Jonah Edward Kelley

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Jonah Edward Kelly
April 13, 1923-January 31, 1945
Place of birth Rada, West Virginia
Place of death KIA in Kesternich, Germany
Allegiance U.S. Army
Rank Staff Sergeant
Unit 311th Infantry, 78th Infantry Division
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Medal of Honor

Jonah E. Kelley (April 13, 1923 - January 31, 1945 was a US Army Staff Sergeant from Keyser, West Virginia who was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.

Born at Rada, West Virginia, S/Sgt.Kelley was serving with the 311th Infantry of the U.S. 78th Infantry Division in World War II. The division had been fighting for some weeks to take the village of Kesternich in Germany, south east of Aachen, because occupation of the village would also give control of the nearby Roer River dams.

In charge of the leading squad of E Company, S/Sgt.Kelley spearheaded the attack in furious house-to-house fighting. Early on 30 January, he led his men through intense mortar and small arms fire in repeated assaults on barricaded houses.

The Medal of Honour citation said that although twice wounded, once when struck in the back, the second time when a mortar shell fragment passed through his left hand, he refused to withdraw and continued to lead his squad after hasty dressings had been applied. His wounds forced him to fire his rifle with one hand, resting it on rubble or over his left forearm. To blast his way forward with hand grenades, he set aside his rifle to pull the pins with his teeth while grasping the missiles with his good hand.

Despite these handicaps, S/Sgt. Kelley created tremendous havoc in the enemy ranks. He rushed a house, killing three of the enemy and cleared the way for his squad to advance. On approaching the next house, he was fired upon from an upstairs window. He killed the sniper with a single shot and similarly accounted for another enemy soldier who ran from the cellar of the house. When darkness arrived, he assigned his men to defensive positions, never leaving them to seek medical attention.

At dawn the next day, the squad resumed the attack, advancing to a point where heavy automatic and small arms fire stalled them. Despite his wounds, S/Sgt. Kelley moved out alone, located an enemy gunner dug in under a haystack and killed him with rifle fire. He returned to his men and found that a German machinegun, in a well-protected position in a neighboring house, was delaying the advance. Ordering the squad to remain in comparatively safe positions, he dashed into the open and attacked the position single-handedly through a hail of bullets. He was hit several times and fell to his knees when within 25 yards of his objective. However, he summoned his waning strength and emptied his rifle into the machine gun nest, silencing the weapon before he died.

The superb courage, aggressiveness, and utter disregard for his own safety displayed by S/Sgt. Kelley inspired the men he led and enabled them to penetrate the last line of defense held by the enemy.

Source: US Army

Contents

[edit] Honors

[edit] Staff Sergeant Jonah Edward Kelley Bridge

West Virginia House of Delegates introduced 2006 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 28; Requesting the Division of Highways name the bridge located on State Route 46 in Keyser, West Virginia, the "Staff Sergeant Jonah Edward Kelley Bridge." The Resolutons was introduced by representatives Robert Schadler, Allen V. Evans, and Ruth Rowan all of Mineral County, West Virginia.

[edit] Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley

The US Army named a transport ship USAT Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley, in 1947. When the ship was transferred back to the US Navy in 1950, it became the USNS Sgt. Jonah E. Kelley (T-APC-116), the lead ship of a ship class.

[edit] Kelley Center

The US Army has named an Army Reserve facility at Fort Dix the SSG Jonah Kelley Center.

[edit] External links

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