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P.F.C. GORDON L. KENNEY : 1943 & 1945 ORIGINAL PAIR [2] OF MANUSCRIPT DIARIES HANDWRITTEN BY AN AMERICAN SERVICEMAN SERVING WITH THE DISTINGUISHED 45TH TROOP CARRIER SQUADRON LOVINGLY ADDRESSED TO HIS WIFE BUTCH

8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. On offer is a fascinating, very detailed, very well filled pair [2] of World War II manuscript diaries handwritten by P.F.C. Gordon L. Kenney of Beacon, New York [b. February 8th noting his 21st birthday] serving in the distinguished 45th Troop Carrier Squadron. The 9 x 6 inch 1943 volume is written from a few days in February March through December (January is detailed within these months for some reason) with only a few pages left blank in this otherwise well filled book. Interestingly in April he writes: "This month was a very eventful and tragic affair. Cpl Miller got too curious on the 8th and blew a detonator cap up. He is still in the hospital having lost two fingers. Ike attempted suicide with 30 cal rifle; I went through my first bombing of Tripoli; I don't know exactly where we are or how many there are of us...we are at some water hole in the middle of the desert." Kenney does a super job detailing his daily life in the Army, his narrative intended for his future [September 9, 1945] wife Esther [addressed as 'Dear Butch']. As a side note we mention that they were the first couple to be married in Beacon's newly erected Presbyterian Church.] The 8 x 5 inch 1945 diary has entries from January through May with some blank pages, some not completely filled but on Monday, May 7, 1945 he heads the page: "STOP PRESS. It has been announced tomorrow is to be officially VE Day Churchill will speak at 3 PM." He ends the day with these words: "Visited the chapel a short time ago. It was very quiet - no one was around. I got to thinking. As long as I remember I have been in a house a beautiful house uncompared anywhere, so peaceful & restful--then I went outside for a walk-the door got locked from the Inside & for a time a long time I wandered around helplessly-at last I found the door beginning to open. THANKS LORD." We learn that Kenney always has a thought for the folks back home as a partial newspaper article in one of the books states: SENDS CARDS TO BHS (Beacon High School) PFC Gordon Kenney who is with the armed forces in Sicily has recently sent a packet of postcards to be used by the history teacher at BHS. In an accompanying letter he said: 'I am much impressed by the interesting things I have been seeing. I didn't realize that war could be so educational. Sicily isn't all ancient Roman ruins...' BIO NOTES: Gordon L Kenney 1912 - 1995 was a member of the Kenney family. Gordon was born on November 25, 1912. Gordon died on August 31, 1995 at 82 years old. Gordon L Kenney's last known residence is at Kansas City, Jackson County, MO (Missouri) 64124. HISTORICAL NOTES: Wikipedia: The 45th Airlift Squadron (45 AS) is part of the 314th Airlift Wing at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. It operates C-21 aircraft training pilots for executive airlift. Activated in June 1942 under First Air Force, being formed at Patterson Field, Ohio. Trained at various stationd in the southeast and Texas with C-47 Skytrain transports. Deployed to Egypt in November 1942 as part of President Roosevelt's decision to aid the Royal Air Force Western Desert Air Force, assigned to the newly-established Ninth Air Force, headquartered in Cairo. Transported supplies and evacuated casualties in support of the British Eighth Army, operating from desert airfields in Egypt and Libya. Reassigned in May 1943 to the USAAF Twelfth Air Force in Algeria, supporting Fifth Army forces in the Tunisian Campaign. Began training for the invasion of Sicily; dropped paratroops over the assault area on the night of 9 July. Carried reinforcements to Sicily on 11 July and received a DUC for carrying out that mission although severely attacked by ground and naval forces; dropped paratroops over the beachhead south of the Sele River on the night of 14 Sep 1943. Remained in the MTO until February 1944 until being reassigned back to Ninth Air Force in England, IX Troop Carrier Command to participate in the buildup of forces prior to the Allied landings in France during D-Day in June 1944. Engaged in combat operations by dropping paratroops into Normandy near Ste-Mere-Eglise on D-Day (6 June 1944) and releasing gliders with reinforcements on the following day. The unit received a third Distinguished Unit Citation and a French citation for these missions. After the Normandy invasion the squadron ferried supplies in the United Kingdom. The squadron also hauled food, clothing, medicine, gasoline, ordnance equipment, and other supplies to the front lines and evacuated patients to rear zone hospitals. It dropped paratroops near Nijmegen and towed gliders carrying reinforcements during the airborne attack on Holland. In December, it participated in the Battle of the Bulge by releasing gliders with supplies for the 101st Airborne Division near Bastogne. Returned to the United States in May, 1945, becoming a domestic troop carrier squadron for Continental Air Forces. Reassigned to Seventh Air Force in Hawaii in September 1945, operating until being inactivated at the end of the year.. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good+

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