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Contact Info
Home Town Franklin, Tennessee
Last Address Franklin, Tennessee
Date of Passing Sep 18, 1966
Location of Interment Mount Hope Cemetery - Franklin, Tennessee
He was credited with destroying 8 enemy aircraft in aerial combat plus 1 damaged and 17 more destroyed on the ground.
He died of a brain tumor while on active duty.
His DSC citation: Awarded for actions during World War II The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Lieutenant Colonel (Air Corps) Claiborne H. Kinnard, Jr. (ASN: 0-383723), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-51 Fighter Airplane assigned to Headquarters, 355th Fighter Group, EIGHTH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 7 July 1944, while leading his Group in the escort of heavy bombers at Halle, Germany. Circling the target area, Colonel Kinnard observed 20 enemy airplanes attacking the bomber formation. Approaching to intercept them Colonel Kinnard discovered he had become separated from his Group and was leading a flight of only three airplanes. Despite the odds against him he immediately attacked, destroying one enemy fighter and dispersing the entire formation. In the encounter Colonel Kinnard's wing man was lost, and, at this moment, 30 enemy airplanes which had been acting as top cover launched their attack. Colonel Kinnard, in his firm resolve to protect the bomber formation, launched a fearless and daring attack on the enemy, notwithstanding their numerical superiority. So skillful and vicious was his attack that he was able to destroy two more of the enemy and protect his wing man while the latter destroyed another. The outstanding heroism and devotion to duty displayed by Colonel Kinnard on this occasion reflect highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.
General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Strategic Forces in Europe, General Orders No. 73 (1944)
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The Air Force Reserve Command is a Major Command of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters stationed at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federally controlled Air Reserve Component of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of duly appointed commissioned officers and enlisted airmen.
AFRC supports the Air Force mission to defend the United States through the control and exploitation of air and space by supporting Global Engagement. AFRC also plays an integral role in the day-to-day Air Force mission and is not strictly a force held in reserve for possible war or contingency operations.
The federal reserve component of the United States Air Force, AFRC has approximately 450 aircraft assigned for which it has sole control. as well as access to several hundred additional active duty USAF aircraft via AFRC "Associate" wings that are collocated with active duty Air Force wings, sharing access to those aircraft.. The inventory includes the latest, most capable models of aircraft that are also assigned to the active-duty U.S. Air Force. On any given day, 99 percent of AFRC's aircraft are mission-ready and able to deploy within 72 hours.
The purpose of the Air Force Reserve as derived from Title 10 United States Code is to:
Provide combat-ready units and individuals for active duty whenever there are not enough trained units and people in the Regular component of the Air Force to perform any national security mission.
