Albert W. Kenner

Albert Walton Kenner (December 15, 1889 – November 12, 1959) was a highly decorated Major General in the Medical Corps of the United States Army. During World War II, he was a Chief medical officer for Operation Torch and Operation Overlord.

Early life and World War I
Albert Walton Kenner was born on December 15, 1889, in Holyoke, Massachusetts. In his youth, his family moved to Virginia, where he grew up. He attended an Emerson Institute and subsequently George Washington University, where he earned his M.D. in 1915.

Kenner joined the Army in 1916 and served during Pancho Villa Expedition. Following World War I, Kenner sailed to France with the American Expeditionary Force, where he served as a medical officer in the 26th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division.

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.

In addition to his World War I decorations, he received three Silver Stars, a Purple Heart for wounds, French Croix de guerre 1914–1918 with Palm and Legion of Honour.

Retirement
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.

Ribbon bar
Here is his ribbon bar: