Memorial

More information

Capt. William McKenna graduated from Lanier High School with the class of 1927 and attended Mercer University.

During the fighting on 8 July 1944 in the vicinity of La Haye du Puits, Capt Mc Kenna led companies of the 2nd Battalion forward to reestablish contact with 3rd Battalion. Surveying the enemy line, he perceived that hostile fire had ceased from a sector and moved forward to investigate. He advanced to a hedgerow which concealed a considerable force of German troops. Calling loudly for their surrender, Capt Mc Kenna was rebuffed when the German commander ordered his soldiers to open fire. Calmly, he secured a string of hand grenades and continued to advance within a few yards of the enemy where he destroyed the German strong point with hand grenades. For his actions, Capt Mc Kenna was awarded the Silver Star Medal for this action.

On Christmas Day 1944, Capt Mc Kenna was leading his men from the front, crawling ahead of the company and reporting the positions of machine gun positions for artillery. He remained thus exposed until machine gun fire compelled him to return to Company B’s fighting positions just as his company was receiving a heavy artillery barrage. Ignoring the incoming fire that split fir trees and caused geysers of frozen earth to erupt around him, He moved among his men’s fighting positions encouraging them to maintain their fire. When the enemy artillery fire slackened, Capt Mc Kenna once again moved to the front of his men to direct a counterattack. He was in front of his company when he was killed by small arms fire. For his actions, Capt Mc Kenna was posthumously awarded the Silver Star Medal a second time.

An armory was dedicated in honor of Capt. William Mc Kenna in his hometown of Macon in 1963.