He was united in marriage to Ruth (Chapman) November 14, 1942 in Toledo, Ohio and to this union 3 children were born.
He enlisted in the United States Army in 1937 and served with a devotion to his country and his fellow comrades which was evidenced on February 21, 1945. While Sergeant First Class McKendrick was in action as a member of the U.S. 40th Infantry Division in the Phillippines he and three other soldiers volunteered to bring back a soldier who had been lost on patrol, which was about 80 yards away up on the side of the hill. The other three soldiers covered Mr. McKenderick while he scaled the hill and located the missing soldier. As he came down the hill with the soldier on his back he was wounded by the Japanese. Despite the wound, he was able to get back under his own power, carrying his human load. The soldier was dead when McKendrick found him, but despite that, McKendrick does not believe the effort in vain. It was not the American way of life to leave our troops behind Japanese lines.
Sometime later he and his three comrades on that patrol were issued a Citation “Which they folded up and put in there pockets - he stated that they were in combat, and we had other things to do and for many years that was as far as things went.
He recently was awarded for that heroic mission, the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star with the “V” (for Valor) designation and first Oak Leaf Cluster.
The formal presentation was made April 26, 1984 in the commanding general’s office at Fort Leonard Wood.
After his retirement from the military he and his family made their home in the Waynesville area. He was a loving devoted husband, father, and grandfather, and friend.
He was proud of his family, and enjoyed his grandchildren very much.
He is survived by his wife, Ruth McKendrick, living in Waynesville, Missouri, two sons, John McKendrick and daughter-in-law Cheryl and grandchildren Charles and Amanda; Edwin McKendrick and daughter-in-law Sandra, and grandson Scott; one daughter, Sue Melton and son-in-law John Melton and grandchildren Bill and Julie.
Funeral Services were held Tuesday August 28, 1984 at 2:00 p.m. in the Waynesville Memorial Chapel with Father Jack pender officiating.
Interment with Full Military Honors were held at the V.F.W. Ozark Memorial Cemetery.
Services were under the direction of the Waynesville Memorial Chapel.
Those serving as Escorts were Military. Honorary escorts were Hank Veach, Gene Elrod, Sanford Stephens, Cravin Rogers, Ralph Lofton, Bob Smith, Harry Herron, Dick Jensen, Walter Spetter, Harry Lloyd, Al Holtsclaw, Jim Heaven, and Glenn Clay.
V.F.W. Post 3176 and D.A.V. Gasconade Chapter 49 Memorials Services was held at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Waynesville Memorial Chapel.
No comments:
Post a Comment