Kendall Carl Campbell (1917 - 1942)

Born 25 Jul 1917 in Garden City, Finney, Kansas, United States

Ancestors

Died 8 May 1942 at age 24 in Coral Sea, South Pacific

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Biography

"Kendall Campbell went missing in action 8 May 1942 in the Battle of Coral Sea, South Pacific. He was a naval Ensign piloting a plane off the battleship Yorktown and was probably killed by friendly fire from his own side of the battle. His mother christened the Destroyer Escort USS Kendall C Campbell on 19 Mar 1944." ---Earl Rice

"Ensign Kendall Carl Campbell was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism as pilot of an airplane of a Scouting Squadron stationed on the aircraft carrier Yorktown, for contributing materially to the sinking or damaging of eight enemy vessels in Tulagi Harbor on May 4 and contributing materially to the sinking of an enemy aircraft carrier in the Coral Sea on May 7. Again, on May 8, he fiercely engaged the combine attack of enemy bombing and torpedo planes and their heavy fighter support, while on anti-torpedo patrol duty.

The Gold Star in lieu of Second Navy Cross was awarded posthumuously to Ensign Campbell for extraordinary heroism as pilot of a Scout Bomber in action 10 Mar 1942 at Salamaua and Lae, New Guinea, wherein he dived to attack and scored a direct hit on a Japanese aircraft tender or transport.

On Mar 19, 1944 the Destroyer Escort, the USS Kendall C Campbell was christened in memory of the late Ensign Kendall C Campbell by his mother, Mrs. Carl B Campbell as Sponsor at Newark NJ. This DE participated in many actions during the remaining months of the war with Japan." The Mudd Family of the United States by Dr. Richard D Mudd EdII (1950)

Sources

• Earle Rice (descendent) correspondence Jan 2018

"The Mudd Family of the United States" by Dr. Richard D Mudd EdII (1950)

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56774997/kendall-carl-campbell