in Memory of
Sgt. Cornelius F. Kelley
Born: December 18, 1887
Died of wounds received in battle
Verdun, France
October 13, 1918
Sgt. Kelley was a man of unquestioned bravery, which is just as well given that his memorial overlooks Kelley Square. This nightmare of an intersection needed some sort of name, so it became one of the few (if not only) memorial squares with a name that people regularly know and use. The WPL site describes Kelley Square as the intersection of Green and Harding streets, but in common parlance, the name is applied to the entire mess which is the confluence of Vernon, Water, Harding, Green, Madison, Harding again (the only street that runs through the square instead of terminating there), and Millbury streets.
As evidence of his unquestioned bravery, I submit his citation for the Silver Star (France threw in a Croix de Guerre to go with it.):
Awarded for actions during the Wolrd War IBy direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (Bul. No. 43, W.D., 1918), Corporal Cornelius F. Kelley, United States Army, is cited by the Commanding General, American Expeditionary Forces, for gallantry in action and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the Victory Medals awarded him. Corporal Kelley distinguished himself by gallantry in action while serving with the 102d Field Artillery Regiment, 26th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in action in the Chemin des Dames Sector, France, 28 February 1918, while repairing telephone lines under artillery fire.
General Orders: GHQ, 26th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, Citation Orders No. 8 (March 1, 1920)
Action Date: February 28, 1918
Service: Army
Rank: Corporal
Regiment: 102 Field Artillery Regiment
Division: 26th Division, American Expeditionary Forces
After surviving the offensives of Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, St. Mihiel, and Meuse-Argonne, Sgt. Kelley died as a result of a mustard gas attack less than a month before the end of the war.
As evidence of his unquestioned bravery, I submit his citation for the Silver Star (France threw in a Croix de Guerre to go with it.):
Awarded for actions during the Wolrd War IBy direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (Bul. No. 43, W.D., 1918), Corporal Cornelius F. Kelley, United States Army, is cited by the Commanding General, American Expeditionary Forces, for gallantry in action and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the Victory Medals awarded him. Corporal Kelley distinguished himself by gallantry in action while serving with the 102d Field Artillery Regiment, 26th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in action in the Chemin des Dames Sector, France, 28 February 1918, while repairing telephone lines under artillery fire.
General Orders: GHQ, 26th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, Citation Orders No. 8 (March 1, 1920)
Action Date: February 28, 1918
Service: Army
Rank: Corporal
Regiment: 102 Field Artillery Regiment
Division: 26th Division, American Expeditionary Forces
After surviving the offensives of Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, St. Mihiel, and Meuse-Argonne, Sgt. Kelley died as a result of a mustard gas attack less than a month before the end of the war.
(I apologize for reverting to the low quality pics from my cell phone. As Chris’s schedule permits, this will be improved.)
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