b. 1827 Canterbury, Kent, England. d. 28/05/1890 Gloucester, Massachusetts.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 05/08/1864 Mobile Bay, Alabama.
American Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient. An English immigrant (also known as George B. Kenney or Barnet G Kennea), he joined the US Navy in 1861 and was issued the award on December 31, 1864, for his actions as a quartermaster on the Navy sloop-of-war USS Brooklyn during the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864. His Medal of Honor citation reads: “On board the U.S.S. Brooklyn during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram Tennessee, in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Despite severe damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked her decks from stem to stern Kenna fought his gun with skill and courage throughout the furious action which resulted in the surrender of the rebel ram Tennessee and in the damaging and destruction of batteries at Fort Morgan.”
MOH CITATION:
On board the U.S.S. Brooklyn during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram Tennessee, in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Despite severe damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked her decks from stem to stern, Kenna fought his gun with skill and courage throughout the furious action which resulted in the surrender of the rebel ram Tennessee and in the damaging and destruction of batteries at Fort Morgan.
BURIAL LOCATION: CHERRY HILL CEMETERY, GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.
SECTION C, GAR LOTS 155/156.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
