Word Celebrity Blog

Kenneth Lee Worley



Who was Kenneth Worley? His life remained shrouded in mystery.

What we do know is mostly due to the work of Prof. Terence W. Barrett, Betty Lou Gaeng, Bruce Salisbury, Darilee Bednar and others on the internet.  Some of it is true and some is mere speculation

Kenneth Worley's military record stated he graduated the eighth grade from Farmington Elementary School and moved for a short time to Truth or Consequences after being orphaned.

"It is not known what happened to Kenneth's  parents. At the age of 16, he moved to Modesto, California, where he worked as a trucker, hauling Christmas trees out of the mountains", according to a study on Kenneth Worley's life that was compiledd by  Terence W. Barrett, a doctor of psychology at North Dakota State University.

"I was doing a study of bravery when I came across Ken," said Prof. Terrance Barrett  who works with people suffering from post traumatic stress disorder and anxiety disorder. "The idea (of the study) was to have examples of actions that people take that are brave." Kenneth Lee Worley was buried at Westminster Memorial Park, Westminster, California.

Finding little to no history on Worley, became intrigued by the young man. "There was so little public information, and I wanted more than their citations. I wanted personal background," Prof.  Barrett said.


Betty Lou Gaeng wrote: -

"Like so many of our young servicemen and women returning from the horrors of the Vietnam War, Kenneth Lee Worley, Lance Corporal United States Marines, was considered unimportant by many.  A spokesperson at one cemetery said there was no room for him.  He rests in another: at Westminster Memorial Park, Westminster, Orange County, California, where a caring family, strangers with connections to the cemetery, donated a plot for him. He was buried there on Saturday, August 24, 1968."

"A government-issue gravestone identifies Kenneth Worley’s burial place.  However, this gravestone carries a rarely seen message.  It shows that he had been awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest military award this country bestows. Twenty-year old Kenneth Lee Worley was a very special young Marine.  He was also an enigma — one whose birth family remains a mystery, and whose deprivations as a youth will never be fully known."


*****

The most reliable source for information on Kenneth Worley’s personal background is the United States Marine Corps, History Division, Who’s Who in Marine Corps History.  This record shows that:

Kenneth Lee Worley was born April 27, 1948, in Farmington, New Mexico, and completed Farmington Elementary School in 1962. He attended Hot Spring High School in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, for two years.





















Farmington, New Mexico today.


"These are only the basic facts — the remainder of his personal life until he entered Marine Corps service has become mired with speculation and hearsay.  One story suggests that possibly he was born to a disadvantaged family.  If so, his father may have been a farm laborer. At times Kenneth Worley has been referred to as an orphan and at other times it has been said that his mother died when he was young, his father remarried, and there was no longer room for him.

During the days of Ken’s birth and young years, Farmington, first known as Farmingtown, was not a prosperous town; rather, as the name implied, it was an area of farms and apple orchards.  In earlier days there was a shortage of homes for the workers. The oil and natural gas producing wells, now prominent in the area, and the companies such as El Paso Gas and Halliburton would come later.

One story has it that Kenneth left home at 14, and moved to Truth or Consquences, New Mexico where, as shown in the Marine Corps records, he completed two years of high school. At the age of 16 he was living in Modesto, California.  There his home was a small rundown camping trailer without electricity, running water or heat.  At 17, he was driving a truck hauling Christmas trees from the mountains.  He hurt his foot and, while it was in a cast, he met Quonieta Archer, the Feyerherm’s eldest daughter. After dating for about a month, he was befriended by his girl friend’s family and then went to live in their home.  A member of the family said that Mr. Feyerherm took Kenneth under his wing and found a job for him working at a gas station." - Betty Lou Gaeng.  

Kenneth Worley enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in Fresno, California, on June 14, 1967. He received recruit training with the 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California.

Upon completion of his recruit training in August 1967, Kenneth Worley was transferred to the Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, California, and underwent individual combat training with Company R, 2d Battalion, 2nd Infantry Training Regiment, and basic infantry training with the 2d Infantry Training Regiment, completing the trainibg in October.
















Camp Pendleton, California.


Kenneth Worley was promoted to private first class, 1 November 1967 and, later that month, was ordered to the Republic of Vietnam. He was assigned to the 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, where he served consecutively as a rifleman with Company I, with Headquarters and Service Company, and with Company L.

He was promoted to lance corporal, May  1, 1968. While serving as a machine gunner with Company L.

On August 12, 1968, after establishing a night ambush position in a house in the Bo Ban, Hamlet of Quang Nam Province, security was set up and the remainder of the patrol members retired until their respective watch.

During the early morning hours, the marines were abruptly awakened by the platoon leader's warning that "grenades" had landed in the house. Lance Corporal Worley instantly threw himself upon the grenade nearest him and his comrades. He absorbed the blast with his body, The full and tremendous force of the explosion missedd his fellow marines.

Five of his fellow marines incurred minor wounds.
 
 Kenneth Lee Worley, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism in Vietnam.


Medals and Decorations include:
The Medal of Honor,
The Purple Heart,
The National Defense Service Medal,
The Vietnam Service Medal with four bronze stars,
The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.



Medal of Honor Citation

Rank and organization:
Lance Corporal,

U.S. Marine Corps, 3d Battalion,
7th Marines,
1st Marine Division (Rein), FMF.

Place and date:
Bo Ban, Quang Nam Province,
Republic of Vietnam,
August 12, 1968.

Entered service at:
Fresno, Calif.

Born: April 27, 1948,
Farmington, N. Mex.















Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a machine gunner with Company L, 3d Battalion, in action against enemy forces. After establishing a night ambush position in a house in the Bo Ban, Hamlet of Quang Nam Province, security was set up and the remainder of the patrol members retired until their respective watch. During the early morning hours the marines were abruptly awakened by the platoon leader's warning that "grenades" had landed in the house.

Fully realizing the inevitable result of his actions, L/Cpl. Worley, in a valiant act of heroism, instantly threw himself upon the grenade nearest him and his comrades, absorbing with his body, the full and tremendous force of the explosion.

Through his extraordinary initiative and inspiring valor in the face of almost certain death, he saved his comrades from serious injury and possible loss of life although 5 of his fellow marines incurred minor wounds as the other grenades exploded.

L/Cpl. Worley's gallant actions upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.


Posthumous Honors
Kenneth Worley's name is inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial ("The Wall"), on Panel 48 West, Line 01.

The "LCpl Kenneth L. Worley" Young Marine unit based in Bellflower, California, is named in honor of LCPL Worley.





















Kenneth Lee Worley was buried at Westminster Memorial Park, Westminster, California.
















Lance Corporal Worley was survived by his foster parents, Mr. and Mrs. Donald H. Feyerherm (now deceased) of Edmonds, Washington, six foster sisters, and two foster brothers.

*****

Kenneth Lee Worley has become a center of interest for many of us, not so much for what we know about him, but, but for what we don't know.  Not every story that is told about him will be accurate or true.

WHAT IS TRUE is the fact that he freely sacrificed his life for his comrades in arms, for his country, and for you and for me. He and many others like him have paid and continue to pay for the freedom that most Americans take for granted.

*****

Here are 2 posts that have been made by Donel L Swisher to a site on the internet.


Post 1 -

My name is Donel L Swisher (Feyerherm). Kenny came to live with my family in Modesto, California at the age of 17. He lived with us until he joined the Marines. He was my brother in every sense of the word and we loved him very much.

My heart is filled with joy to see so many people taking an interest in his life. I was only 13 when he came to live with us and I can tell you that when the Marine Corps cam to us and told us he was going to receive the Medal of Honor, it was no surprise to us, He was our hero from the moment he came into our lives.

I went to a color guard service last year Kenneth's graveside in Westminster, California. It was an honor for me to be there to see the kind of respect "The LCpl Kenneth L. Worley Young Marines" and 1stSgt Closson gave to someone they never met.

Thank you all for your renewed interest in my brother, Kenneth L Worley, LCpl United States Marines.

People Give your mayor a break. He needs to make sure the information that the Marines have on Ken, is good information. Even I don't remember a lot . I know he lived in Truth-or-Consequences New Mexico for some part of his childhood, and Farmington for some part, I don't know what happened to his birth family but I know he ended up in Modesto California and he did have a family that loved him when he went off to Nam, and that still love him to this day.


Post 2 -

I would like to say thank you to all that have taken up this cause. I would also like to thank from the bottom of my heart, Terry Barrett. He has stayed in contact with me letting me know all the places I can see how much Kenneth is being honored today.

I know that he has been considered my foster brother by most people but he is and always has been my brother in every way possible, as if he was born into my family on the day he came to live with us and I will never let go of that. Give your Mayor some time, it has taken 40 years for Kenny to find his way home to Farmington. It may take a little time to put together something fitting a Farmington son. But I hope if your mayor does put a memorial into action, I have the means to come and be there.

Kenny would be blown away by all of this and he would be proud of a community taking such a stand on the behalf of a hero be it any man or woman that gave of them self for what they believed in.