thedrifter
06-14-09, 08:04 AM
Iwo Jima veteran gets medals
Kenneth Wellington Keene Sr., 86, of Riggins, accepted his WWII Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, Combat Action Ribbon and Honorable Service Lapel Pin at a Flag Day ceremony in Lewiston attended by U.S. Rep. Walt Minnick, D-Idaho, and state House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston.
By JOHN MILLER
The Associated Press
BOISE, Idaho — An American medic who landed on Iwo Jima, dodged bullets on the beach and watched friends die in one of World War II's bloodiest battles is getting a belated thank you from the Navy.
Four medals he should have received before he left the service in 1945 finally arrived Saturday.
Kenneth Wellington Keene Sr., 86, of Riggins, accepted his WWII Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, Combat Action Ribbon and Honorable Service Lapel Pin at a Flag Day ceremony in Lewiston attended by U.S. Rep. Walt Minnick, D-Idaho, and state House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston.
After winning election last November, Minnick staffers began asking the Navy in Washington, D.C., to investigate the oversight.
In an interview, Keene remembered how he was the last person out of his landing craft in the opening wave of the invasion on Iwo Jima on Feb. 19, 1945 — about 30 seconds before a Japanese shell blew the boat from the water.
Over the next 26 days, Keene watched his commanding officer die, tended to the broken and battered and helped lead a group of wounded Marines from a minefield.
"When I hit the beach, I had no feeling about what was going to happen to me. I just set about doing my job, fixing up casualties and getting them back to the aid station," he said.
"It surprised me, especially as I think back about it, that I didn't think, 'What if it's you? What if I get killed?' I had no fears whatsoever. I was too busy, I guess."
Minnick was contacted by Keene's daughter, Sandra Wicker, in 2008 while campaigning in north-central Idaho and learned that the former aerospace worker had been trying to secure his medals for about five years, but to no avail.
Ellie
Kenneth Wellington Keene Sr., 86, of Riggins, accepted his WWII Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, Combat Action Ribbon and Honorable Service Lapel Pin at a Flag Day ceremony in Lewiston attended by U.S. Rep. Walt Minnick, D-Idaho, and state House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston.
By JOHN MILLER
The Associated Press
BOISE, Idaho — An American medic who landed on Iwo Jima, dodged bullets on the beach and watched friends die in one of World War II's bloodiest battles is getting a belated thank you from the Navy.
Four medals he should have received before he left the service in 1945 finally arrived Saturday.
Kenneth Wellington Keene Sr., 86, of Riggins, accepted his WWII Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, Combat Action Ribbon and Honorable Service Lapel Pin at a Flag Day ceremony in Lewiston attended by U.S. Rep. Walt Minnick, D-Idaho, and state House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston.
After winning election last November, Minnick staffers began asking the Navy in Washington, D.C., to investigate the oversight.
In an interview, Keene remembered how he was the last person out of his landing craft in the opening wave of the invasion on Iwo Jima on Feb. 19, 1945 — about 30 seconds before a Japanese shell blew the boat from the water.
Over the next 26 days, Keene watched his commanding officer die, tended to the broken and battered and helped lead a group of wounded Marines from a minefield.
"When I hit the beach, I had no feeling about what was going to happen to me. I just set about doing my job, fixing up casualties and getting them back to the aid station," he said.
"It surprised me, especially as I think back about it, that I didn't think, 'What if it's you? What if I get killed?' I had no fears whatsoever. I was too busy, I guess."
Minnick was contacted by Keene's daughter, Sandra Wicker, in 2008 while campaigning in north-central Idaho and learned that the former aerospace worker had been trying to secure his medals for about five years, but to no avail.
Ellie