Kassel Monford Keene

Korean War
Service #AO-420472
Unit345 BOMB SQ 98 BOMB WING
RankMajor U.S. Air Force
Date of DeathNovember 19 1952
StatusMissing In Action
Memorialized
Courts of the Missing
Court
8
Air Medal
Distinguished Flying Cross
Korean Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Purple Heart
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Korea War Service Medal
United Nations Service Medal
For his leadership and valor, Major Keene was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, the Purple Heart, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal. Among his World War II awards was the Russian medal Order of the Red Star.
Notes
Major Keene was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was the aircraft commander of a B-29A Superfortress Bomber with the 345th Bomber Squadron, 98th Bomber Wing stationed at Yokota Air Base, Japan. On November 19, 1952, after completing a successful bomb run on Sonch'on, Korea, his aircraft was badly damaged by an enemy MiG. The crew bailed out a half mile north of Cho-do, North Korea. He was listed as Missing in Action and was presumed dead on November 20, 1953. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.