Harry William Osborne Kinnard II was a senior United States Army officer who, during the Vietnam War, pioneered the airmobile concept of sending troops into battle using helicopters.
11 Facts About Harry Kinnard
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2.
On December 7,1941, Kinnard was stationed at Pearl Harbor, and manned a machine gun to defend the base on the morning of the Japanese attack.
3.
Harry Kinnard parachuted into France in the early hours of the Normandy Landings in June 1944, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroism during Operation Market Garden, as part of the Allied airborne attack against German forces in the Netherlands in September 1944.
4.
McAuliffe asked Harry Kinnard to compose a message that he delivered to the troops in Bastogne on Christmas Day, 1944.
5.
The script was written by Robert Pirosh, a veteran of the battle, and Harry Kinnard served as the Technical Advisor.
6.
Harry Kinnard commanded an operation in October 1965, in which 5,000 troops took control of the Suai Ca Valley, Vietnam, which placed the crop-rich valley under South Vietnamese control.
7.
Harry Kinnard was ordered by General Westmoreland at the end of October 1965 to take the 1st Air Cavalry on the offensive and seize the initiative in Pleiku province.
8.
On November 14,1946, by Royal Decree, Harry Kinnard was knighted by Queen Wilhelmina, with the rank of Knight 4th Class of the Military Order of William.
9.
World War II memorabilia from Harry Kinnard can be seen in Belgium where he fought during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, at December 44 Museum, La Gleize.
10.
Harry Kinnard died at age 93 on January 5,2009, in Arlington, Virginia.
11.
Harry Kinnard was survived by his wife, Libby; two sons, three daughters, a stepson, two stepdaughters, 16 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.