Jonah Edward Kelley
Encyclopedia
Jonah Edward "Eddie" Kelley (April 13, 1923 - January 31, 1945) was a United States Army
soldier who received the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor
, for his actions in World War II
.
, on April 13, 1923, and grew up in nearby Keyser
. He was the middle child and only son of Jonah and Rebecca Kelley; his two sisters were Beulah and Georgianna. A sports enthusiast, Kelley played football and basketball while attending Keyser High School
and also participated in Boy Scouts
and activities through his church, Grace United Methodist
. After graduating from high school, he entered Potomac State College
where he played on the football team until being drafted
into the U.S. Army.
Sent to Germany
, Kelley served as a staff sergeant
with the 311th Infantry Regiment of the 78th Infantry Division. The division had been fighting for weeks to take the village of Kesternich, south east of Aachen
, because occupation of the village would also give control of the nearby Roer River
dams.
During intense house-to-house fighting on January 30, 1945, Kelley led a squad
in repeated assaults on German-held buildings. Although he received two wounds, one of which disabled his left hand, he did not withdraw to seek medical attention but continued to lead his men. The next morning, he single-handedly sought out and killed a German gunner who was preventing his squad's advance before being killed while assaulting a second German position. For these actions, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor eight months later, on September 10, 1945.
Aged 21 at his death, Kelley was initially buried in Margraten
, Netherlands
. After the war his remains were returned to the U.S. and interred at Queens Point Cemetery in his hometown of Keyser.
, Germany
, Kelley Barracks was known by the German Army as Hellenen Kaserne. Shortly after the end of World War II it was renamed in honor of Kelley. The U.S. Army named a transport ship USAT Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley in 1947. When the ship was transferred to the United States Navy
in 1950, it became the . In 2006, legislation introduced to the West Virginia House of Delegates
by Representatives Robert Schadler
, Allen V. Evans
, and Ruth Rowan
, all of Mineral County
, named a bridge on West Virginia Route 46 in Keyser in honor of Kelley. Construction on the "Staff Sergeant Jonah Edward Kelley Bridge" over New Creek
began in November 2006. An Army Reserve facility at Fort Dix is named the SSG Jonah Kelley Center.
The J. Edward Kelley Society administers two awards available to people associated with Kelley's alma mater, Keyser High School. The Ed Kelley Award, established the year after Kelley's death and awarded annually ever since, is a scholarship available to students who played varsity
basketball or football at the school for at least two years. The Legion of Honor, established in 1984, recognizes graduates who distinguished themselves in their careers and others who have supported the school in some way.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
soldier who received the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
, for his actions in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Biography
Kelley was born in Rada, West VirginiaRada, West Virginia
Rada is an unincorporated community in Hampshire County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Rada is located on U.S. Highway 220/West Virginia Route 28 between Junction and Purgitsville in southwest Hampshire County along Mill Creek...
, on April 13, 1923, and grew up in nearby Keyser
Keyser, West Virginia
Keyser is a city in and the county seat of Mineral County, West Virginia, United States. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,303 at the 2000 census.- History :...
. He was the middle child and only son of Jonah and Rebecca Kelley; his two sisters were Beulah and Georgianna. A sports enthusiast, Kelley played football and basketball while attending Keyser High School
Keyser High School
Keyser High School is a high school located south of Keyser, West Virginia with an enrollment of more than 800 students from southern Mineral County, WV. The school's fight song is sung to the tune of Anchors Aweigh.-History:...
and also participated in Boy Scouts
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
and activities through his church, Grace United Methodist
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
. After graduating from high school, he entered Potomac State College
Potomac State College of West Virginia University
Potomac State College of West Virginia University is a two-year junior college affiliated as a division of West Virginia University. West Virginia's only residential junior college, it is located in Keyser, approximately away from WVU's main campus in Morgantown, West Virginia, United States...
where he played on the football team until being drafted
Conscription in the United States
Conscription in the United States has been employed several times, usually during war but also during the nominal peace of the Cold War...
into the U.S. Army.
Sent to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Kelley served as a staff sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
with the 311th Infantry Regiment of the 78th Infantry Division. The division had been fighting for weeks to take the village of Kesternich, south east of Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
, because occupation of the village would also give control of the nearby Roer River
Rur
The Rur , — not to be confused with the Ruhr — is a river which flows through portions of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. It is a right tributary to the river Meuse...
dams.
During intense house-to-house fighting on January 30, 1945, Kelley led a squad
Squad
In military terminology, a squad is a small military unit led by a non-commissioned officer that is subordinate to an infantry platoon. In countries following the British Army tradition this organization is referred to as a section...
in repeated assaults on German-held buildings. Although he received two wounds, one of which disabled his left hand, he did not withdraw to seek medical attention but continued to lead his men. The next morning, he single-handedly sought out and killed a German gunner who was preventing his squad's advance before being killed while assaulting a second German position. For these actions, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor eight months later, on September 10, 1945.
Aged 21 at his death, Kelley was initially buried in Margraten
Margraten
-History:In Margraten is the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, Europe's third largest war cemetery for unidentified soldiers who died in World War II. 8,301 soldiers are buried there under long rows of white crosses and stars of David. All graves are adopted by locals, who attend the...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. After the war his remains were returned to the U.S. and interred at Queens Point Cemetery in his hometown of Keyser.
Honors
Several structures have been named in Kelley's honor. Located in the city of Moehringen in the southeast corner of StuttgartStuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Kelley Barracks was known by the German Army as Hellenen Kaserne. Shortly after the end of World War II it was renamed in honor of Kelley. The U.S. Army named a transport ship USAT Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley in 1947. When the ship was transferred to the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in 1950, it became the . In 2006, legislation introduced to the West Virginia House of Delegates
West Virginia House of Delegates
The West Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the West Virginia Legislature. Only three states—Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia—refer to their lower house as the House of Delegates.-Historical:-Current:-District organization:...
by Representatives Robert Schadler
Robert Schadler
Robert Schadler is a West Virginia House of Delegates Member from the 49th District which represents Mineral County. He is Health and Human Resources Minority Vice Chair.-Controversy:...
, Allen V. Evans
Allen V. Evans
Allen V. Evans is an American politician. Evans is the West Virginia House of Delegates Member from the 48th District which represents Mineral County and Grant County. He also serves as the Minority Chair of the Agriculture committee.-External links:**...
, and Ruth Rowan
Ruth Rowan
Ruth Rowan is an American politician from the U.S. state of West Virginia. She is a member of the Republican Party and is currently the West Virginia House of Delegates member from the 50th District, which represents Mineral County and Hampshire County in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle...
, all of Mineral County
Mineral County, West Virginia
Mineral County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 28,212. Its county seat is Keyser.-Ancient history:...
, named a bridge on West Virginia Route 46 in Keyser in honor of Kelley. Construction on the "Staff Sergeant Jonah Edward Kelley Bridge" over New Creek
New Creek
New Creek is an stream in eastern West Virginia in the United States. It is the third major West Virginia tributary to the North Branch Potomac River. Via the Potomac, it is part of the watershed of Chesapeake Bay.-Course:...
began in November 2006. An Army Reserve facility at Fort Dix is named the SSG Jonah Kelley Center.
The J. Edward Kelley Society administers two awards available to people associated with Kelley's alma mater, Keyser High School. The Ed Kelley Award, established the year after Kelley's death and awarded annually ever since, is a scholarship available to students who played varsity
Varsity team
In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...
basketball or football at the school for at least two years. The Legion of Honor, established in 1984, recognizes graduates who distinguished themselves in their careers and others who have supported the school in some way.
Medal of Honor citation
Kelley's official Medal of Honor citation reads:In charge of the leading squad of Company E, he heroically spearheaded the attack in furious house-to-house fighting. Early on 30 January, he led his men through intense mortarMortar (weapon)A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
and small armsSmall armsSmall arms is a term of art used by armed forces to denote infantry weapons an individual soldier may carry. The description is usually limited to revolvers, pistols, submachine guns, carbines, assault rifles, battle rifles, multiple barrel firearms, sniper rifles, squad automatic weapons, light...
fire in repeated assaults on barricaded houses. Although twice wounded, once when struck in the back, the second time when a mortar shell fragment passed through his left hand and rendered it practically useless, he refused to withdraw and continued to lead his squad after hasty dressings had been applied. His serious wounds forced him to fire his rifle with 1 hand, resting it on rubble or over his left forearm. To blast his way forward with hand grenadeHand grenadeA hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
s, he set aside his rifle to pull the pins with his teeth while grasping the missiles with his good hand. Despite these handicaps, he created tremendous havoc in the enemy ranks. He rushed l house, killing 3 of the enemy and clearing the way for his squad to advance. On approaching the next house, he was fired upon from an upstairs window. He killed the sniper with a single shot and similarly accounted for another enemy soldier who ran from the cellar of the house. As darkness came, he assigned his men to defensive positions, never leaving them to seek medical attention. At dawn the next day, the squad resumed the attack, advancing to a point where heavy automatic and small arms fire stalled them. Despite his wounds, S/Sgt. Kelley moved out alone, located an enemy gunner dug in under a haystack and killed him with rifle fire. He returned to his men and found that a German machinegun, from a well-protected position in a neighboring house, still held up the advance. Ordering the squad to remain in comparatively safe positions, he valiantly dashed into the open and attacked the position single-handedly through a hail of bullets. He was hit several times and fell to his knees when within 25 yards of his objective; but he summoned his waning strength and emptied his rifle into the machinegun nest, silencing the weapon before he died. The superb courage, aggressiveness, and utter disregard for his own safety displayed by S/Sgt. Kelley inspired the men he led and enabled them to penetrate the last line of defense held by the enemy in the village of Kesternich.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II
External links
- Dictionary of American Naval Fighting ShipsDictionary of American Naval Fighting ShipsThe Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships is the official reference work for the basic facts about ships used by the United States Navy...
entry for Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley