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Kenneth Walton Miller

T/5 in Signal Co, Special : Radio A

Military occupational specialty: 776 (radio operator, low speed)

ASN#35724569

Born 1924 in KY, Died 2022

County of residence at enlistment: Ohio County, KY
Other residence(s): Hammond, IN; Owensboro, KY
United States Army, European Theatre of Operations
Occupation before the war: semiskilled miners, and mining-machine operators
Source: Unit Shipment 10143-D, 23d HQ, from la Havre 23 June 1945; militaryyearbookproject.org/references/old-mos-codes/wwii-era/army...; photo from son Bruce Miller

Kenneth Miller was born on January 5, 1924 in McHenry, KY, a small town in Western Kentucky that was home to several coal mines. His father was a miner; Kenneth was the oldest of seven children.

He graduated from the McHenry School in 1942 and registered for the draft a few weeks later. By that time, he had taken a job at Turner Day & Woolworth Handle Co. in Louisville.

Kenneth enlisted on February 5, 1943; he listed his occupation in the category of "semi-skilled miners and mining machine operators." He was eventually assigned to the Signal Company Special as a radio operator. He served in Europe with the unit, and was discharged on October 29, 1945 with the rank of T/5.

He married Jennie Barnes on April 5, 1947 at the First Christian Church in Leitchfield, KY. For a while, Kenneth drove a truck for a coal company and by 1950 was living and working in Hammond, IN, cleaning and repairing tank cars.

But Kenneth and Jennie returned to Kentucky and raised their son, Bruce, in Owensboro, where Kenneth became an auto mechanic, a profession he worked in for the rest of his career.

Kenneth is a lifetime member of the Walnut Memorial Church in Owensboro, where he formerly served as Deacon. He was also a longtime member and volunteer at Ben Hawes State Park Golf Course in Owensboro.

In addition, he enjoyed the hobbies of hunting and fishing.

Ken died on December 25, 2022; he and his wife Jennie were both living with their son Bruce and his wife in Owensboro.

Sources:

1924 birth record

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/3570290:8788?tid=&pid=&queryId=5172da6af3e74f9aed10c42906a87686&_phsrc=ooD6&_phstart=successSource

1930 census

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/80743477:6224?tid=&pid=&queryId=d217eb5c3fa273bab239121b9142c2f6&_phsrc=Vxm6&_phstart=successSource

1940 census

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/49730216:2442?tid=&pid=&queryId=5172da6af3e74f9aed10c42906a87686&_phsrc=ooD8&_phstart=successSource

1942 draft card

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/37658340:2238?tid=&pid=&queryId=d45e6d1b6d193b5469856dc68d3699f8&_phsrc=ooD4&_phstart=successSource

1943 enlistment record

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/7698426:8939?tid=&pid=&queryId=07f01e208086add4a6bafc967257d5d4&_phsrc=ooD1&_phstart=successSource

1950 census

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/130959177:62308?tid=&pid=&queryId=5172da6af3e74f9aed10c42906a87686&_phsrc=ooD7&_phstart=successSource

1958 city directory Owensboro, KY

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/752047125:2469?tid=&pid=&queryId=d217eb5c3fa273bab239121b9142c2f6&_phsrc=Vxm5&_phstart=successSource

1997 article about their 50th wedding anniversary in the Messenger-Inquirer (Owensboro KY)

https://www.newspapers.com/image/379937197/?terms=kenneth%20w%20miller&match=1

2022 (June 16) GALP Veteran Biography Worksheet from son Bruce Miller

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