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Major

James Johnson Kelly
Major; James Johnson Kelly
	Major James Kelly Tuskegee Airman
Born	March 29, 1928; High Point, North Carolina
Died	December 29, 2018 (aged 90); San Antonio, Texas
Buried	Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service / branch	United States Army Air Force; Air Force of the United States;
Years of service	1946–1971
Rank	Major
Unit	332nd Fighter Group
Commands	Squadron Commander
Battles / wars	Battle of Chosin Reservoir
Awards	Korean Service Medal; UN Service Medal;
Spouse(s)	Sally

James Johnson Kelly (March 29, 1928 – December 29, 2018) was a United States Army Air Force/United States Air Force officer who served with the 99th Fighter Squadron and 332nd Fighter Group. He served in the Korean War at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, and he retired in 1971 as a Major in the Air Force and a Squadron Commander.^[2]^[1]

Early life and education

Kelly was born in High Point, North Carolina and at an early age his family moved to Lynchburg, Virginia.^[1]^[3]

Military service

In 1946 Kelly entered the Army Air Forces and he was assigned to the 99th Fighter Squadron and 332nd Fighter Group. Kelly started as a Technical Sergeant and eventually earned a commission at Lackland AFB in 1955, in San Antonio as a First Lieutenant. By the time he retired after 28 years in the Air Force Kelly was a Major. He qualified as an instructor for the AT-6 and T-33. He also became a Squadron Commander.^[2]

In the Korean War, Kelly earned medals for evacuating wounded Marines at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.^[2]

Later life

In 1959, he married a single mother (Sally) and became a stepfather for her daughter and later had a son, Thomas Edward Kelly.^[3]^[1] He held many positions in his chosen hometown, San Antonio, Texas: VC San Antonio Planning Commission, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Community Workers Council of San Antonio, and he was a trustee on the Our Lady of the Lake University Trustee Board.^[3]

He was buried with honors at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery January 10, 2019.^[2]

Awards

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Clarke, Devin (December 31, 2018). "Family honors memory of WWII Tuskegee airman who made SA home". KSAT News. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Christensen, Sig (January 10, 2019). "James Kelly, among San Antonio's last Tuskegee Airmen, saluted at Fort Sam burial". Hearst Communications, Inc. San Antonio Express News. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c "James J. Kelly". lewisfuneralhome.com. Lewis Funeral Home. Retrieved August 9, 2020.