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Mostly Cloudy Baldwin was home to two Medal of Honor recipients
Bernard James Ray and John J. Kedenburg gave their lives to save others
Two Baldwin residents were posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for their personal sacrifices to save the lives of fellow soldiers — Bernard James Ray during World War II and John J. Kedenburg during the Vietnam War.
Specialist Five John J. Kedenburg — Vietnam War
On June 13, 1968, Kedenburg was serving as a Specialist Five with the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne). He was an advisor to a long-range reconnaissance team of South Vietnamese troops, which was conducting counter-guerrilla operations within enemy territories near Laos.
While on a mission in a Laos jungle, Kedenburg's unit was attacked and surrounded by a battalion of North Vietnamese forces. Thinking quickly, Kedenburg assumed command and, after trading heavy fire with enemy forces, broke out of the encirclement. As the team retreated through the jungle, Kedenburg, while providing rear cover fire so his unit could escape, called for air support and rescue helicopters.
The unit made it to the landing zone short just one soldier, and Kedenburg directed the unit into a defense formation while they awaited air support. As the Air Force commenced their attack, two hovering helicopters dropped slings to Kedenburg's unit.
But just before Kedenburg and three members of the team were about to be extracted, the one soldier thought to have been lost made his way to the landing zone. Upon seeing him, Kedenburg unhooked himself and instructed the soldier to take his place on the harness. As he gave orders for the helicopter to take off without him, Kedenburg again provided cover fire so the helicopters could safely retreat, killing six soldiers before being overpowered.
Because of Kedenburg's sacrifice, every member of his unit survived. Kedenburg, who attended St. Christopher's School and is a 1964 Baldwin High School alumnus, was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. A road at Fort Bragg in N.C. is named in his honor.
Lieutenant Bernard James Ray — World War II
On Nov. 17, 1944, Ray was serving as a 1st Lieutenant in Company F, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, which was attempting to advance through the Hurtgen Forest near Schevenhütte, Germany.
