O. B. Kennedy, 483rd Aero Squadron Information Request

[RAF_Louvert]

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Greetings All,

I am looking for any info that may be out there on airman O. B. Kennedy. I know he was at Rockwell Field in San Diego with the 14th Squadron before being sent overseas where he served with the 483rd Aero Squadron, apparently constructing airfields. If someone has a copy of the roster that was published right after the war for this unit I'd like to know if his full name appears on the roll call. Everything I have of his only show his initials with the exception of his pocket service bible, however his handwriting is hard to make out, (first name almost looks like 'Ogil'). Any information on this airman will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

Lou

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[Airshipped]

His draft card gives a DOB and an Alabama connection:

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-25091-46207-56?cc=1968530&wc=M9W1-3V4:1212721973

I'm sure there's an expert out there on the 483rd Aero Squadron but do bear in mind that the term 'squadron' in US terminology did not relate just to several flights of aircraft: there were various construction squadrons and so forth.

On the US Aero Squadrons there are a few nice freely-available sources out there that can help give a good overview of what they experienced:

https://archive.org/search.php?query=aero%20squadron%20AND%20mediatype%3Atexts

EDIT: Oops, forgot to mention that there's a Texan called O'Brien Kennedy out there. Expect confusion if his details were abbreviated to O.B. Kennedy!

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-25131-14143-34?cc=1968530&wc=M9W1-HHW:646600594

[RAF_Louvert]

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Many thanks for the reply Airshipped. Yes, as a former member of the US Air Force I am aware of how the term 'squadron' is used by this particular branch of the armed services. In regards to O.B. Kennedy, I should have mentioned that when he returned home from the War 'home' for him at that time was Canton, Ohio.

Thanks again.

Lou

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[josquin]

Lou,

Ogal B. Kennedy was born in Harrison County Ohio, on 15 September 1896, the son of Artemis B. Kennedy. He lived in Cuyahoga County, Ohio

after the war, was married there to Mildred Naomi, and died there in 1962. His christening record lists only "Ogal Kennedy" and all the Ohio\

military indices, the marriage registry, and the death registry all give the middle initial only.

Regards,

Trelawney

[RAF_Louvert]

Wonderful! Many thanks Trelawney, this appears to be the match. I looked again at the signature in his pocket bible and it certainly could be Ogal as there is no visible dot above what I thought was an 'i' . Also, looking again at the info written in this same bible, he was with the 18th Aero Squadron at that time, not the 14th as I had indicated in my first post. In addition, there is a five-digit number on the ID tags in his uniform tunic and trousers and this number is 10304, with a date written as 4/8-18. When you were checking your various sources did you happen across a copy of his draft card and/or any other documentation and if so could you point me in the direction of those items?

Thank you again Sir for providing this forgotten airman's full name, it is very much appreciated.

Best Regards,

Lou

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[josquin]

Lou,

Correcting Ogal B. Kennedy's birth information, he was born on 28 August 1896, at Freeport Township, Harrison County, Ohio, the son

of Artemus (or Artemis) B. & Hannah Mary (Garner) Kennedy. He was married to Mildred Naomi Henrich (born 1902) at Cuyahoga County,

Ohio, on 18 July 1924. His residence according to the various U.S. Census reports:

1900 Goshen, Tuscarawas County, Ohio

1910 Goshen, Ohio

1920 Canton, Stark County, Ohio

1930 Massillon, Stark County, Ohio

The O.B. Kennedy from Alabama, with the WWI Draft Registration, was a different man--Ogal Kennedy was a lifelong resident of Ohio.

He died in July, 1962, at Cuyahoga County, Ohio. I could not find a WWI Draft Registration for him, but his WWII Draft Registration lists

him as "Ogal B. Kennedy" and confirms his Ohio birth and residency information. My sources are:

Ohio Births & Christenings

Ohio County Births

Ohio Marriages

Ohio Soldiers in WWI, 1917-1918

Ohio Military Men, 1917-1918

U.S. Draft Registration, WWII

U.S. Census for 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930

U.S. Social Security Death Index

Trelawney

[RAF_Louvert]

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Outstanding! Many thanks again Trelawney for all this info on Ogal Kennedy. Now if I could find someone with a copy of "The Roster of the 483rd Aero Squadron" who would be willing to send me a scan of it I'd be in clover.

Lou

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