Kenneth A. Walsh, USMC (1916-1998); fourth-ranking Marine Corps ace in World War II; Medal of Honor recipient. Official Marine Corps biography
Kenneth Ambrose Walsh (November 24th, 1916 – July 30th, 1998) was a United States Marine Corps lieutenant colonel and a Medal of Honor recipient who was the fourth ranking USMC fighter ace in World War II with a record of 21 enemy planes destroyed. He also served in Korea during the first year of the Korean War and retired from the Marine Corps in February 1962.
Early life
Walsh was born in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated from Dickinson High School in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1933.
Military career
Walsh enlisted in the Marine Corps on 15th December 1933, at age 17. Following recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, he became an aircraft mechanic and radioman at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. In March 1936, he was transferred, and entered flight training at NAS in Pensacola, Florida. He was still a private when he received his Wings of Gold as a U.S. Naval Aviator on 26th April 1937, but was promoted to corporal soon thereafter. He flew scout-observation aircraft over the next four years on three aircraft carriers, before assignment to VMF-121 in North Carolina.
At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, he was a master technical sergeant, becoming a Marine Gunner (equivalent to warrant officer) on 11th May 1942, while serving with Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. He was commissioned a second lieutenant the following October and was promoted to first lieutenant in June 1943. He was also one of a handful of Marine aviators qualified as an aircraft carrier landing signal officer. Assigned to VMF-124 since September 1942, Walsh was one of the most experienced pilots in the Corps’ first Vought F4U Corsair squadron. The unit had arrived at Guadalcanal in February 1943, and was immediately committed to combat. He claimed his first three Japanese planes on 1st April 1943 and two more in his next combat action, 13th May 1943, becoming the first Corsair fighter ace. Walsh brought his score to 20 victories by the end of August 1943, including two combat actions over the Solomon Islands which earned him the Medal of Honor. He returned to the United States on 15th October 1943.
Members of VMF 124, 1943
The Marines identified in the photograph are as follows from left to right:
Top row:
Joseph F. Quilty, Jr., James English, William J. Bedford, Carl R. Newman, William E. Cannon, Thomas R. Mutz
Middle Row:
Walter A. Franklin, Jr., Lee Langer, David C. McDowell, William P. Spencer, Kenneth A. Walsh, Dean B. Raymond, John D. Kuhm, William M. Johnston, Jr., Troy M. Shelton, Lloyd B. Pearson, Mervin L. Taylor
Bottom Row:
Cecil B. Brewer, George W. Kaseman, Gilman B. Rood, Howard J. Finn, William E. Gise, William E. Crowe, Lawrence A. Hart, Edmond P. Hartsock
From the Kenneth A. Walsh Collection (COLL/3580), Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections
OFFICIAL USMC PHOTOGRAPH
President Franklin D. Roosevelt presented Walsh the Medal of Honor on 8th February 1944; he was promoted to temporary captain effective 8th February when he received the award and was promoted to permanent captain on 13th November 1948.
Walsh returned to flying combat missions in April 1945, serving with VMF-122, and was awarded his 7th Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism and extraordinary achievement from 28th April to 12th May 1945, in the Philippine Islands area. He scored his last kill while serving as the Operations Officer of VMF-222 at Okinawa on 22nd June 1945. He became the Assistant Operations Officer of Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing on Okinawa. He returned to the United States in March 1946.
Maintenance Crew, VMF 124, 1943
From the Kenneth A. Walsh Collection (COLL/3580), Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections
OFFICIAL USMC PHOTOGRAPH
Walsh served in Korea during the Korean War with VMR-152 (Marine Transport Squadron 152), flying C-54 transports, from 15th July 1950 to late July 1951. He was promoted to major in April 1955 and lieutenant colonel in October 1958.
Retirement and later life
In 1955 Walsh moved his family to the West Floral Park neighborhood of Santa Ana. Walsh retired from the Marine Corps as a lieutenant colonel on 1st February 1962. He was a frequent participant in history seminars and often assisted researchers and historians interested in the Pacific War.
Walsh died at age 81 due to a heart attack. He left a widow, Beulah, and a son, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on 13th August 1998.
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt shakes hands with Walsh while Admiral Ernest King, Lieutenant General Alexander Vandegrift, Assistant Secretary of the Navy Ralph A. Bard, and Mrs. Beulah Walsh look on.
Military awards
Walsh’s military decorations and awards include:
- Naval Aviator Badge
- Medal of Honor Distinguished Flying Cross
- w/ one 5⁄16″ Silver Star and one 5⁄16″ Gold Star
- Air Medal w/ two 5⁄16″ Silver Stars and two 5⁄16″ Gold Stars
- Air Medal w/ 5⁄16″ Gold Star (second ribbon required for accouterment spacing)
- Combat Action Ribbon w/ 5⁄16″ Gold Star
- Navy Presidential Unit Citation w/ 3⁄16″ Bronze Star
- Air Force Presidential Unit Citation
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal w/ 3⁄16″ Bronze Star
- American Defense Service Medal w/ 3⁄16″ Bronze Star
- American Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ four 3⁄16″ Bronze Stars
- World War II Victory Medal
- Navy Occupation Service Medal w/ ‘Asia’ clasp
- National Defense Service Medal w/ 3⁄16″ Bronze Star
- Korean Service Medal w/ three 3⁄16″ Bronze Stars
- Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
- Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
- Philippine Liberation Medal w/ 3⁄16″ Bronze Star
- United Nations Service Medal for Korea
- Korean War Service Medal
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, pilot in Marine Fighting Squadron 124, U.S. Marine Corps.
Place and date: Solomon Islands area, 15th and 30th August 1943.
Entered service at: New York.
Born: 24th November 1916, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Other Navy awards: Distinguished Flying Cross with 5 Gold Stars
Citation:
For extraordinary heroism and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty as a pilot in Marine Fighting Squadron 124 in aerial combat against enemy Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands area. Determined to thwart the enemy’s attempt to bomb Allied ground forces and shipping at Vella Lavella on 15th August 1943, 1st Lt. Walsh repeatedly dived his plane into an enemy formation outnumbering his own division 6 to 1 and, although his plane was hit numerous times, shot down 2 Japanese dive bombers and 1 fighter. After developing engine trouble on 30th August during a vital escort mission, 1st Lt. Walsh landed his mechanically disabled plane at Munda, quickly replaced it with another, and proceeded to rejoin his flight over Kahili. Separated from his escort group when he encountered approximately 50 Japanese Zeros, he unhesitatingly attacked, striking with relentless fury in his lone battle against a powerful force. He destroyed 4 hostile fighters before cannon shellfire forced him to make a dead-stick landing off Vella Lavella where he was later picked up. His valiant leadership and his daring skill as a flier served as a source of confidence and inspiration to his fellow pilots and reflect the highest credit upon the U.S. Naval Service.
Kenneth A. Walsh, circa 1943 From the Kenneth A. Walsh Collection (COLL/3580), Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections OFFICIAL USMC PHOTOGRAPH
Hobbymaster 1/48th scale F4U-4 Corsair White 13, Capt. Kenneth Walsh (21 kills), VMF-222, Okinawa 1945
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Hobbymaster updated photo gallery.
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Corgi Aviation Archive 1/48th scale BAe Harrier GR9A, ZG506/P77 ‘Ninja 1’ , Cottesmore Wing, RAF Cottesmore, Final Flight Retirement scheme
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Thank you for reading this week’s Newsletter.
Richard
Flying Tigers.
