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<em>Ken</em>, more familiarly known during his cadet days as “K-Alonzo or Koonan,” was born in Alliance, Ohio on 21 August 1908. After graduation from high school in 1926, he was informed that no West Point appointments from his state would be available before July 1930. He enlisted in the 135th Field Artillery, Ohio National Guard, hoping to obtain a Guard appointment, but during a preliminary physical for Guard applicants, the doctor ruled that he did not meet the minimum eye requirements. Disappointed, he enrolled at the University of Alabama, but, after three semesters, he returned home, encouraged by an opthamologist who assured him that his eyes would meet Academy standards. He was appointed from the 16th District of Ohio, and entered the Academy as one of the older, but not necessarily wiser, plebes of his class—witness his being the first plebe to enter through the East Sallyport that fateful 1 July 1930.</p>
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Ken liked cadet life. Beast Barracks evokes many memories but for Ken the nicest was tryouts for the Cadet Choir. Luckily, Ken sang on key and for four years sang first and second basso in the choir. As for academics, he quickly realized that a high graduation ranking would require serious study, but that West Point had much more than that to offer. All other time available, after academics, would be for “development of the whole man.” During his cadet years, he formulated a philosophy that guided him through the his military life: 1) to listen to and learn from others' viewpoints; 2) to accept and discharge the responsibilities of an adult to the best of his ability; 3) to never knowingly hurt or malign another through ill-chosen words or deeds; 4) to be fair and just to all ranks.</p>
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Ken was commissioned in the Field Artillery, and on 18 July 1934 in Alliance, he married his first “steady” girl from high school days, Dorothy Janet Haldane, who gave up a promising career in nursing to enter the unfamiliar world of an Army wife. Their happy marriage spanned nearly 47 years, during which they were blessed with two loving children, Janet and Kenneth Haldane, each of whom gave them two handsome grandsons and two beautiful granddaughters. On 12 February 1981 Dorothy preceded Ken in death, succumbing to heart disease after a 14-month illness.</p>
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The happy couple’s first assignment was to the 82d Field Artillery at Fort Bliss, Texas—the last horse artillery regiment in the Army. The memories of these first years of service are many, but two stand out: the birth of their first child, Janet, and a Cavalry Brigade Review. Few of us have been privileged to witness or to have ridden with three mounted regiments while passing in review at a “walk,” “trot” and “gallop”— the old Army at its glamorous best! Then, in 1936, came assignment to beautiful Hawaii with duty in the 8th Field Artillery at Schofield Barracks. Memorable were the birth of son Kenneth Haldane, and an Hawaiian Department Review. Unforgettable was the sight of a Coast Artillery Railway Battery chugging by the reviewing stand on rails laid especially for the event on the mammoth review field at Schofield!</p>
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In December 1938, Ken reported to the 1st Field Artillery at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, pending the opening of the Regular Course there in September 1939. When war broke out in Europe that same month, the Regular Course was cut in half and the class graduated on 1 February 1940. Ken joined the 19th Field Artillery of the 5th US Infantry Division, which was concentrating at Camp McClellan, Alabama for division training; undergoing Corps maneuvers at Fort Benning, Georgia; and Army maneuvers for the first time in the new Louisiana Maneuver Area. In June 1940, having developed an interest in chemical warfare, Ken requested a detail in the Chemical W arfare Service and reported to Edge wood Arsenal, Maryland in July.</p>
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Shortly after our entry into World War II, Ken attended the 7th Special Course at the Command & General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, after which he was selected to command the 83d Chemical Mortar Battalion—one of the initial five such units to be made ready for combat service by summer 1943. In May 1943 the unit landed at Oran, French Morocco and entered its first combat as part of the Ranger Force on D-Day of the Sicilian Invasion, 10 July 1943. His battalion had the distinction of firing the first 4.2 mortar against the enemy. After Sicily, and following the invasion of Italy at Salerno, he relinquished command of the 83d and joined the 1st US Infantry Division as its chemical officer and assistant G-3. He participated in the planning for the Normandy Invasion and landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day in command of the Division Advance Command Post Group. In July 1944 he movedup to Headquarters, First US Army as the Army chemical officer. Afterward, he became president of the Chemical Warfare Board at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland.</p>
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In 1947, Ken completed the first postwar long course at the Command & General Staff School and remained on the faculty teaching in the Department of Logistics and Combined Arms. From 1950-52 he served as deputy commander and then commander of the Deseret Chemical Depot, Tooele, Utah. Disenchantment with the Chemical Corps caused him to return to the Artillery in July 1952. His first assignment with the Artillery was to Korea, where he served as chief of Plans and Operations in the G-4 Section of Headquarters, Eighth US Army. His greatest satisfaction in this assignment was the preparation of the Eighth Army's plan for the repatriation of our POWs in July 1953. Returning to the United States in 1954, he served two years in Headquarters, Second Army, at Fort Meade, with duty in the G-1 and G-3 Sections. In 1956 he transferred to Fort Hayes, Ohio, for duty as professor of military science at Ohio State University. In June 1959, after 28 years of service, he retired and accepted a staff position with the university. In 1968 he retired fully to enjoy his family and his hobbies of golf, picture framing and woodworking.</p>
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In 1971, Ken and Dorothy moved to San Antonio to escape the northern winters. Old service friends made their arrival seem like a homecoming. Golf and other hobbies became a way of life.</p>
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Ken’s life was blessed with the love of three beautiful ladies: Dorothy Janet Haldane from his hometown, Janice Dohan McCarthy from St.Paul, Minnesota, and Jane Craighead Dunning Dahlberg of San Antonio, Texas. Dorothy and Janice preceded him in death. Jane survives, along with his daughter, Janet C. Gibeaut of Dunwoody, Georgia; his son, Dr. Kenneth H. Cunin of Worthington, Ohio; four grandchildren, Michelle Gibeaut Perry, Douglas Gibeaut, Todd Cunin and Kathryn Cunin; and a great-grandson, Stuart Connor Perry.</p>