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T/Sgt John D. Kelly was a lumberman before he enlisted in Erie, Pennsylvania on 3 June 1942.

He was killed by small arms fire in his chest.

He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously on 24 January 1945 for his actions on 25 June 1944, near Fort du Roule, Cherbourg, France. The citation cited: On 25 June 1944, in the vicinity of Fort de Roule, Cherbourg, France, when Cpl Kelly's unit was pinned down by heavy enemy machinegun fire emanating from a deeply entrenched strongpoint on the slope leading up to the fort, Cpl Kelly volunteered to attempt to neutralize the strongpoint. Arming himself with a pole charge about ten feet long and with 15 pounds of explosive affixed, he climbed the slope under a withering blast of machinegun fire and placed the charge at the strongpoint's base. The subsequent blast was ineffective, and again, alone and unhesitatingly, he braved the slope to repeat the operation. The second blast blew off the ends of the enemy guns. Cpl Kelly then climbed the slope a third time to place a pole charge at the strongpoint's rear entrance. When this had been blown open he hurled hand grenades inside the position, forcing survivors of the enemy gun crews to come out and surrender. The gallantry, tenacity of purpose, and utter disregard for personal safety by Cpl Kelly were an incentive to his comrades and worthy of emulation by all.