James Patrick Kenny
Military
416th BG - 668th BS - 9th AF
KIA 18 March 1945
Object Number - UPL 48592 - 1LT James Patrick Kenny 416th BG - 668th BS - 9th AF KIA 18 March 1945
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 668th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37573540
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Aerial Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: A-26 Invader
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 668th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Nicknames: Pink Lady
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 668th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: A-26 Invader
- Nicknames: Eva Mae
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 668th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 669th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Melun, Alsace
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
New York, New York | 23 June 1918 | |
|
Other First 416th BG Combat Mission |
Bagnoles de l'Orne, France | 24 June 1944 | |
|
Other Wounded in Action/Crash Landed |
2 miles east of Castle Heddingham, Essex, UK | 10 August 1944 | General Orders No. 157, 17 August 1944, Purple Heart is awarded to: 668th Bombardment Squadron (L), James P. Kenny, O-691368, Second Lieutenant, Air Corps, United States Army. For wounds received as a result of enemy action on 10 August 1944, while serving as Pilot of an A-20 airplane. Entered military service from New York, New York. |
|
Died |
Worms, Germany | 18 March 1945 | While on a mission to destroy the Worms Communicatins Center, Lt. Kenny's plane received a direct hit in the left engine and disintegrated in flames. Lt. Kenny was Killed in Action. His gunner, Ssgt Jack Sittarich was able to parachute and was captured by German forces. Later known as "Black Sunday", March 18, 1945 would be the last mission day for both men. Classified Mission number 239 was the early morning bombing run near Worms, Germany and was one of the worst missions of the war. On that extremely dense, cloudy 10/10 day, moderate flak met the 416th on the mission to knock out marshalling yards, roads and rail tracks. The anti aircraft gunners from the ground found the formation through the cloud break and let loose with everything they had. Four planes were lost near the town of Bingen. Two went down near the target. Twenty three other planes suffered flak damage. The plane serial number 41-39361 piloted by Lt. James P. Kenny with gunner SSgt John J. Sittarich received a direct hit in the left engine. According to Sgt Sittarich, "Flak burst under the bomb bay of our plane and the plane pitched up in the air. SSgt. Sittarich could smell the flak, which meant the hits were too close. Lt. Kenny settled the plane back down and we got hit again." "The plane went straight up in the air and rolled over." SSgt. Sittarich was semi-conscious at the time and doesn't remember the plane rolling over. The plane had taken a direct hit to the right engine, was doomed and already going down. "Planes in trouble went down with engines smoking," Ralph Conte wrote in his book, Attack Bombers We Need You! On fire, 41-39361 pulled away from the formation. No chutes were seen. The plane was a total loss. Lt. James P. Kenny, at age 27 was KIA. Gunner SSgt. John J. Sittarich bailed out through the fire and was taken POW. |
|
Buried |
Winkel, Germany | 28 March 1945 | |
|
Buried |
Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial Saint-Avold, Departement de la Moselle, Lorraine, France Plot Plot D Row 41 Grave 23 |
Revisions
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources
http://www.416th.com/missions/LoadingList.html
http://www.416th.com/MACR_AAR/416th_MACR_AAR.html
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9170/images/42861_6469…
http://www.416th.com/MACR_AAR/19440810_43-9840_AAR-45-8-10-525_Kenny.ht…
http://www.416th.com/Memorials/files2/668-KennyJames_IDPF_McEvoy.pdf
