MEMORIAL CEREMONY
JOSEPH VICTOR McKENNY
17 APRIL 2003

We are gathered today in this beautiful site to honor the memory of Joseph
Victor McKenny.

Some of us may recall the last time our family gathered here – fifty paces
down this road. In 1969 to bury my father and Joseph’s brother, Commander
David Francis McKenney.

While that day 34 years ago was a sad day for our family, I find our purpose
here today not sad at all. Today marks the end of a process that has taken
years to learn about Joseph, the circumstances of his death and to mark his
memory and his sacrifice for his nation indefinitely. This hour will bring
our efforts to a successful close by blessing his memory, providing Joseph
McKenney with his due military honors and then joining together in prayer for
the well being of his soul.

In reaching this day, I would like to thank my family and friends for their
support and patience, the hospitality of the Wilmington National Cemetery and
the participation of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, our former parish. I would
like to also recognize Congressman Michael McIntyre, whose office provided
valuable assistance resolving several issues regarding this matter.
Finally, I would like to give a special thanks to the Military Order of the
Purple Heart and the US Marine detail here today for the presentation of
military honors.

Who was Joseph Victor McKenny?

I never met Joseph. In fact, no one here today met Joseph either. He died
before almost all of us here today were born; died at a young age in the
service of his country without the chance to live a long life that many of us
take for granted.

While I never met Joseph, I have learned a great deal about him. Joseph was
born in New York City as one of 5 children on Armistice Day, the real
Armistice Day – 11 November 1918. That day marked the end of the first
terrible World War. In recognition of that great event, my grandparents gave
Joseph the middle name Victor, and later his brothers and sister gave him the
nick name of Pershing, after Gen. John Joseph Pershing, the Commander of the
US Expeditionary Forces in Europe during World War I.

Joseph grew up in a comfortable home with his parents and brothers and sister.
They were a happy and close family. Joseph’s father immigrated from Dromara
in County Down, Northern Ireland as a young man and taught his children to
respect the freedoms that our nation offered those willing to respect its
laws. Joseph’s brothers and sister grew to be hard working honorable adults
and Joseph was no exception. We know little about his childhood other than
generalities. As the youngest child, he most likely had the most attention
and the easiest childhood, and as most boys of Irish-American descent in New
York City, he attended school as long as he could bear it. With the
opportunities that America offered and the ambitions of such children, the
teen-agers were normally very eager to begin careers and make their place in
the world.

Again, Joseph was no exception. He entered the merchant marine in 1936 in an
administrative capacity serving upon commercial vessels sailing between New
York City and South America and later Europe. Joseph’s dedication to his
work and his search for more complex duties were soon recognized by his
superiors and he earned a series of promotions and higher ratings. Joseph
was awarded a rating as Chief Purser in 1940 at the age of 22, four years
following his entrance into the merchant marine. Joseph received high marks
from the masters of the ships upon which he served and was well liked by his
colleagues and shipmates. He was described as having a professional manner
and a good sense of humor… and had a very successful and promising life
ahead of him.

With the entry of the Unites States into World War II, Joseph volunteered to
join the US Navy and serve as a junior officer at sea. However, due to an
acute shortage of qualified ships’ officers in the merchant marine, the US
Navy requested him to remain in a civilian capacity and serve his nation in
the transportation of troops and material in support of the war effort. To
this end, Joseph enlisted in the US War Department’s Army Transport Service,
an arm of the US Army. As to be expected he served admirably aboard vessels
travelling in convoy to Europe with troops and supplies.

On his last voyage, he sailed aboard the US Army Transport Oneida, with a
cargo of steel, aviation gasoline, explosives and foodstuffs, in a convoy
from New York City through Guantanimo Bay, Cuba to Australia. A few days
from port, the Oneida developed engine trouble in heavy seas, began to take
on water and on 3 May 1943 dropped out of the convoy with two other
“stragglers”. During that evening, in a heavy storm, the Oneida sighted a
German submarine, almost colliding with that enemy vessel. The Captain set a
course for land, Norfolk, VA, and then called the crew and the gun crews to
general quarters to prepare for an attack from the submarine. Military gun
crews were to man their battle stations and civilians were to assemble at
their muster stations; all were to don life vests. As time passed and the
storm worsened, the captain relaxed general quarters as he thought that he
had eluded the enemy vessel in the heavy rain and seas.

However, in the early morning hours of May 4, 1943, still in a violent storm,
two torpedoes struck the Oneida, shaking the ship from stem to stern. The
Captain stated that he barely had time to give a few superficial orders to
clear the ship before it began to sink headfirst into the sea.

The Captain last saw Joseph securing the ship’s money and records, which were
Joseph’s responsibility in such a situation and ordered him off the ship, but
Joseph remained in the cabins to assist others onto the deck. It was this
action that delayed Joseph in putting on his life saving jacket, which most
likely resulted in his death.

The Oneida sank 100 miles off the shore of Norfolk, VA about one and one-half
minutes after the torpedo explosions.

Several US Navy vessels in the area saw the distress flares from the Oneida
and came to its rescue. Some of the crew were saved, but Joseph and 35 other
men of a crew of 62 were lost at sea.

Joseph Victor McKenny, a young man of only 23 years, honourable, dependable –
a volunteer in the service and defence of his nation – died at his duty
station and in the rescue of his shipmates in the darkness of 4 May 1943.

Many Americans responded to the call to defend our nation. They served
unselfishly until their job was completed. Some gave years of their lives
and some their life, itself. Young men, honourable men, brave men. Men like
Joseph.

Today, sixty years later, near the end of the generation that would remember
these men, the memory and sacrifice of Joseph McKenny was almost forgotten.
We now stand near the stone that commemorates this man and his valiant
actions forever and we give thanks for that life.

Patrick McKenney