Biography

Lieutenant Leslie D. Kennedy Joined the Nebraska National Guard June 1954 at the age of 14 and received a concurrent call to Active Duty February 1957. He graduated Infantry OCS, Fort Benning, Georgia, 22 September 1964, Class 8-64, 53rd Company. Served in Infantry, Field Artillery, Cavalry and Special Forces Units. He commanded platoons, companies/batteries, detachments and provisional battalions and attended the Field Artillery Advanced Course and the Armed Forces Staff College. He served in Vietnam, Korea and Germany, including numerous worldwide deployments. He retired from active duty as a Major on 1 July 1977 while serving in 10th Special Forces Group.

Major Kennedy received a Bachelors Degree in Political Science and German and Master Degrees in Public Administration and Management. He had a second career in Public Administration serving as Public Works Director for a Major metropolitan county and as City Manager for two cities in Colorado.

Additionally, he provided oversight for the State of Colorado on the Rocky Flats Nuclear Production Site and planned for the State Response to Nuclear Accident/lncident at that site. He served in the Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Providing Support (National Guard) to State and Local Authorities During Emergencies and was appointed to the Honorary Rank of Colonel in the Colorado National Guard by the Governor of the State of Colorado.

After retirement, he created and administered two separate million dollar grant programs for the Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to assist Colorado Veterans in housing, transportation, homelessness, utility assistance and claims. He is also active in the Colorado United Veterans Coalition on the Legislative Committee, a Lobbying Organization for Veterans Issues, consisting of statewide veterans service organizations and associations.

Major (then Lieutenant) Leslie D Williams, United States Army, Company A, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 502d Infantry, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, is a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross, our nation's second highest award for valor.

For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam: First Lieutenant Kennedy distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on l5 September 1966 while serving as platoon leader of an airborne infantry platoon on a reinforcing mission near Tuy Hoa. When a sister platoon was savagely attacked and pinned down by a numerically superior Viet Cong force firing machine guns and automatic weapons, Lieutenant Kennedy immediately led his platoon to relieve the beleaguered friendly force. Upon arrival at the battle site, his unit made heavy contact with the enemy and was pinned down by intense enemy fire.

Lieutenant Kennedy observed a machine gun placing a heavy barrage on his men and began crawling toward its position to destroy the gun. When he had crawled within ten meters of the hostile emplacement, an enemy automatic weapon began firing at him from his left flank. Completely disregarding his own safety, he stood up in the revaging hail of bullets and charged that position, silencing the weapon and killing two Viet Cong soldiers. The enemy machine gun detected his actions and immediately unleashed a fierce barrage on him. With bullets striking all around him, he charged across the open battle field into the face of the enemy weapon and singlehandedly destroyed the position and its three occupants with rifle and grenade fire. His fearless leadership inspired his men to spontaneously attack and overrun the determined insurgents, forcing them to flee. First Lieutenant Kennedy 's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army. Back