Kenneth Theodore Cruise, Jr.Vietnam War - KIA |
Kenneth Theodore Cruise, Jr. was a member of the Spring Class of 1963 at Abraham Lincoln High School in San Francisco.
He was born on January, 8, 1946, to Kenneth "Ted" and Mary (Haynes) Cruise in San Francisco. His father was born in 1924 in San Diego, California, while his mother was born on December 3, 1925, in Dallas, Texas.
Kenneth's parents divorced and his mother married her second husband, Nathan Jones. They had three children born in San Francisco: Cheryl Marye, Delbert, and Nathan Quentin. Cheryl and Delbert are deceased, while Nathan, Jr. is retired from the Air Force after 27 years of service.
Her present husband, Charles Ernest McCuller, Sr., and she had one child: Chrles Ernest, Jr., born in San Francisco.
Charles Jr., married Dionne Johnson, and they had three children born in San Francisco: Cheryl Marie, Aprea, and Shanna. Charles Jr. and his wife, Dionne, are officers in the San Francisco Police Deartment.
Kenneth attended Sheridan Elementary School and James Denman Junior High School before entering Abraham Lincoln High School. He was a member of the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) an participated woth the Cors' Special Drill Team. He ultimsately achieved the rank of second lieutenant.
Kenneth graduated with the Forty-fourth Commencement Class on June 11, 1963. The 1962-63 Roundup states the following about Kenneth Cruise: ". . . mech.draw.major . . . was on track team . . . ROTC drill team . . . San Jose State or Army." While stationed in Germany, Kenneth studied mechanical drawing through correspondence courses.
Kenneth married Hose Mae Stubblefield, and one child was born to this marriage: Kenneth Anthony, born in May, 1968, in San Francisco. Hose also born in San Francisco, graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in the Spring Class of 1965.
Kenneth enlisted in the U. S. Army and upon completion of basic training, he completed advanced training in the Artillery Branch at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. After completing his basic training, he was awarded an artilleryman's Military Occupational Specialty Code. He was ordered to Vietnam and assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 319th Artillery, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile) on November 28, 1968, as a staff sergeant.
At the time of his death on May 13, 1969, he was assigned to Battery C, 2nd Battalion of the 319th, as an artilleryman and has made the list and wore the stripes of promotion to sergeant first class. In addition, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. As a result of multiple fragmentation wounds received in hostile acton in Thua Thien Province, he was awarded the Purple Heart Medal. He died from these wounds. at age 23. His remains were returned to the United States and interred on May 27, 1969, at the Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, San Mateo County, California, in Section 2E, Grave #5412.
He is listed on the Record of the Secretary of Defense, Vietnam Combat Area Casualty List, 1957-1986, of Military Personnel from California as being killed in action in South Vietnam.
Kenneth T. Cruise's name is engraved on Panel 25W, Row 97, of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D. C.
