World War II Medal of Honor Recipient. He received the award posthumously on January 24, 1945 for his actions as a corporal with Company E, 314th Infantry Regiment, 79th Infantry Division, US Army, on June 25, 1944, near Fort du Roule, Cherbourg, France. He joined the US Army in June 1942 and following his recruit and combat training, he was sent to the European Theater of Operations, On that day, following the Allied D-Day Invasion of Normandy, France, he repeatedly exposed himself to hostile fire in order to destroy an enemy emplacement and capture its occupants. He was then promoted to the rank of technical sergeant and was killed in action five months later. He was also awarded the Purple Heart (with one oak leaf cluster). His Medal of Honor citation reads: "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. On 25 June 1944, in the vicinity of Fort du Roule, Cherbourg, France, when Cpl. Kelly's unit was pinned down by heavy enemy machine-gun fire emanating from a deeply entrenched strongpoint on the slope leading up to the fort, Cpl. Kelly volunteered to attempt to neutralize the strongpoint. Armed himself with a pole charge about 10 feet long and with 15 pounds of explosive affixed, he climbed the slope under a withering blast of machine-gun fire and placed the charge at the strongpoint's base. The subsequent blast was ineffective, and again, alone and unhesitatingly, he braved the slope to repeat the operation. This second blast blew off the ends of the enemy guns. Cpl. Kelly then climbed the slope a third time to place a pole charge at the strongpoint's rear entrance. When this had been blown open he hurled grenades inside the position, forcing survivors of the enemy guncrews to come out and surrender. The gallantry, tenacity of purpose, and utter disregard for personal safety displayed by Cpl. Kelly were an incentive to his comrades and worthy of emulation by all."
World War II Medal of Honor Recipient. He received the award posthumously on January 24, 1945 for his actions as a corporal with Company E, 314th Infantry Regiment, 79th Infantry Division, US Army, on June 25, 1944, near Fort du Roule, Cherbourg, France. He joined the US Army in June 1942 and following his recruit and combat training, he was sent to the European Theater of Operations, On that day, following the Allied D-Day Invasion of Normandy, France, he repeatedly exposed himself to hostile fire in order to destroy an enemy emplacement and capture its occupants. He was then promoted to the rank of technical sergeant and was killed in action five months later. He was also awarded the Purple Heart (with one oak leaf cluster). His Medal of Honor citation reads: "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. On 25 June 1944, in the vicinity of Fort du Roule, Cherbourg, France, when Cpl. Kelly's unit was pinned down by heavy enemy machine-gun fire emanating from a deeply entrenched strongpoint on the slope leading up to the fort, Cpl. Kelly volunteered to attempt to neutralize the strongpoint. Armed himself with a pole charge about 10 feet long and with 15 pounds of explosive affixed, he climbed the slope under a withering blast of machine-gun fire and placed the charge at the strongpoint's base. The subsequent blast was ineffective, and again, alone and unhesitatingly, he braved the slope to repeat the operation. This second blast blew off the ends of the enemy guns. Cpl. Kelly then climbed the slope a third time to place a pole charge at the strongpoint's rear entrance. When this had been blown open he hurled grenades inside the position, forcing survivors of the enemy guncrews to come out and surrender. The gallantry, tenacity of purpose, and utter disregard for personal safety displayed by Cpl. Kelly were an incentive to his comrades and worthy of emulation by all."
Bio by: William Bjornstad
Family Members
Advertisement
See more Kelly memorials in:
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
