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SFC Edwin Sierra
to remember
Kenner, Albert Walton, MG.
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Contact Info
Home Town Hampden County
Date of Passing Nov 12, 1959
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
During the heavy fighting at Soissons, the regimental commander, Colonel Hamilton A. Smith, was mortally wounded. Kenner voluntarily went through front lines under heavy machine-gun fire in the hope of helping him. Finding Colonel Smith dead, he recovered his body and returned to his lines. For this action, Kenner was decorated for gallantry with the Distinguished Service Cross.
Major general Kenner retired on June 30, 1949 and stayed in Washington, D.C. area with his wife, Raymonde Minard Kenner (1896 - 1959) until his death on November 12, 1959 at the age of 69 years. On April 16, 1962, the army hospital at Fort Lee, Virginia (now Kenner Army Health Clinic) was named in his honor.
Decorations
For his military services, major general Albert W. Kenner received a large number of decorations for gallantry in action or for other distinguished service.
Distinguished Service Cross Citation
His official Distinguished Service Cross Citation reads:
General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 15 (1919) Action Date: 22-July-1918 Name: Albert Walton Kenner Service: Army Rank: Major Regiment: 26th Infantry Regiment (Attached) Division: 1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces Citation:The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Major (Medical Corps) Albert W. Kenner, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 26th Infantry Regiment (Attached), 1st Division, A.E.F., near Soissons, France, 22 July 1918. Learning that his regimental commander had been mortally wounded, Major Kenner voluntarily went through machine-gun fire beyond the front lines in the hope of helping him. Finding his colonel dead, he recovered the body, in spite of the danger to which such action subjected him.
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Other Comments:
History of Kenner Army Health Clinic
Construction of a hospital at Camp Lee began in November 1940, as America mobilized for her inevitable involvement in World War II. Camp Leeâ??s Station Hospital was ready for occupancy on 30 March 1941 with 871 beds. By October 1942, the hospital had expanded to 2,000 beds. Camp Leeâ??s hospital was redesignated a regional hospital on 7 June 1944, the day after â??Operation Overlordâ?? (D-day invasion) was launched.
The hospital was downsized in 1947, when the bed capacity was reduced to 1,100 beds. The hospital was renovated in 1949 and redesignated US Army Hospital, Fort Lee in 1950, when Camp Lee was named a permanent post. In addition to the redesignation, the bed capacity was reduced further to 200 beds.
As part of Fort Leeâ??s conversion from World War II vintage wooden structures to modern structures, groundbreaking for the current facility took place in 1959. Plans called for the new facility to operate 100 beds, built on a platform with the capability to expand to 200 beds. On 16 April 1962, Kenner Army Hospital was dedicated in memory of Major General Albert W. Kenner, Medical Corps, a veteran of World Wars I and II.
The outpatient wing was added in 1975-1976, effectively tripling the square footage available for patient care. Completion of this project was followed by the renovation of the original building in 1977. A second renovation began in June 1996 in order to bring the facility in compliance with the current Life Safety codes for an inpatient facility. The upgrade, begun in June 1996, lasted until April 1997.
Kenner Army Community Hospital received two Army Superior Unit Awards. The first citation was awarded in 1985 to recognize the innovative use of Medical Unit Self-contained Transportable (MUST) hospital operating room equipment during a renovation of the facilityâ??s operating rooms. The second citation was awarded in 1990-1991 to recognize outstanding support rendered during the deployment and subsequent demobilization of troops that participated in Desert Shield/Desert Storm.
In July 1995, the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission selected Kenner Army Community Hospital as a potential candidate to downsize its operations. On 1 August 1996, inpatient and Emergency Department capabilities were eliminated.
On 1 October 1996, Kenner Army Community Hospital was officially redesignated Kenner Army Health Clinic. Kenner staff re-focused their efforts and worked collaboratively with our local TRICARE community to manage the tremendous changes effectively.
Kenner currently has a staff of 92 military,144 civilians and 62 contract staff meeting the health care needs of the 30,000 Soldiers, family members and retirees in the Fort Lee and surrounding communities. The future for Kenner is bright as we continue to strive toward becoming a Primary Care Center of Excellence supporting the growth and diversity of the Fort Lee community.
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General Albert W. Kenner grew up in Virginia and graduated from George Washington University. He served as a medical officer with the First Infantry Division in France in World War I. During his tour, he was wounded in action and cited for gallantry during that campaign. During World War II, MG Kenner was the Chief Surgeon for Operation Torch, the amphibious landings at Casablanca in 1942. Operation Torch is distinguished as the longest transport over water by an invasion force, since the troop convoys formed on Americaâ??s east cost, crossed the Atlantic Ocean (infested with German U-boats) and completed a coordinated attack of British and American forces. Based on his experiences and demonstrated leadership, he was named Chief Medical Officer for Operation Overlord, the allied landings in Normandy, France on 6 June 1944. He continued his service as the first European Theater Surgeon immediately following cessation of hostilities in Europe and retired from active duty in 1952.
