Kenneth Leslie West

Korean War
Service #AO-1911697
Unit7 FTR BOMB SQ 49 FTR BOMB GP
RankFirst Lieutenant U.S. Air Force
Date of DeathApril 25 1951
StatusMissing In Action
Memorialized
Courts of the Missing
Court
8
Air Medal
Korean Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Purple Heart
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Korea War Service Medal
United Nations Service Medal
First Lieutenant West was awarded the Air Medal, the Purple Heart, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
Notes
First Lieutenant West was the pilot of a F-80C Shooting Star fighter interceptor with the 7th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 49th Fighter Bomber Group. On April 25, 1951, while on a combat mission, his aircraft received a direct hit by anti-aircraft fire, crashed and exploded. He was listed as Missing in Action and was presumed dead on December 31, 1953. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.