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Kenneth W Kenyon
Awards and Citations: Purple Heart (unconfirmed)
Enlisted: 12/21/1941
Deceased: 08/10/1944
Location: Normandy, France
Hometown: Rhode Island, Washington County
Army Serial Number: 11036895
Burial: Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial
Plot: C row 11 grave 13
GPS (lat/lon): 48°31’09.4″N 1°18’12.0″W
Click here to read more about Private Kenneth W. Kenyon
Biographical Info
Location grave Private Kennth W. Kenyon at the Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial:
Where was Private Kenneth W. Kenyon killed in action?
Phase: Phase I – The “Break-Through”
All Companies were employed as infantry in the area north of Barentan 8 August until 16 August. This was one of the hottest areas yet reached. Capt. George Youngblood, CO of Co. ”D”, and a demolition squad in the face of enemy fire blew a bridge in Lonlay-l’Abbaye on 8 August which halted an enemy column and enabled its destruction by friendly airplanes, thus earning his first Silver Star Medal. His patrols also demolished two bridges near Rouellé to nights later. Meanwhile, near Barenton, Co. ”B” under Division Reserve sent its platoons in line on the West of town, and to the north .
(source: 17th Armored unit History)
On August 10 XIX Corps attacked to recapture Gathemo and moved toward the town of Tinchebray, about seven miles east of Gathemo. Collier organized two task forces. One was attached to the 28th Infantry Division, with the mission of recapturing Gathemo which it did, driving out the remnants of the German 84th Infantry Division. The second task force was commanded by Lt. Col. William M. Stokes, who replaced Collier as commander of the 66th Armored Regiment. They attacked at 6:00 A .M. to capture Vengeons and St. Sauveur de Chaulieu, both between Gathemo and Tinchebray. The attack progressed smoothly across broken terrain and in the face of intense enemy fire. By nightfall the command had advanced about two miles toward its final objective. By Aaugust 11 the Germans saw that their attack had stalled. The German commander sought to get out as many men and as much material as possible, to form a new defensive line near Le Mans.
During the day of August 10, Combat Command B acted as a covering force, while the 3d Battalion, 120th Infantry Regiment, attacked to open supply and communications lines to the 2d Battalion of the same regiment, isolated on a hill near Mortain. The Intelligence and Recon-naissance Platoon of the 67th Armored Regiment conducted an extended patrol along the Mortain-Barenton road to determine if it were clear of enemy. About two miles north the patrol encountered a defended roadblock and beat a hasty retreat. In doing so, one driver backed his jeep over the edge of the road, injuring both occupants. One had to be evacuated, while the other was able to stay on duty with the regiment. Patrols which had been sent toward Ger encountered the enemy in strength. One detachment pulled back and the Germans followed it toward the American positions, but they were repulsed by division artillery. Another patrol made enemy contact about 200 yards from their front lines. When the Germans tried to surround the Americans, their move was detected. Though not actually encircled, they were cut off by extremely heavy small arms and artillery fire. Maj. Clifton B. Batchelder was notified of the action, and he directed tank and artillery fire on the German positions. During the artillery duel, a Concentration of nebelwerfer fire landed at the observation post of the 3d Battalion, 67th Ar-mored, killing one man, wounding another and destroying the jeep of the battalion commander. The Germans were driven off, however, and.Americans were able to return to their lines. During August 11 , the 2d Armored Division continued to defend its positions north of Barenton. It had moved its reserves forward and as a result of the previous day’s action had them on thirtyminute alert. Patrols continued and they penetrated the Foret de Linde Pourrie, northwest of their lines. The Germans tried their earlier tactic of following the Ameri-cans back to their lines, but it was stifled by artillery and tank fire.
(Source: The book “Hell on Wheels 2nd Armored Division 1942-1945” by Donald Houston)
Summary
It is not known in what Company Private Kenneth W. Kenyon was in so we can’t tell specific what happend to him. The sources mentioned “one man killed” in this period in August 1944, our research revealed that there are seven 17th Engineers killed in august 1944. Some platoons were assigned to Combat Commands and were also active as infantry around the area Barenton, were the fighting was intense.
Region where Private Kennth W. Kenyon was killed in action:
Official casualty list
Temporary Burial at Le Chene Guerin, Normandy, France
The location of the Locustville Woolen Mill in the year 1925 / 1935 where Private Kennth W. Kenyon lived with the family:
Adress:
The family name “Kenyon” where the Woolen Mill in Locustville was can bee seen in this historical map.
US Sensus 1940
Name | Kenneth W Kenyon | |||
Event Type | Census | |||
Event Date | 1940 | |||
Event Place | Hopkinton Town, Washington, Rhode Island, United States | |||
Gender | Male | |||
Age | 16 | |||
Marital Status | Single | |||
Race | White | |||
Race | White | |||
Relationship to Head of Household | Son | |||
Relationship to Head of Household | Son | |||
Birthplace | Rhode Island | |||
Birth Year (Estimated) | 1924 | |||
Last Place of Residence | Same House |
Evans Kenyon | Male | 37 | Married | White | Head | Rhode Island | 1903 | |||
Williemenina Kenyon | Female | 38 | Married | White | Wife | Rhode Island | 1902 | Same House | ||
Thora Kenyon | Female | 17 | Single | White | Daughter | Rhode Island | 1923 | Same House | ||
Kenneth W Kenyon | Male | 16 | Single | White | Son | Rhode Island | 1924 | Same House | ||
Gertrude A Kenyon | Female | 14 | Single | White | Daughter | Rhode Island | 1926 | Same House | ||
Marguerite E Kenyon | Female | 11 | Single | White | Daughter | Rhode Island | 1929 | Same House | ||
James Evans Kenyon | Male | 10 | Single | White | Son | Rhode Island | 1930 | Same House | ||
Roland R Kenyon | Male | 6 | Single | White | Son | Rhode Island | 1934 | Same House | ||
Shirley I Kenyon | Female | 4 | Single | White | Daughter | Rhode Island | 1936 | , , | ||
Frank R Kenyon | Male | 0 | Single | White | Son | Rhode Island | 1940 | , , | ||
Annie B Smith | Female | 71 | Married | White | Mother-in-law | Rhode Island | 1869 | Same House | ||
William B Smith | Male | 81 | Married | White | Father-in-law | Rhode Island | 1859 | Same House |
US Sensus 1935
Name | Kenneth W Kenyon | |||
Event Type | Census | |||
Event Year | 1935 | |||
Event Place | Washington, Rhode Island, United States | |||
Residence Place | Locust Mill Yard, Hopkinton, Washington, Rhode Island | |||
Address | Locust Mill Yard | |||
Gender | Male | |||
Marital Status | Single | |||
Race | White | |||
Birth Date | 22 Sep 1923 | |||
Birthplace | Rhode Island |
Kenneth W Kenyon was a student at the Hopevalley Elm school, and was at the 5th grade in 1935.
US Sensus 1930
Name | Kenneth W Kenyon | |||
Event Type | Census | |||
Event Date | 1930 | |||
Event Place | Hopkinton, Washington, Rhode Island, United States | |||
Gender | Male | |||
Age | 6 | |||
Marital Status | Single | |||
Race | White | |||
Race | White | |||
Relationship to Head of Household | Son | |||
Relationship to Head of Household | Son | |||
Birth Year (Estimated) | 1924 | |||
Birthplace | Rhode Island | |||
Father’s Birthplace | Rhode Island | |||
Mother’s Birthplace | Rhode Island | |||
Sheet Letter | B | |||
Sheet Number | 11 |
Household |
Role |
Sex |
Age |
Birthplace |
Evans K Kenyon | Head | M | 27 | Rhode Island |
Williamenis B Kenyon | Wife | F | 27 | Rhode Island |
Thora M Kenyon | Daughter | F | 7 | Rhode Island |
Kenneth W Kenyon | Son | M | 6 | Rhode Island |
Gertrude A Kenyon | Daughter | F | 4 | Rhode Island |
Margaret E Kenyon | Daughter | F | 1 | Rhode Island |
Evans J Kenyon | Son | M | 0 | Rhode Island |
William B Smith | Father-in-law | M | 70 | Rhode Island |
Annie B Smith | Mother-in-law | F | 60 | Rhode Island |
US Sensus 1925
|
Hopkinton, E.D. 370, Washington, Rhode Island | 56 | 1869 | Rhode Island | Self | Female | White | ||
Lilliemora Kenyon | Hopkinton, E.D. 370, Washington, Rhode Island | 23 | 1902 | Rhode Island | Daughter | Female | White | ||
Evean Kenyon | Hopkinton, E.D. 370, Washington, Rhode Island | 20 | 1905 | Rhode Island | Son-in-law | Male | White | ||
Kenneth W Kenyon | Hopkinton, E.D. 370, Washington, Rhode Island | 1 | 1924 | Rhode Island | Grandson | Male | White | ||
Nellie R Kenyon | Hopkinton, E.D. 370, Washington, Rhode Island | 0 | 1925 | Rhode Island | Granddaughter | Female | White | ||
Sarah E Thayer | Hopkinton, E.D. 370, Washington, Rhode Island | 69 | 1856 | Connecticut | Self | Female | White |
Name | Kenneth W Kenyon | |||
Event Place | Hopkinton, E.D. 370, Washington, Rhode Island | |||
Age | 1 | |||
Birth Year (Estimated) | 1924 | |||
Birthplace | Rhode Island | |||
Relationship to Head of Household | Grandson | |||
Gender | Male | |||
Race | White | |||
Page | 26 |
Household |
Role |
Sex |
Age |
Birthplace |
Annie B Smith | F | 56y | Rhode Island | |
Lilliemora Kenyon | F | 23y | Rhode Island | |
Evean Kenyon | M | 20y | Rhode Island | |
Kenneth W Kenyon | M | 1y 8m | Rhode Island | |
Nellie R Kenyon | F | 6m | Rhode Island | |
Sarah E Thayer | F | 69y | Connecticut |
Father Evans Kenyon was a Mill worker at the Cotton Mill of Locustville Hope valley, Hopkington Town, Washington County, Rhode Island.
The family Kenyon lived near the Locustville Mill Yard in 1935.
The earliest European-American settlement of the village site was by Hezekiah Carpenter, who arrived in 1770 and dammed the Wood River and built several small water-powered mills. His settlement was called Carpenter’s Mills. Around 1818 a tannery was built at the site. The textile industry arrived in 1824, when Gardner Nichols and Russell Thayer bought the existing mills and began to operate them for carding of wool; fulling, coloring and finishing of cloth; and manufacture of textile machinery.[4]
The formerly separate village of Locustville, which grew up along Brushy Brook, is now part of Hope Valley. A dam and mill were built at the site of Locustville in 1820. In the late 19th century the Locustville mill property was taken over by the Nichols and Langworthy Company, which had operated the Hope Valley mills since 1835.[4]
(Source: Wikipedia)
Enlistment details
Name | Kenneth W Kenyon | |||
Name | KENYON KENNETH W | |||
Event Type | Military Service | |||
Event Date | 24 Dec 1941 | |||
Term of Enlistment | Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law | |||
Event Place | Providence, Rhode Island, United States | |||
Race | White | |||
Citizenship Status | citizen | |||
Birth Year | 1923 | |||
Birthplace | RHODE ISLAND | |||
Education Level | 2 years of high school | |||
Civilian Occupation | Unskilled occupations in manufacture of textiles, n.e.c. | |||
Marital Status | Single, without dependents | |||
Military Rank | Private | |||
Army Branch | Branch Immaterial – Warrant Officers, USA | |||
Source Reference | Civil Life |
Family of father Evans Kenneth Kenyon
Parents
William Bartlett Smith
1859–1947
Betsy Annie Eldridge Smith
1868–1945
Spouse
Evans Kenneth Kenyon
1903–1972
Siblings
Annie Isabelle Smith Lewis Ramsbottom
1888–1930
Children
Thora M. Kenyon Gardiner
1922–2004
Nellie R. Kenyon
1924–1925
Kenneth W.Kenyon
1922-1944
Hazel B. Kenyon
1927–1930
Roland R. Kenyon
1933–1982
Pictures
Research © by: Martijn Brandjes
Text © by: Martijn Brandjes
Photos © by: Findagrave.com, familysearch.org