World War II Honoree

Kenneth N. Walker

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Cerrillos, New Mexico

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE WAS POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. BRIGADIER GENERAL, U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS, COMMANDER OF V BOMBER COMMAND. PLACE AND DATE: RABAUL, NEW BRITAIN, JANUARY 5, 1943. ENTERED AT COLORADO. GO 13, MARCH 11, 1943. CITATION FOR CONSPICUOUS LEADERSHIP ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY INVOLVING PERSONAL VALOR AND INTREPIDITY AT AN EXTREME HAZARD TO LIFE. AS COMMANDER OF THE 5TH BOMBER COMMAND DURING THE PERIOD OF SEPTEMBER 5, 1942 TO JANUARY 5, 1943, HE REPEATEDLY ACCOMPANIED HIS UNITS ON BOMBING MISSIONS DEEP INTO ENEMY HELD TERRITORY. FROM THE LESSONS PERSONALLY GAINED UNDER COMBAT CONDITIONS, HE DEVELOPED A HIGHLY EFFICIENT TECHNIQUE FOR BOMBING WHEN OPPOSED BY ENEMY FIGHTER AIRPLANES AND BY ANTIAIRCRAFT FIRE. ON JANUARY 5, 1943, IN THE FACE OF EXTREMELY HEAVY ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE AND DETERMINED OPPOSITION BY ENEMY FIGHTERS, HE LED AN EFFECTIVE DAYLIGHT BOMBING ATTACK AGAINST SHIPPING IN THE HARBOR AT RABAUL, NEW BRITAIN, WHICH RESULTED IN DIRECT HITS ON 9 ENEMY VESSELS. DURING THIS ACTION HIS AIRPLANE WAS DISABLED AND FORCED DOWN BY THE ATTACK OF AN OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF ENEMY FIGHTERS.