Thomas P. McKenna
Thomas P. McKenna | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 23, 1930 |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1948–1970 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Unit | 82nd Airborne Division |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
Thomas P. McKenna(born July 23, 1930) is a retired United States Army officer and author. His bookKontum: The Battle to Save South Vietnamwon the 2013 William E.Colby Award.[1]
Early life
[edit]McKenna was born on July 23, 1930, and raised in Nebraska and Florida.[2]He was aBoy Scoutand madeEaglerank.[3]
Military career
[edit]Upon his graduation fromCastle Heights Military Academyin 1948, McKenna enlisted in the army, and served with the82nd Airborne Division.After a year of service, he was sent toWest Point Military Academy.McKenna spent a total of 22 years in the military.[2]
His military education included stints at the Parachute and Glider School, Basic and Advanced Infantry Officer Courses,Ranger School,Airborne School,Pathfinder School,and theCommand and General Staff College.McKenna also obtained a master's degree in history from theUniversity of Kansas.
He was stationed in Germany, Italy, Korea, and Vietnam, spending the last of his military career as an advisor toSouth Vietnam.[3][4]It was during his time as an advisor to South Vietnamese that theBattle of Kontumoccurred.[2]
Books
[edit]- McKenna, Thomas P. (2011).Kontum: The Battle to Save South Vietnam.University Press of Kentucky.ISBN9780813133980.JSTORj.ctt2jcmsd.[5]
References
[edit]- ^Gardner, Jan (March 30, 2013)."'Kontum: The Battle to Save South Vietnam' wins Colby Award ".Boston Globe.Archived fromthe originalon May 2, 2014.RetrievedMay 24,2015.Alt URL
- ^abcPollak, Sally (March 8, 2013)."Stowe Vietnam vet wins award for military history book".Burlington Free Press.RetrievedMay 26,2015.
- ^ab"Footprints: Retired Lt. Col. Thomas P. McKenna".Fayetteville Observer.January 1, 2012.RetrievedMay 24,2015.
- ^"Thomas McKenna".Norwich University.RetrievedMay 24,2015.
- ^Reviews ofKontum: The Battle to Save South Vietnaminclude:
- Leo, Thomas W. (Spring 2012). "Reviewed Work: Kontum: The Battle to Save South Vietnam Thomas P. McKenna".On Point.17(4): 58.JSTOR26363057.
- Veith, George J. (Winter 2013). "Reviewed Work: Kontum: The Battle to Save South Vietnam Thomas P. McKenna".Journal of Cold War Studies.15(1): 147–149.JSTOR6924309.
- Wettemann Jr., Robert P. (Summer–Fall 2012)."Reviewed Work: Kontum: The Battle to Save South Vietnam Thomas P. McKenna".The Oral History Review.39(2): 387–389.JSTOR41811759.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
- 1930 births
- Living people
- United States Army officers
- United States Military Academy alumni
- United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni
- University of Kansas alumni
- United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War
- Writers from Vermont
- 21st-century American non-fiction writers
- People from Lamoille County, Vermont
- American military writers