KENNETH E. HUME, LCDR, USN
Kenneth Hume '54
Lucky Bag
From the 1954 Lucky Bag:
Kenneth Edward Hume
Cincinnati, Ohio
Ken, a native of Cincinnati, came to the Academy by way of a Navy Fleet appointment. At the Academy as in the Fleet, Ken has never been known to miss a liberty. His main interest at the Academy has been the radiator squad, although at times he has given up this pleasant pastime to engage in batt football. His experience in this sport stems from his high school days when he won the Player of the Year award. Ken is a typical Navy man who manages to mix wine, women, and song into all of his liberties. On any weekend he can be found in the dragging section. Upon graduation the Navy will get another candidate for jet fighters.
FOOTBALL—4,3,2.1. PING PONG—4.3,2,1. SOFTBALL—4,3,2,1.
Kenneth Edward Hume
Cincinnati, Ohio
Ken, a native of Cincinnati, came to the Academy by way of a Navy Fleet appointment. At the Academy as in the Fleet, Ken has never been known to miss a liberty. His main interest at the Academy has been the radiator squad, although at times he has given up this pleasant pastime to engage in batt football. His experience in this sport stems from his high school days when he won the Player of the Year award. Ken is a typical Navy man who manages to mix wine, women, and song into all of his liberties. On any weekend he can be found in the dragging section. Upon graduation the Navy will get another candidate for jet fighters.
FOOTBALL—4,3,2.1. PING PONG—4.3,2,1. SOFTBALL—4,3,2,1.
Loss
Ken was killed in action on March 29, 1965 when his F8U Crusader crashed into the sea near Bach Long Vi island following damage sustained during a raid in North Vietnam.
Other Information
He has a memory marker in Arlington National Cemetery.
From researcher Kathy Franz:
Kenneth's mother Florence died in January 1940 when he was eight years old. The family then lived with her sister and husband.
Kenneth attended North Fairmount Elementary School and graduated in 1949 from Colerain High School. At this time, he was living with his sister Georgia and her husband Robert Schenkel.
After graduation, Kenneth was an aviation electronics technician seaman apprentice stationed with the Navy at Newport, Rhode Island.
He entered the Naval Academy on a Fleet Quota (Secretary of the Navy) appointment.
On June 6, 1954, he married Carolyn Kennamer at the Naval Academy. Their wedding was one of 54 completed right after graduation day.
In August 1963, he completed Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River, Maryland.
Kenneth was survived by his wife Carolyn, father Frank, an ice puller, brothers Earl and William, and sisters Helen, Georgia and Verna May.
He was also survived by two daughters. Daughter Cindy was born on February 6, 1959, in Santa Clara and died in a traffic accident in San Diego on January 9, 1979.
Kenneth is remembered at the Courts of the Missing in Hawaii and on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC.
Photographs
From The Los Angeles Times on April 1, 1965
From the Cincinnati Enquirer on August 19, 1950
Remembrances
From Wall of Faces:
Ken was a mentor and friend. He led by example, mostly with a cigar in his mouth and a warm sense of humor. He was a superb airplane driver and a great golf companion. I still think of him often. ERROL REILLY, 6/10/00
On March 29th 1965, I was born on the day we lost LCDR Kenneth Hume during an attack on North Vietnamese forces. Tomorrow, March 29th 2018 - Vietnam War Veterans Day, in honor of LCDR Hume's service and memory, I will visit his memorial marker at Arlington and Panel 1E of the the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Bill Coffin, USMA '88
Distinguished Flying Cross
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Commander Kenneth Edward Hume, United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight while serving with Fighter Squadron ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-FOUR (VF-154), in the Republic of Vietnam on 29 March 1965. As an aircraft Section Leader, Lieutenant Commander Hume led his unit in a rocket attack against an enemy military installation of prime importance. The unit made a diving attack in the face of heavy hostile ground fire, scoring direct hits and inflicting severe damage to the objective. After completing his attack, Lieutenant Commander Hume reported a fire in the after section of his aircraft and attempted to save the plane by flying at reduced power to his carrier base. However, control was subsequently lost and his aircraft crashed into the sea.
General Orders: All Hands (January 1966)
Action Date: March 29, 1965
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Company: Fighter Squadron 154 (VF-154)
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