Kenneth Vernie Jordan |
| Posted 2020-02-02 by Pat R |
| Wickenburg Sun (Wickenburg, Arizona) Wednesday, January 15, 2020, p. A-11 Kenneth Vernie Jordan was born Aug. 3, 1933, on North Santa Fe Avenue in Salina, Kan. Salina was host to an Army Camp and Air Force Base so it was natural to want to accept military life. Kenneth was determined to serve in the military, so much that he doctored his birth certificate and tried to enlist at the age of 12 in the U.S. Marine Corps. The recruiter thought he looked too young, so he rebuffed the request. Although some what disheartened, he waited two more years. In 1947 at the age of 14 and with a doctored birth certificate, Kenneth Jordan enlisted in the U.S. Army. After basic training he was assigned to the Infantry in occupation of Japan when the Korean War broke out. At the time the Army occupation mission shifted, Kenneth was discovered as too young to serve as his mother had been working diligently to have him discharged. Kenneth desperately wanted to remain with his buddies, but the Army discharged him at the age of 16 and he was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge. His military intentions never quit. He reenlisted at the legal age and then volunteered to replace a buddy who had just gotten married. Kenneth was sent to Korea. This time his journey earned him a spot as a forward observer in an artillery unit. During the War in Vietnam he was awarded his Second Award to the Combat Infantry Badge in 1969. Kenneth Jordan served for more than 25 years, the Army with tours in Okinawa, Germany, Turkey, Chile, as well as Japan, Korea and Vietnam. He had been awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the second Combat Infantry Badge and numerous citations and awards. After an honorable discharge from the military, Kenneth became a Deputy Sheriff in California and then a State Police Officer. He earned his Associate Degree from Santa Barbara City College. Kenneth was also employed by the United States Postal Service when physical injuries prevented him from continuing in law enforcement. Kenneth retired in 2001 and relocated to Arizona. In 2013 he was honored as a Grand Marshal in the Phoenix Veterans Day Parade. Kenneth and Linda resided in Wickenburg. |
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