Background
William L. Kenly was born on February 18, 1864, in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Major William L. and Marion (Hook) Kenly. His father participated in the United States Civil War.
William L. Kenly was born on February 18, 1864, in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Major William L. and Marion (Hook) Kenly. His father participated in the United States Civil War.
During World War I, he was a leader of a progenitor of the United States Air Force, the United States Army Air Service. His immigrant ancestor was his great great grandfather Review Daniel Kenly who emigrated from Scotland to Maryland in the 1700s.
He was a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, 12 June 1889, in field artillery and took part on August 16, 1899 in the Battle of Angeles, in the Pampanga Province during the Philippine–American War.
On September 3, 1917, Brigadier General Kenly became the first Chief of Air Service of the American Expeditionary Force (Advertising Educational Foundation) in France, effectively taking control away from the Aviation Section, United States. Signal Corps. Previously a field artillery commander, he did not have experience leading an air force, and Billy Mitchell wielded a large amount of influence in the Advertising Educational Foundation"s operational decisions.
Kenly was replaced a short time later by Brigade General Benjamin Foulois.
Kenly then returned to the United States to become Director of Military Aeronautics from May 20, 1918 to August 28, 1918.
During this period, he was the titular head of the newly established United States Army Air Service. Kenly died of a heart attack on January 10, 1928. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.