Dave was born on 2 September 1909 in the Old South: Williston, South Carolina, where his parents, uncles, aunts and a host of cousins, all prominent and affluent, had long been established. His father and uncle Quincy were merchants and large landholders; his uncle Arthur was the local banker. Arthur's son was a lawyer, and his daughter was married to the editor of the local paper. The huge, white houses on Main Street were all homes of the Kennedy clan. Dave's only sibling, his sister Elizabeth, died in a tragic automobile accident during her first year in college while Dave was in flying school.
In high school, Dave played football and baseball, hunted, played saxophone and clarinet in the local orchestra and still managed to graduate as valedictorian of his high school class in 1927. Upon graduation, he entered the Citadel and thrived on the military life. After his plebe year there, he obtained a congressional appointment to West Point.
At West Point, Dave was in the Cadet Choir all four years, the 100th Night Show, Camp Illlumination and Color Line; all activities to absorb and add to the atmosphere of West Point. He got one last laugh when he saw his writeup in the '32 HOWITZER. It listed his home town as Millstone instead of Williston. Dave never was anything even remotely resembling a millstone.
Upon graduation in 1932, Dave went to flying school at Randolph Field, Texas for basic training in open cockpit planes with canvas wings with wire struts holding them in place. It was here that he got the news that his little sister had been killed.
After getting his pilot's wings in 1933, Dave flew the old Keystone bombers until he entered California Institute of Technology and took his master's degree in meteorology in 1940. For the first two years of World War II, Dave commanded a weather squadron based in Alaska; in the last two, he commanded a weather group in the South Pacific. For his services during the war, Dave received the Legion of Merit.
In 1946, Dave was retired from the Air Force for physical disability. Dave loved to fly, so this retirement was his greatest disappointment. But he did not remain idle. He returned to Williston and for a time was Executive Secretary to Strom Thurmond when the latter was Governor of South Carolina. Over the next 20 years, Dave was a licensed land surveyor and a bank officer and director. He farmed and raised cattle and served two terms on the town council. He also served as Chairman of the United Fund and worked with youth athletic groups.
Dave's widow, Sis, tells how proud Dave was of their three daughters and how much he liked their three son-in-laws. There are now two grandsons and a granddaughter to carry on the line.
The Congressional Record of 26 October 1990 has an entry under Senate, entitled, "Tribute to Colonel David H. Kennedy," written by Senator Strom Thurmond, which tells it for us all: "Colonel Kennedy was a man of character, capacity, compassion and courage...a brilliant man, whose many talents were a constant source of surprise and delight to those who knew him."
Sis remains at their home in Williston, and the Kennedys' three lovely daughters are not too far away: Jean "Jeanie" Elizabeth Kennedy Killey and John Marshall Killey, in Columbia, South Carolina; Elizabeth "Beth" Barnett Kennedy Brooker and Beacham "Beach" Owens Brooker, III , in Arlington, Virginia; and Frances "Fran" Breazeale Kennedy Bundy and Robert "Bob" Jackson Bundy, in Lancaster, South Carolina; grandchildren: Julian Hamilton Killey, John Robert Killey, and after his death Elizabeth Kennedy Brooker and Grace Hatcher Brooker.
Ken Zitzman, Dave's classmate at West Point
Elmer Grubbs, Dave's "plebe" at West Point
David was an avid reader of history and completely understood how bad government policy could ruin our country. He could do anything mechanically and was a natural born engineer. He enjoyed bird hunting, his dogs, and his hobby in the 1960s was talking on a ham radio conversing with people around the world in different languages, he enjoyed genealogy, traveling with his family to the West Coast and back, teaching mathematics and science to his children. He told us girls that he went off to school in NY and came back a Republican.
1932 West Point Graduate, 1940 Cal Tech Graduate. USAF, Retired, 1947
Attended The Citadel before his appointment to West Point by Congressman Butler Black Hare of Saluda, SC.
One of the youngest Lt Colonels in the United States Air Force at the time of his promotion.
In high school, Dave played football and baseball, hunted, played saxophone and clarinet in the local orchestra and still managed to graduate as valedictorian of his high school class in 1927. Upon graduation, he entered the Citadel and thrived on the military life. After his plebe year there, he obtained a congressional appointment to West Point.
At West Point, Dave was in the Cadet Choir all four years, the 100th Night Show, Camp Illlumination and Color Line; all activities to absorb and add to the atmosphere of West Point. He got one last laugh when he saw his writeup in the '32 HOWITZER. It listed his home town as Millstone instead of Williston. Dave never was anything even remotely resembling a millstone.
Upon graduation in 1932, Dave went to flying school at Randolph Field, Texas for basic training in open cockpit planes with canvas wings with wire struts holding them in place. It was here that he got the news that his little sister had been killed.
After getting his pilot's wings in 1933, Dave flew the old Keystone bombers until he entered California Institute of Technology and took his master's degree in meteorology in 1940. For the first two years of World War II, Dave commanded a weather squadron based in Alaska; in the last two, he commanded a weather group in the South Pacific. For his services during the war, Dave received the Legion of Merit.
In 1946, Dave was retired from the Air Force for physical disability. Dave loved to fly, so this retirement was his greatest disappointment. But he did not remain idle. He returned to Williston and for a time was Executive Secretary to Strom Thurmond when the latter was Governor of South Carolina. Over the next 20 years, Dave was a licensed land surveyor and a bank officer and director. He farmed and raised cattle and served two terms on the town council. He also served as Chairman of the United Fund and worked with youth athletic groups.
Dave's widow, Sis, tells how proud Dave was of their three daughters and how much he liked their three son-in-laws. There are now two grandsons and a granddaughter to carry on the line.
The Congressional Record of 26 October 1990 has an entry under Senate, entitled, "Tribute to Colonel David H. Kennedy," written by Senator Strom Thurmond, which tells it for us all: "Colonel Kennedy was a man of character, capacity, compassion and courage...a brilliant man, whose many talents were a constant source of surprise and delight to those who knew him."
Sis remains at their home in Williston, and the Kennedys' three lovely daughters are not too far away: Jean "Jeanie" Elizabeth Kennedy Killey and John Marshall Killey, in Columbia, South Carolina; Elizabeth "Beth" Barnett Kennedy Brooker and Beacham "Beach" Owens Brooker, III , in Arlington, Virginia; and Frances "Fran" Breazeale Kennedy Bundy and Robert "Bob" Jackson Bundy, in Lancaster, South Carolina; grandchildren: Julian Hamilton Killey, John Robert Killey, and after his death Elizabeth Kennedy Brooker and Grace Hatcher Brooker.
Ken Zitzman, Dave's classmate at West Point
Elmer Grubbs, Dave's "plebe" at West Point
David was an avid reader of history and completely understood how bad government policy could ruin our country. He could do anything mechanically and was a natural born engineer. He enjoyed bird hunting, his dogs, and his hobby in the 1960s was talking on a ham radio conversing with people around the world in different languages, he enjoyed genealogy, traveling with his family to the West Coast and back, teaching mathematics and science to his children. He told us girls that he went off to school in NY and came back a Republican.
1932 West Point Graduate, 1940 Cal Tech Graduate. USAF, Retired, 1947
Attended The Citadel before his appointment to West Point by Congressman Butler Black Hare of Saluda, SC.
One of the youngest Lt Colonels in the United States Air Force at the time of his promotion.
Dave was born on 2 September 1909 in the Old South: Williston, South Carolina, where his parents, uncles, aunts and a host of cousins, all prominent and affluent, had long been established. His father and uncle Quincy were merchants and large landholders; his uncle Arthur was the local banker. Arthur's son was a lawyer, and his daughter was married to the editor of the local paper. The huge, white houses on Main Street were all homes of the Kennedy clan. Dave's only sibling, his sister Elizabeth, died in a tragic automobile accident during her first year in college while Dave was in flying school.
In high school, Dave played football and baseball, hunted, played saxophone and clarinet in the local orchestra and still managed to graduate as valedictorian of his high school class in 1927. Upon graduation, he entered the Citadel and thrived on the military life. After his plebe year there, he obtained a congressional appointment to West Point.
At West Point, Dave was in the Cadet Choir all four years, the 100th Night Show, Camp Illlumination and Color Line; all activities to absorb and add to the atmosphere of West Point. He got one last laugh when he saw his writeup in the '32 HOWITZER. It listed his home town as Millstone instead of Williston. Dave never was anything even remotely resembling a millstone.
Upon graduation in 1932, Dave went to flying school at Randolph Field, Texas for basic training in open cockpit planes with canvas wings with wire struts holding them in place. It was here that he got the news that his little sister had been killed.
After getting his pilot's wings in 1933, Dave flew the old Keystone bombers until he entered California Institute of Technology and took his master's degree in meteorology in 1940. For the first two years of World War II, Dave commanded a weather squadron based in Alaska; in the last two, he commanded a weather group in the South Pacific. For his services during the war, Dave received the Legion of Merit.
In 1946, Dave was retired from the Air Force for physical disability. Dave loved to fly, so this retirement was his greatest disappointment. But he did not remain idle. He returned to Williston and for a time was Executive Secretary to Strom Thurmond when the latter was Governor of South Carolina. Over the next 20 years, Dave was a licensed land surveyor and a bank officer and director. He farmed and raised cattle and served two terms on the town council. He also served as Chairman of the United Fund and worked with youth athletic groups.
Dave's widow, Sis, tells how proud Dave was of their three daughters and how much he liked their three son-in-laws. There are now two grandsons and a granddaughter to carry on the line.
The Congressional Record of 26 October 1990 has an entry under Senate, entitled, "Tribute to Colonel David H. Kennedy," written by Senator Strom Thurmond, which tells it for us all: "Colonel Kennedy was a man of character, capacity, compassion and courage...a brilliant man, whose many talents were a constant source of surprise and delight to those who knew him."
Sis remains at their home in Williston, and the Kennedys' three lovely daughters are not too far away: Jean "Jeanie" Elizabeth Kennedy Killey and John Marshall Killey, in Columbia, South Carolina; Elizabeth "Beth" Barnett Kennedy Brooker and Beacham "Beach" Owens Brooker, III , in Arlington, Virginia; and Frances "Fran" Breazeale Kennedy Bundy and Robert "Bob" Jackson Bundy, in Lancaster, South Carolina; grandchildren: Julian Hamilton Killey, John Robert Killey, and after his death Elizabeth Kennedy Brooker and Grace Hatcher Brooker.
Ken Zitzman, Dave's classmate at West Point
Elmer Grubbs, Dave's "plebe" at West Point
David was an avid reader of history and completely understood how bad government policy could ruin our country. He could do anything mechanically and was a natural born engineer. He enjoyed bird hunting, his dogs, and his hobby in the 1960s was talking on a ham radio conversing with people around the world in different languages, he enjoyed genealogy, traveling with his family to the West Coast and back, teaching mathematics and science to his children. He told us girls that he went off to school in NY and came back a Republican.
1932 West Point Graduate, 1940 Cal Tech Graduate. USAF, Retired, 1947
Attended The Citadel before his appointment to West Point by Congressman Butler Black Hare of Saluda, SC.
One of the youngest Lt Colonels in the United States Air Force at the time of his promotion.
In high school, Dave played football and baseball, hunted, played saxophone and clarinet in the local orchestra and still managed to graduate as valedictorian of his high school class in 1927. Upon graduation, he entered the Citadel and thrived on the military life. After his plebe year there, he obtained a congressional appointment to West Point.
At West Point, Dave was in the Cadet Choir all four years, the 100th Night Show, Camp Illlumination and Color Line; all activities to absorb and add to the atmosphere of West Point. He got one last laugh when he saw his writeup in the '32 HOWITZER. It listed his home town as Millstone instead of Williston. Dave never was anything even remotely resembling a millstone.
Upon graduation in 1932, Dave went to flying school at Randolph Field, Texas for basic training in open cockpit planes with canvas wings with wire struts holding them in place. It was here that he got the news that his little sister had been killed.
After getting his pilot's wings in 1933, Dave flew the old Keystone bombers until he entered California Institute of Technology and took his master's degree in meteorology in 1940. For the first two years of World War II, Dave commanded a weather squadron based in Alaska; in the last two, he commanded a weather group in the South Pacific. For his services during the war, Dave received the Legion of Merit.
In 1946, Dave was retired from the Air Force for physical disability. Dave loved to fly, so this retirement was his greatest disappointment. But he did not remain idle. He returned to Williston and for a time was Executive Secretary to Strom Thurmond when the latter was Governor of South Carolina. Over the next 20 years, Dave was a licensed land surveyor and a bank officer and director. He farmed and raised cattle and served two terms on the town council. He also served as Chairman of the United Fund and worked with youth athletic groups.
Dave's widow, Sis, tells how proud Dave was of their three daughters and how much he liked their three son-in-laws. There are now two grandsons and a granddaughter to carry on the line.
The Congressional Record of 26 October 1990 has an entry under Senate, entitled, "Tribute to Colonel David H. Kennedy," written by Senator Strom Thurmond, which tells it for us all: "Colonel Kennedy was a man of character, capacity, compassion and courage...a brilliant man, whose many talents were a constant source of surprise and delight to those who knew him."
Sis remains at their home in Williston, and the Kennedys' three lovely daughters are not too far away: Jean "Jeanie" Elizabeth Kennedy Killey and John Marshall Killey, in Columbia, South Carolina; Elizabeth "Beth" Barnett Kennedy Brooker and Beacham "Beach" Owens Brooker, III , in Arlington, Virginia; and Frances "Fran" Breazeale Kennedy Bundy and Robert "Bob" Jackson Bundy, in Lancaster, South Carolina; grandchildren: Julian Hamilton Killey, John Robert Killey, and after his death Elizabeth Kennedy Brooker and Grace Hatcher Brooker.
Ken Zitzman, Dave's classmate at West Point
Elmer Grubbs, Dave's "plebe" at West Point
David was an avid reader of history and completely understood how bad government policy could ruin our country. He could do anything mechanically and was a natural born engineer. He enjoyed bird hunting, his dogs, and his hobby in the 1960s was talking on a ham radio conversing with people around the world in different languages, he enjoyed genealogy, traveling with his family to the West Coast and back, teaching mathematics and science to his children. He told us girls that he went off to school in NY and came back a Republican.
1932 West Point Graduate, 1940 Cal Tech Graduate. USAF, Retired, 1947
Attended The Citadel before his appointment to West Point by Congressman Butler Black Hare of Saluda, SC.
One of the youngest Lt Colonels in the United States Air Force at the time of his promotion.
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