Richard Joseph Kenny
Corporal Richard J. “Jack” Kenny served with George Company, Second Battalion, 2nd Marines.
He was killed in action at Guadalcanal on 13 January 1943.
Branch
Marine Corps Regular
Service Number 288865
Current Status
This individual has been recovered or is not recovered.​
Pursuit Category
The DPAA has not publicized this information.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
January 23, 1922
in Washington, DC
as Richard Joseph Ridgley
Parents
Richard Aubry Ridgley
Geraldine Augustina (Dickerson) Ridgley
later Mrs. Geraldine Kenny
Education
Details unknown
Occupation & Employer
Details unknown
Service Life
Entered Service
July 12, 1940
at San Diego, CA
Home Of Record
4353 30th Street
San Diego, CA
Next Of Kin
Mother, Mrs. Geraldine Kenny
Military Specialty
—
Individual Decorations
Purple Heart
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
In the first weeks of January 1943, the XIV Corps – a combination of the 23rd and 25th Infantry Divisions, the 147th Infantry RCT, and the Second Marine Division – launched what would be the final American offensive against organized Japanese forces on Guadalcanal. The Marine units had a relatively quiet time at first, sending out combat patrols and maintaining contact with Army units on their flanks. By 12 January, though, they were in assembly areas and front-line positions, ready to make their own assault. The amount of incoming fire increased over the day; George Company, 2nd Marines had a particularly rough time, dealing with several nuisance raids by enemy infiltrators and a short artillery barrage.
The operation kicked off early in the morning of 13 January and ran into strong Japanese positions only a few hundred yards away.
0430 as part of the pre-assigned mission, companies "E" & "G" move into the assault.... "G" meets heavy resistance. Japs use heavy mortars, knee type mortars, heavy and light machine guns and automatic weapons in an effort to stop their advance. "G" with supporting fire from heavy machine guns and 81mm mortars pin the Japs down and reach their objective. "G" suffered about twenty-five percent casualties during assault.
George Company clung grimly to its new position; at one point, two platoons of the regiment’s Weapons Company were “thrown” into their sector to help hold the line as riflemen. They stuck to their gains until relieved by a company from the 6th Marines near dusk. Remarkably, G/2/2 reported only one Marine killed in action on 13 January: Corporal Richard Kenny, a twenty-year-old NCO in the service since 1940. Casuatly reports note that he died of multiple gunshot wounds.
Burial Information or Disposition
None; remains not recovered from the field. George Company was pulled off the line at 1700 hours and sent to reserve positions; presumably, they were unable to retrieve Kenny’s body before departing.
Memorials
Next Of Kin Address
Address of mother, Mrs. Geraldine Kenny
Location Of Loss
Rough approximation of Kenny’s last known location.
