“Finally coming home”

As she readied for Thanksgiving festivities on November 27, rural Hampton resident Martha Elaine Wallace received the first of two phone calls that would eventually bring closure to her and her family.

Nearly 78 years ago to the day, her uncle, Leo Keninger, of Ackley, was presumed one of 2,335 people killed in the Japanese military’s strike on Pearl Harbor. At the time of the attack, Fireman First Class Keninger was stationed with the United States Navy on the USS Oklahoma, which was struck with three torpedoes shortly after the attack began. Leo perished in the attack, but his remains went unidentified for decades afterwards. He was buried as an unknown soldier.

Read the full article in the January 21 edition of the Eldora Herald-Ledger.