Posted on Jan 30, 2023
#VeteranOfTheDay Army Veteran Gabriel Kinney - VA News
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WWII World War Two
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WWII World War Two Military History
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ILLUSTRATIONS: (1) Members of Merrill's Marauders ambush a Japanese patrol in Burma. (2) Japanese attack McLogan's Hill, Burma, April 1944. (3) Members of Merrill's Marauders on the perilous jungle trek through Burma to Myitkyina.
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How the U.S. Did Guerrilla Warfare Deep Behind Japanese Lines
Please consider donating to help us capture more incredible stories: http://americanveteranscenter.org/donationsGabriel Kinney had dreams of becoming a pilot...
Thank you my friend and brother-in-Christ MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. for honoring Us Army veteran Gabriel Kinney who served during the Second World War with the US Army in the Pacific theater. After completing basic infantry training [he initially wanted to join the US Army Air corps.] he eventually served with 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), the unit would famously become known as "Merrill's Marauders"
Rest in peace Gabriel Kinney recently passed away at the age of 101 just shy of turning 102 in February 2023 of February 5, 1921.
Gabriel Kinney had dreams of becoming a pilot, but in August of 1943 he instead found himself attached to the 25th Infantry Division helping to "mop up" the remaining Japanese on Guadalcanal. Having gained some combat experience, Kinney then volunteered for a dangerous mission code name GALAHAD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2zFLZznLKI
Image:US Army WW II veteran Gabriel Kinney with a picture of him as an Army Corporal infantry veteran.png
Interview begins with the interviewer speaking with Gabriel Kinney about his nephew being in jump training at Fort Benning, Georgia.] Gabriel Kinney was born in February 1921 on Stouts Mountain, Alabama. His father was an immigrant from Ireland and his mother was an immigrant from Scotland. They met in Stouts Mountain and married there. They were very poor during his childhood and their world was much different than things are today. Kinney's parents had 12 children. Nine of them served during World War 2. Kinney lost his father on 10 January 1942. Six of the Kinney boys and three of the girls went in the service. Kinney was working for US Steel in Birmingham the day Pearl Harbor was bombed. Kinney had no idea where Pearl Harbor was. Initially, learning of the attack did not mean much to him. Kinney entered the service in November 1942. Early in 1942 he and three of his buddies from the mines tried to get into the US Army Air Forces to become aviation cadets. There was a long waiting list. The three ended up in the infantry instead and all went their separate ways. Kinney was inducted at Fort McClellan then sent to Camp Wheeler, Georgia for basic training. Kinney took his training under the leadership of a young lieutenant, Lieutenant McLogan, who was just out of college ROTC. During basic training Kinney fired every weapon used by the infantry including the Browning Automatic Rifle. He ended up carrying the BAR throughout the rest of the war. Upon completion of his basic training the lieutenant promoted him to PFC and shipped him out to Camp Shenango, Pennsylvania where he was equipped for overseas duty. From there he was sent to San Francisco where he boarded a ship for New Caledonia. From New Caledonia he went to Guadalcanal.
Background from {[wbrc.com/2023/01/25/world-war-ii-veteran-dies-101-honored-by-family-friends]}
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Honoring an Alabama hero: family, friends, veterans and active military gathered today to honor the life of World War II veteran Gabriel Kinney, who passed away recently at the age of 101.
Kinney is an army veteran who fought in Burma as one of the Merrill’s Marauders.
Kinney was born in 1921 in rural Alabama. He enlisted in 1942 and soon after was one of many who volunteered to join the Marauders.
Kinney is survived by his wife, Elena, whom he married in 1945, and four of their six children, and his grandchildren who said “Best grandpa ever, he risked his life for everyone, he was on the state football championship team, I’m glad he’s with everybody.”
His daughter Patricia Nelson said, “the thing that was really important to me growing up was I always felt very safe around him.”
His son Richard Kinney said, “at the end of his life, probably three weeks before he passed, I asked him, I said ‘Dad how did you do that? How did you make it when things were so tough?’ And he said ‘We just did what we needed to do,’ and there’s a reason they call his generation the greatest generation.”
Decades after the war, many of his family members say he never talked about his time in Burma, until recently.
Nelson said they knew nothing about anything, most of their lives, “so, it’s been something we’ve all kind of walked through with him.”
Veteran Joe Stringham said, “he had plenty of people know what he did in the war and it was extrordinary.”
“The Merrill’s Marauders about a year and a half ago were rewarded the congressional Medal of Honor which was quite an honor, and my dad was able to accept that on behalf of all the Merrill’s Marauders,” Richard Kinney said.
Kinney was also inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame.
Barton Dodson, a Ranger said “Gabe is a ranger, he’s one of the few remaining original Merrill’s Marauders so it was great privilege for us to honor him and none of us will ever forget that he was very important to all of us.”
Veteran Clay Usie said, “you hear about those men in the history books and to actually meet one of his significance, it’s like meeting a super hero in some regards.”
With his death, only one veteran of Merrill’s Marauders remains living. You can find Kinney’s legacy displayed in the American Village’s Veteran Shrine.
FYI PV2 Larry Sellnow1LT Ernest Hendrik ErasmusMaj Bill Smith, Ph.D. LT Brad McInnis [ 1st Lt Padre Dave Poedel CWO3 (Join to see)
COL Lisandro Murphy LTC Greg Henning SPC Gary C. LTC John Mohor LTC (Join to see) MAJ (Join to see) CPT Jack Durish CPT (Join to see) CPT Richard Trione PO3 Edward Riddle LTC Trent Klug SGT Jim Arnold LTC Trent Klug
Rest in peace Gabriel Kinney recently passed away at the age of 101 just shy of turning 102 in February 2023 of February 5, 1921.
Gabriel Kinney had dreams of becoming a pilot, but in August of 1943 he instead found himself attached to the 25th Infantry Division helping to "mop up" the remaining Japanese on Guadalcanal. Having gained some combat experience, Kinney then volunteered for a dangerous mission code name GALAHAD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2zFLZznLKI
Image:US Army WW II veteran Gabriel Kinney with a picture of him as an Army Corporal infantry veteran.png
Interview begins with the interviewer speaking with Gabriel Kinney about his nephew being in jump training at Fort Benning, Georgia.] Gabriel Kinney was born in February 1921 on Stouts Mountain, Alabama. His father was an immigrant from Ireland and his mother was an immigrant from Scotland. They met in Stouts Mountain and married there. They were very poor during his childhood and their world was much different than things are today. Kinney's parents had 12 children. Nine of them served during World War 2. Kinney lost his father on 10 January 1942. Six of the Kinney boys and three of the girls went in the service. Kinney was working for US Steel in Birmingham the day Pearl Harbor was bombed. Kinney had no idea where Pearl Harbor was. Initially, learning of the attack did not mean much to him. Kinney entered the service in November 1942. Early in 1942 he and three of his buddies from the mines tried to get into the US Army Air Forces to become aviation cadets. There was a long waiting list. The three ended up in the infantry instead and all went their separate ways. Kinney was inducted at Fort McClellan then sent to Camp Wheeler, Georgia for basic training. Kinney took his training under the leadership of a young lieutenant, Lieutenant McLogan, who was just out of college ROTC. During basic training Kinney fired every weapon used by the infantry including the Browning Automatic Rifle. He ended up carrying the BAR throughout the rest of the war. Upon completion of his basic training the lieutenant promoted him to PFC and shipped him out to Camp Shenango, Pennsylvania where he was equipped for overseas duty. From there he was sent to San Francisco where he boarded a ship for New Caledonia. From New Caledonia he went to Guadalcanal.
Background from {[wbrc.com/2023/01/25/world-war-ii-veteran-dies-101-honored-by-family-friends]}
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Honoring an Alabama hero: family, friends, veterans and active military gathered today to honor the life of World War II veteran Gabriel Kinney, who passed away recently at the age of 101.
Kinney is an army veteran who fought in Burma as one of the Merrill’s Marauders.
Kinney was born in 1921 in rural Alabama. He enlisted in 1942 and soon after was one of many who volunteered to join the Marauders.
Kinney is survived by his wife, Elena, whom he married in 1945, and four of their six children, and his grandchildren who said “Best grandpa ever, he risked his life for everyone, he was on the state football championship team, I’m glad he’s with everybody.”
His daughter Patricia Nelson said, “the thing that was really important to me growing up was I always felt very safe around him.”
His son Richard Kinney said, “at the end of his life, probably three weeks before he passed, I asked him, I said ‘Dad how did you do that? How did you make it when things were so tough?’ And he said ‘We just did what we needed to do,’ and there’s a reason they call his generation the greatest generation.”
Decades after the war, many of his family members say he never talked about his time in Burma, until recently.
Nelson said they knew nothing about anything, most of their lives, “so, it’s been something we’ve all kind of walked through with him.”
Veteran Joe Stringham said, “he had plenty of people know what he did in the war and it was extrordinary.”
“The Merrill’s Marauders about a year and a half ago were rewarded the congressional Medal of Honor which was quite an honor, and my dad was able to accept that on behalf of all the Merrill’s Marauders,” Richard Kinney said.
Kinney was also inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame.
Barton Dodson, a Ranger said “Gabe is a ranger, he’s one of the few remaining original Merrill’s Marauders so it was great privilege for us to honor him and none of us will ever forget that he was very important to all of us.”
Veteran Clay Usie said, “you hear about those men in the history books and to actually meet one of his significance, it’s like meeting a super hero in some regards.”
With his death, only one veteran of Merrill’s Marauders remains living. You can find Kinney’s legacy displayed in the American Village’s Veteran Shrine.
FYI PV2 Larry Sellnow1LT Ernest Hendrik ErasmusMaj Bill Smith, Ph.D. LT Brad McInnis [ 1st Lt Padre Dave Poedel CWO3 (Join to see)
COL Lisandro Murphy LTC Greg Henning SPC Gary C. LTC John Mohor LTC (Join to see) MAJ (Join to see) CPT Jack Durish CPT (Join to see) CPT Richard Trione PO3 Edward Riddle LTC Trent Klug SGT Jim Arnold LTC Trent Klug
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LTC Stephen F.
Rest in peace Gabriel Kinney,
Images:
1. Gabriel Kinney, celebrated his 101st birthday on February 5, 1921 surrounded not only by fellow Rangers but his wife, kids and numerous grand and great-grand kids. Kinney is one very few surviving members of the famous Merrill’s Marauders who had a long-running battle with the Japanese Army in India and Burma during WWII.
2. 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), the unit would famously become known as "Merrill's Marauders"
3. WWII Army veteran Gabriel Kinney at his 101st birthday celebration and one of his sons
4. Image of the patch of the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional) with Gabriel Kinney holding a picture of himself as an Army infantry corporal
Background from {[obawebsite.com/wwii-u-s-army-ranger-celebrates-101st-birthday-at-the-flora-bama]} on February 5, 1921
Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – Every first Saturday of the month former U.S. Army Rangers meet at base camp Flora-Bama but the Feb. 5 meeting was extra special for the namesake of Bama’s Ranger Base.
Gabriel Kinney, an Alabama native, celebrated his 101st birthday surrounded not only by fellow Rangers but his wife, kids and numerous grand and great-grand kids. Kinney is one very few surviving members of the famous Merrill’s Marauders who had a long-running battle with the Japanese Army in India and Burma during WWII. (See more photos at the bottom of the story.)
A special request came from President Roosevelt to capture an all-weather airfield in Burma which would a vital resource for the war effort in southeast Asia. Kinney was one of 3,000 men who volunteered for the mission and they headed to India to train for the covert operation.
“At the time it seemed like a good thing to do,” he said of the volunteer mission.
In four months, they traveled up the Ledo Road 1,000 miles fighting running battles along the way with the Japanese. They had no tanks or other heavy equipment and all supplies were carried on their backs and on donkeys.
By the time the group reached the airport their numbers had shrunk to just 200 men while the rest were either killed in battle, got sick and succumbed to disease and/or starvation. Kinney says every member of the unit was wounded more than once during the mission.
Among the many accolades that came their way after the successful raid the group won the Presidential Unit Citation, six members received Distinguished Service Crosses, four earned Legions of Merit, 44 earned Silver Stars and every member received a Bronze Star. Thirty are now members of the Army Ranger Hall of Fame.
Flora-Bama CEO Cam Price is not only a former Ranger but a graduate of West Point as well following in the footsteps of his father who was also a West Point graduate and Ranger. The group meets monthly at noon at the Flora-Bama.
WWII U.S. Army Ranger Gabriel Kinney.
FYI Maj Marty Hogan MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. Amn Dale Preisach SSgt David M. Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Kim Patterson SSG Michael Scott SGT James Murphy MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi Capt Richard Desmond SMSgt David A Asbury TSgt David L. TSgt Joe C. SSgt (Join to see) SSgt (Join to see) SSgt Boyd Herrst Sgt (Join to see) A1C Riley Sanders COL Randall C.
Images:
1. Gabriel Kinney, celebrated his 101st birthday on February 5, 1921 surrounded not only by fellow Rangers but his wife, kids and numerous grand and great-grand kids. Kinney is one very few surviving members of the famous Merrill’s Marauders who had a long-running battle with the Japanese Army in India and Burma during WWII.
2. 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), the unit would famously become known as "Merrill's Marauders"
3. WWII Army veteran Gabriel Kinney at his 101st birthday celebration and one of his sons
4. Image of the patch of the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional) with Gabriel Kinney holding a picture of himself as an Army infantry corporal
Background from {[obawebsite.com/wwii-u-s-army-ranger-celebrates-101st-birthday-at-the-flora-bama]} on February 5, 1921
Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – Every first Saturday of the month former U.S. Army Rangers meet at base camp Flora-Bama but the Feb. 5 meeting was extra special for the namesake of Bama’s Ranger Base.
Gabriel Kinney, an Alabama native, celebrated his 101st birthday surrounded not only by fellow Rangers but his wife, kids and numerous grand and great-grand kids. Kinney is one very few surviving members of the famous Merrill’s Marauders who had a long-running battle with the Japanese Army in India and Burma during WWII. (See more photos at the bottom of the story.)
A special request came from President Roosevelt to capture an all-weather airfield in Burma which would a vital resource for the war effort in southeast Asia. Kinney was one of 3,000 men who volunteered for the mission and they headed to India to train for the covert operation.
“At the time it seemed like a good thing to do,” he said of the volunteer mission.
In four months, they traveled up the Ledo Road 1,000 miles fighting running battles along the way with the Japanese. They had no tanks or other heavy equipment and all supplies were carried on their backs and on donkeys.
By the time the group reached the airport their numbers had shrunk to just 200 men while the rest were either killed in battle, got sick and succumbed to disease and/or starvation. Kinney says every member of the unit was wounded more than once during the mission.
Among the many accolades that came their way after the successful raid the group won the Presidential Unit Citation, six members received Distinguished Service Crosses, four earned Legions of Merit, 44 earned Silver Stars and every member received a Bronze Star. Thirty are now members of the Army Ranger Hall of Fame.
Flora-Bama CEO Cam Price is not only a former Ranger but a graduate of West Point as well following in the footsteps of his father who was also a West Point graduate and Ranger. The group meets monthly at noon at the Flora-Bama.
WWII U.S. Army Ranger Gabriel Kinney.
FYI Maj Marty Hogan MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. Amn Dale Preisach SSgt David M. Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Kim Patterson SSG Michael Scott SGT James Murphy MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi Capt Richard Desmond SMSgt David A Asbury TSgt David L. TSgt Joe C. SSgt (Join to see) SSgt (Join to see) SSgt Boyd Herrst Sgt (Join to see) A1C Riley Sanders COL Randall C.
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LTC Stephen F.
Merrill's Marauder Vet receives Congressional Gold Medal
Gabe Kinney was a soldier in the all-volunteer force Merrill's Marauders who ran missions deep behind enemy lines during WWII
Rest in peace Gabriel Kinney who died in January 2023 less than a month before his birthday on February 5 [1921
Merrill's Marauder Vet receives Congressional Gold Medal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrvdQetYEgo
FYICPO David R. D.SGT Gerald “Jerry” Harrell1SG Paul AyotteMSgt Dee Ann P.PV2 Scott Mollette MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. SPC Gary C. LTC Trent Klug
SFC Dr. Jesus Garcia-Arce, Psy.DSGT(P) David den Boer
PO3 Richard T.Maj William MitchellSSG(P) (Join to see)PFC Carl WolfeSFC Jason WerstackSGT Charles WhitedMAJ Wayne Wickizer]
Merrill's Marauder Vet receives Congressional Gold Medal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrvdQetYEgo
FYICPO David R. D.SGT Gerald “Jerry” Harrell1SG Paul AyotteMSgt Dee Ann P.PV2 Scott Mollette MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. SPC Gary C. LTC Trent Klug
SFC Dr. Jesus Garcia-Arce, Psy.DSGT(P) David den Boer
PO3 Richard T.Maj William MitchellSSG(P) (Join to see)PFC Carl WolfeSFC Jason WerstackSGT Charles WhitedMAJ Wayne Wickizer]
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LTC Stephen F.
My friend and brother-in-Christ LTC Trent Klug listen to the interview I posted to see and hear him relating his memories of WWII. FYI my friend and brother-in-Christ MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D.
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