DAT Seawolf Jimmy Lee Kennedy

[Dan Arnes]

I'm trying to find information on Seawolf Plank Owner Jimmy Lee KENNEDY, ADJ2, HC-1 Det 21, Gunner, 11/28/1966 to 11/9/1967 and back again as ADJ1, on HC-1 Det 21/Det 4, 11/19/1969 to 2/28/1970 (449 days total).

I'm interested in finding out if anyone recalls what happened on Jimmy's second tour as to why, on 28 Feb 1970, the Squadron Diary says he was transferred to 3RD FIELD HOSPITAL SAIGON, FFT US NAVAL HOSP OAKLAND, CA for TEMDUTREAT.
***[I just discovered he died in Naval Hospital Oakland, CA five days after he left us, on 5 Mar 1970 as a result of a Brain Hemorrhage]*** (His wife passed away in 2002.)

Dan
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[kid purington]

                      ...Rest Easy Seawolf...

[Mike Dobson]

thatt is a very interesting set of facts -----  we may have a # 45 ???

[Dan Arnes]

You may be correct Mike,
I would think if whatever happened to get him transferred immediately to 3rd Surgical Hospital in Saigon and then sent straight to Hospital in Oakland, was associated with combat, he could have been determined to be "Wounded in Action, Died after Tour".

The Niece I'm in contact with said the Navy sent the family a Purple Heart, but I'm not sure what it would say or date. He did receive a Purple Heart on his first tour with HC-1 Det 21 ('66-'67), so the one sent to the family may have been a second one.
The Niece said the family was told he died of a brain aneurism caused from a blast. She also mentioned his name is not on the Vietnam wall also.

Any Det 4 guys know what happened related to ADJ1 Jimmy Lee Kennedy on 28 Feb 1970?

Dan

[Dan Arnes]

Found out more info on DAT Seawolf ADJ1 Jimmy Lee Kennedy...

I found him in (In-Country) Wolfgram Vol. 3, #06, Nov/Dec 1969, Aircraft Division, page 10 where he had been assigned as Check Crew Leader when he first arrived and did not fly during his 2nd tour.
He was assigned to HC-1 Det 21 & HA(L)-3 Det 4 on his 1st Tour, but not his 2nd Tour.
So the family had to have received his Purple Heart from his 1st Tour when they requested his records. Will probably never know what happened at Binh Thuy to get him transferred out of Squadron to Oakland Hospital so quickly, but it wasn't aircrew related and the family didn't know anything either, other than the Brain Aneurism.

Find A Grave Memorial

Dan