COL John Keneally

COL John T. Keneally from New Jersey, served with HHC 3rd Ranger Battalion -

Just looking at the photos of this outstanding Ranger infantry commander will show you that he was an exemplary person and Ranger.
He was voted into the Ranger Hall of Fame in 2005 COL John Keneally

COL John T. Keneally
from Summit, New Jersey

COL Keneally served with: HHC 3rd Ranger Battalion

Born in 1949, Ranger Keneally was 43 years old at the time of his death in 1992.

Complete biography is below the photo gallery

COL John T. Keneally 's Biography

Just looking at the photos of this outstanding Ranger infantry commander will show you that he was an exemplary person and Ranger.
He was voted into the Ranger Hall of Fame in 2005

John Keneally was born in Summit NJ in February 1949, and had one older sister and two younger brothers. They were an Air Force family that grew up travelling all over the USA, Europe, and Africa.

He loved boating, skiing and cycling, and was always an active athlete who played high school baseball and football.
He met his future wife Barbara, also the child of an Air Force family in high school.
They were married in 1969, and their daughter Jennifer was born in 1970.

John graduated from Seton Hall University in 1971.
Daughter Kathleen was born in 1972.

His fist duty station in the US Army was Fort Hood Texas.

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Here is the Ranger Hall of Fame citation from
http://www.benning.army.mil/infantry/rtb/rhof/index.html
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Colonel John T. Keneally is inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame in recognition of his distinguished career in command of Army Rangers from Lieutenant to Lieutenant Colonel. He was selected for instructor duty in the Florida Ranger Division following his initial assignments with both Ranger and mechanized units in the 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

In 1980, he was selected to command "Hardrock Charlie" Company, 1st / 75th Ranger Battalion. This unit had participated three months earlier in the aborted "Desert One" operation to free American hostages in Iran. His company continued the planning and intensified training in preparation for possible future attempts to free the hostages.

Following a series of key assignments as an operations officer in Washington, D.C., he was selected to command the 6th Ranger Training Battalion at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Following that command and a brief assignment as Director of Ranger Special Operations Forces in the Pentagon, he was designated for a second battalion command, assuming command of the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia. In September 1992, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, deployed with a full combat load, jumped into Great Britain and conducted live fire exercises for three days receiving high praise from senior commanders.

In late October 1992, Colonel Keneally volunteered to be the chief evaluator for 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment conducting contingency missions in Utah. He realized the sensitivity of the evaluations since the Ranger Commander being evaluated was taking 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment through a real world training exercise.

Both Ranger Commanders met their ultimate death when the helicopter they were in crashed near Salt Lake City. This was the last time that Colonel Keneally would demonstrate that Ranger Commanders truly Lead the Way.
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Here is the citation engraved on the Antelope Island Memorial.
We show this first to illustrate the impact that this disaster had on so many families.
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SIDE I:
THE LORD'S PRAYER (inscribed in granite) 3 Brass plaques above: GREAT SALT LAKE, UTAH In 1967, the State of Utah purchased the northern 2,000 acres of Antelope Island. The remaining 26,000 acres was purchased in 1981. A causeway was completed in 1969 and Antelope Island State Park opened to the public.

In 1983, the rising Great Salt Lake inundated the causeway closing the park. With State appropriations, Davis county rebuilt the causeway in 1992 and Antelope Island State Park reopened in 1993.
Crash Site Readings
United States Air Force exact crash site readings are: latitude 41 04.48 (minutes) longitude 112 13.90 (minutes) From where you are standing at the inscription stone, by facing and sighting across the flag pole, the crash site is approximately 9/10 of a mile.

The Causeway to Antelope Island

The MH 60G Pave Hawk is the newest helicopter in the USAF. They were flying in the lead and trail positions. (Call Sign) Merit 81 and 84. Merit 82 and 83 were highly modified MH70L Black Hawks assigned to the U.S. Army. Designed for special operations missions including combat rescue, it is equipped for transport of personnel and litter patients. The USAF uses the Pave Hawk to conduct peacetime, contingency and wartime special operations missions to infiltrate, resupply and withdraw American and Allied Special Operations Forces. It is also equipped for transport of personnel and litter patients.

Weather conditions for the evening of 29 Oct. 1992
The mishap aircrew received a weather update brief from a team at Hill Air Force Base. The surface weather conditions briefed to the mishap crew were overcast skies at 3400 feet, 7 miles visibility in rain, winds from the east (090 degrees) at 03 knots. Weather radar indicated thunderstorms and rain showers 95 miles west. Weather radar indicated thunderstorms and rain showers 95 miles west. Weather radar indicated cells moving from the southwest at 10 knots and Max Tops 20,000 feet. West northwest at 29 miles. There had been no weather alerts/warnings issued.

Although the weather forecast predicted VFR conditions, witnesses experienced intermittent rain and scud, coupled with zero moon illumination and low ambient light levels over and to the west of the Great Salt Lake which resulted in no visible horizon and unfavorable night vision goggle flying conditions.

SIDE II
THIS MEMORIAL IS IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE SOLDIERS OF THE US ARMY AND US AIRFORCE SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND WHO DIED IN THE SERVICE OF THIS GREAT NATION ON 10-29-92 APPROX. 9:15 PM MST.

May we remind each other that these men who died doing what they loved best will not fade away. We will remember and we will pray for them forever.
US ARMY RANGERS
SGT Blain A. Mishak ....... Clearlake, La.
LTC. Kenneth W. Staus.......Belton, MD
SGT Harvey E. Moore, Jr......La Grange, CA
SPC. Jeremy B. Bird.........Amery, WI
Col. John T. Keneally.........South Orange NJ

RANGERS LEAD THE WAY
These were men who heard the call of freedom, liberty and justice. Men who heard a call to discipline and valor. These were men of the ranger creed.

Cpt. Steven Berry, Army Chaplin US AIR FORCE
Lt. Col. Roland E. Peixotto, Jr. ..........West Torsham, VT
Sgt. Steven W. Kelley.....................Ocean Springs, MS
Sgt. Phillip A Kesler.....................Ona, WY
Sr. Airman Kerek C. Hughes............... Angels Camp, CA
Cpt. Michael L. Nazionale.................Dennison, OH
Sgt. Mark G. Lee.........................Jerome, ID Tsgt.
Mark Scholl........................Sunbury, PA

AIR COMMANDOS QUIET PROFESSIONALS

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Antelope Island Memorial Rededicated in 2012 - 20th Anniversary of the disaster
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http://archive.sltrib.com/story.php?ref=/sltrib/politics/55162358-90/force-island-scholl-shackleford.html.csp

Comments

#11 LTC r George l. Keckeisen 02-28-2021 18:35

I was thinking about John today at mass. I keep John's picture in my mass missal. John and I spoke many times during our carriers. We met and spoke on the phone when I was an Operations Officer at JSOC and John was Commanding 3/75th Ranger Battalion. We kidded each other as to who had the better assignment. I remember John spoke of the marriage of his oldest daughter. I congratulated him. I had three daughters and looked forward to their weddings. Then I had to admit he had the better assignment. I was the Professor of Military Science at Georgia Southern University and in the field with my senior cadets when the news of the crash was brought to me. I walked into the woods, cried and wondered why? I truly expect to meet John again when the "Big Ranger in the Sky" says times up.

Quote

#10 LTC r GEORGE L. KECKEISEN JR. 05-25-2020 02:25

I was John's fraternity brother at Seaton Hall University and his Ranger buddy. John and I were amoung the first 13 SROTC cadets to be permitted to go to Jump School. We signed a waver releasing the Army of all responsibility for injury during training. We paid our own way. Our first jump was a night jump from a C 119 AC. John and I were Winter Rangers. The "FROZEN CHOSIN". One cold night in Florida, John and I shared a fox hole. We were really cold and very hungry! We searched our packs and, lo and behold, I found a pack of chocolate drink mix. The water in our canteens was frozen. After about an hour of switching a canteen between our underarms, we had enough to fill half a canteen cup. We had one heat tab. We carved out a grenade sump and placed the heat tab and cup inside. When hot, it became the finest drink under the sun. It was almost a religious experience. I will never forget that night or our special drink. I miss John and always will.

#9 DB Johnson 11-23-2019 07:28

CPT John T Keneally was our Class Tactical Officer...Ranger Class 11-75.
Later, coincidentally, in 1977, in Panama, CPT Keneally became our Company Commander, as we were ramping up for the treaty vote in 1978. (A(ABN), 3d BN, 5th INF).
It was a bucketful of sad, but very fond, memories that I shared, when our family visited the memorial at Antelope island.
(FYI One of the pictures posted here, of him leading A Company(ABN) in parade, is from 4 July, 1978, the last 4th of July Parade in the Panama Canal Zone.)

#8 Al Quiros 04-04-2019 14:15

I had the honor and privilege to serve under the command of COL Keneally in 3/75. His leadership was unmatched and his humor was uplifting. Great family man, officer, Soldier and mentor. Will always remember with absolute respect and admiration.

#7 Leslie Craddock 11-04-2018 04:47

I was a team leader in A Co., 3/5th Inf (ABN) in the Panama Canal Zone. John Keneally was my Company Commander while I was there. At the time, Cpt. Keneally was a great commander. I had left Panama to go through Ranger School in 1979. After graduation in December of 1979, I returned to my unit and Cpt. Keneally along with many other Officers and NCO's had been reassigned to other units. Cpt. Keneally returned to the Ranger Committee cadre at that time. He was sure missed in our unit!

#6 Steven Salvatoriello 01-15-2018 19:20

I was lucky enough to call John my cousin and although I didn't spend much time with him he left a lasting memory. I know he loved being a Ranger and he loved his family very much. This is a great way for people to get to know a little about him. Thank you John!

#5 Parker Manley 04-04-2017 15:30

All though I wasn't lucky enough to meet my grandfather, I have come to realize how truly remarkable John T. Keneally was and the lasting impact he had only some many lives. Thank you Mr. Kent for helping me see the amazing man he was.

#4 Ron Durham 01-13-2017 17:43

I had the honor to serve under Col Keneally in C Co, 1/75 and again in A Co, 3/75. He was a remarkable leader and gentleman. I remember playing golf with him... just lots of fun. A great Ranger.

#3 Denise Nichols 05-23-2016 21:44

What an awesome tribute to these fine men John was a true American,a fine gentlemen & amazing father/husband..Thank you Denise

#2 Barbara Keneally 05-23-2016 19:13

Thank you, Kent, for your work on this. It is greatly appreciated! John loved being a Ranger!

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