PFC. Kenneth Jay "Kenny" Webb was an original paratrooper in Easy Company.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Webb was born on 15th August, 1920 to Levi Irvin "Leon" Webb and Mabel May Webb (Morris) in Binghamton, Broome County, New York. He had 3 sisters, Agnes May (K?) Lawrence (Webb), Leona Irene Tuminella (Webb) and Mary Lou Stevens (Webb). Kenneth worked at Bendix plant in Sidney, New York. At the same plant, he helped get electronic jobs for his closest friend and cousin, Leo Albert. Tragedy then struck when Leo was killed in a freak electrical accident on a different plant on which he was transported to after he was rejected from enlisting into the war as he was believed to have more value.
WWII[]
Kenneth trained with Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne, at camp Taccoa. After completing training at Taccoa, he and the rest of his company travelled to Camp Mackall to complete basic training and he was then sent to Aldbourne in England to complete additional training.
After finishing basic training, Kenneth was tasked with Easy company to parachute behind enemy lines at Vierville. On 14th June, 1944, Webb was struck by enemy fire and had to be airlifted back to England to receive care in which he was awarded with the purple heart. Webb made it just in time to participate in the failed invasion of Holland (Operation Market Garden) on 17th September, 1944.
Webb’s Company then positioned themselves against the front line of a German division on 19th December, 1944 to hold them off from Bastogne. Four weeks after the Company arrived at Bastogne, Easy Company engaged in the successful, but casualty-heavy, battle for Foy on 13th January, 1944.
Shortly after Easy Company took Foy, celebration broke out and Easy began rallying POWs. Without warning, a lone German sniper from the window of a house opened fire on the company, shooting and killing Kenneth Webb instantly, along with PFC Carl Sawosko and Corporal Francis Mellett.
Kenneth Webb is buried at Luxembourg American Cemetery and memorial with fellow Easy Company members; Sgt. Warren "Skip" Muck, PFC. Alex Pankala, Pvt. Patrick Neill, and PFC. John Julian which can be located in Hamm, Canton de Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.