George R. Kennebeck – Major General, United States Air Force

Courtesy of the United States Air Force

Retired June 30, 1952, Died April 20, 1969

George Robert Kennebeck was born in 1892, in Carroll, Iowa, where he graduated from high school in 1911. He received his doctor of dental surgery degree from the Dental College of the State University of Iowa five years later. On September 17, 1917, he was commissioned a first lieutenant in the Dental Corps of the Regular Army and assigned with the 88th Infantry Division of Camp Dodge, Iowa.

In April 1918, General Kennebeck entered the Medical Department Officers’ Training Camp at Camp Greenleaf, Georgia, and a month later was assigned to Camp Gordon, Georgia. Later that year he was assigned to the Office of the Surgeon General at Washington, D.C.

General Kennebeck was assigned with the American Expeditionary Forces in Siberia in February 1919, and served there until late 1920, when he was transferred to the Philippine Department. In 1921, he was assigned to the Medical Field Service School at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. Two years later he was assigned to Chanute Field,
Illinois, and in 1924,vas reassigned to the Office of the Surgeon General.

In September 1926, General Kennebeck entered the Army Dental School in Washington, where he was an honor graduate and medalist. In February 1927, he entered the Medical Field Service School at Carlisle Barracks from which he graduated with honors the following June. He then was assigned to Fort Hayes, Columbus, Ohio, and in 1929, was p1aced in charge of the Dental ROTC Unit, State University of Iowa.

General Kennebeck, in 1933, was assigned to the Panama Canal Zone, where he served until 1936 when he was given duty at Mitchel Field, Long Island. In 1940 he was transferred to Camp Davis, Wilmington, North Carolina. In January, 1942, he was appointed Chief of the Dental Service in the Office of the Air Surgeon, Army Air Forces,
and retained that position after the establishment of U.S. Air Force headquarters in September1947, and the subsequent redesignation of the Office of the Air Surgeon to the Office of the Surgeon General, U.S. Air Force. He was named assistant for dental services in that office in January 1951.

He became a patient at the hospital at Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C., in June 1952.

General Kennebeek was awarded the Legion of Merit in September 1946, for his “direction of the organization, growth and development of the Army Air Forces Dental Services program from February 1942 to May 1946.

PROMOTIONS:

He was promoted to captain (permanent) Oct. 4, 1918; to major (permanent) Oct. 4, 1929; to lieutenant colonel (permanent) Oct. 4, 1937; to colonel (temporary) Feb. 1, 1942; to colonel (permanent) Oct. 4, 1943; to brigadier general (permanent) April 28, 1948; to major general (temporary) July 25, 1949.

Buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

KENNEBECK, ELIZABETH

On July 16, 2001. Beloved daughter of deceased parents, George R. Kennebeck, Sr., Major General, USAF (Ret.) and Mrs. Elizabeth S. Kennebeck; loving sister of George R. Kennebeck, Jr., Colonel, USAF (Ret.). A graveside service and interment will be held on Tuesday, July 31, 1 p.m. in Arlington National Cemetery.

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard