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z   I         Major Leland T. Kennedy, ’55 (jimmm.
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      I The first man ever to be presented with two Air "Funny, isn`t it," he smiled again, more broadly. H,. bac],
g   I Force Crosses—the nation’s second highest military iright in the middle of the whole thing I wanted a pl,nm,(j
f {I     decoration—is Major Leland Thornton Kennedy, ’55, piece of gum. My mouth felt like cotton. I asked my the SOL,
Q it     of Louisville. copilot if he had any, and the pilot on the ground $mm.(j
I   I ,   Major Kennedy, a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, was heard me on the radio and shot back, ‘Boy, your Work U
I   , I cited for iiextraordinary heroism, superb airmanship mouth is dry. .   Km,]
.       and aggressiveness in the face of the opposing force." The veteran of 12 years in the Air Force looked dark O}
    I   I And here, as told by the Air Force after an interview around him at the comfortable surroundings of the Hrst MI
 ;   I     at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is his story: Essex House at Scott AFB. If the thought crossed his was (ix
;   I I I “One thing I remember very well—one lousy little mind, he didn’t put it into words. action`
      j banana tree. I saw it every time I went in." He was already anticipating the ceremony the part 0;
 , pI   Major Kennedy, 33, ram-rod straight, articulate. following morning in which he and Captain Oliver Cam~Ou_
-- I   composed, allowed a thin smile to curl up and away E. Olhlara, the lead pilot on the mission, would re- WNIC in
      from his lips. The irony of the banana tree was ceive the Air Force Cross, the nation`s second highest The
      obvious. Behind it was the Air Force Cross. military decoration. (]0“·m.(
    . Before him now were images, and he averted his Kennedy, a native of Louisville, Kentucky and a the Im]
    eyes as he described them: graduate of the University of Kentucky, would also jjgjgp V
_     An F-4C pilot on the ground along the Black River receive the oak leaf cluster to the Cross, the first man had be,
 if     which runs through North Vietnam, the dull thump of ever to be presented the second award of the medal. Kcmq
      small arms {ire pounding into his rescue helicopter, The oak leaf cluster was awarded for his valor on to pick
=     the Sandies ( A-1E Skyraiders) roaring along the another mission, 15 days after the Oct. 5, 1966, effort "ThG
f   ` canyon ridge above him strafing enemy positions, the in which he and O’Mara, a silver-haired 45-year—oI