky Bag:

KENALL COURTNEY GEDNEY

A mixture of sparkling wit, plenty of energy, and a fun-loving spirit, Ken is usually in the middle of whatever is going on. He has his serious side, however, and when deep in thought, there is one forelock of hair that always suffers. Ken is a native of Connecticut and came to Navy via V-5 and Yale. His Yankee spirit has made him a hard man to beat at any sport, though swimming is probably his long suit. An accomplished dancer, Ken seems to have a way with the fairer sex, and academics held no terrors for him.

Loss

Kendall was killed in action on March 9, 1953 when the F9F-5 Panther he was piloting over Korea was struck by anti-aircraft fire and crashed. He was a member of Fighter Squadron (VF) 51, flying from USS Valley Forge (CVA 45).

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Kendall was a Boy Scout and member of the Boy’s Choir of the Grace Episcopal Church of Middletown. He attended Middletown High School for two years. In 1945, he graduated from New Haven High School in Connecticut where he was on the tennis team. He attended Gulf Coast Military Academy.

In October 1950, Kendall graduated from Pensacola, “Annapolis of the Air.” He completed his aircraft carrier qualifications on the USS Monterey in September 1951. He was next stationed at Corpus Christi for advanced training.

Kendall’s father was a major in the Army Air Corps.

From Find A Grave:

Awarded: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with Gold Star, Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.

Remembrances

From the May 1953 issue of Shipmate: “Ken’s death is deeply felt by his many friends. He was a great pilot and a fine naval officer.”

Photographs

From his high school yearbook

From The Meriden Daily Journal on May 21, 1947

Distinguished Flying Cross

From Hall of Valor:

(Citation Needed) - SYNOPSIS: Lieutenant, Junior Grade Kendall Courtney Gedney (NSN: 532820), United States Navy, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight while serving with Fighter Squadron FIFTY-ONE (VF-51), embarked in U.S.S. VALLEY FORGE (CV-45), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 9 March 1953.

General Orders: All Hands (March 1954)
Action Date: March 9, 1953
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Junior Grade
Company: Fighter Squadron 51 (VF-51)
Division: U.S.S. Valley Forge (CV-45)

Related Articles

Edward Hotz, Jr. ‘50 was also a member of the 1st Company.