Steward Third Class Alex Milton Kendrick from Chattanooga, Tennessee, was the son of George and Odessa Kendrick of 3811 Long Street, Chattanooga. He was born in Georgia in 1922.
Alex was killed in action as a passenger aboard a R4D-5 Dakota assigned to the US Navy Bureau Number 39073 and to the United States Marine Corp, Marine Air Wing 2, Marine Air Group 25 to VMJ-152, part of the South Pacific Combat Air Transport.
The air transport took off May 18, 1944, from Torokina Airfield on a flight bound for Guadalcanal at 1008 with 23 persons plus 1,300 pounds of mail aboard. The last radio contact with the aircraft was at the time of take-off. The state of the weather was threatening, with moderate rain showers reducing visibility from six miles to one mile. The plane was in good operating condition, having had a 1,000 hour check a week earlier. The pilot was experienced and familiar with the route. A search was carried out for two days by PT boats and a number of aircraft, but no one from the crash was ever found. The entire crews were officially declared dead on May 19, 1945 and are memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery.
Alex enlisted in the United States Navy on March 5, 1941, at Nashville, Tennessee. During his naval career he was assigned to the USS Hamul AK 30. The USS Hamul was acquired by the US Navy and commissioned as a cargo ship on 14 June 1941. Mess Attendant3rd Class Kendrick was one of the original crew members of the USS Hamul. Mess Attendant 2nd Class Kendrick was received at the US Naval Recruiting Station in New Orleans, Louisiana, on June 9, 1942, from RS New York, NY. He was received aboard the USS Alabama BB-60 on August 16, 1942 at the rank of Mess Attendant 1st Class. Alex was aboard the Belleau Wood CVL-24 from March 31, 1943 until November 1943 and after November 1943 Steward 3rd Class Kendrick was aboard the USS BoreasAF 8.
The Chattanooga TImes, June 23, 1944
Alex M. Kendrick, SM3C of the United States, has been listed missing following a plane flight May 18, relatives were informed by Vice-Adm. Randall Jacobs, chief of naval personnel. Kendrick is a former employe of Hotel Patten and a graduate of Howard High School. He entered the navy in March, 1941, and has been overseas since early in 1942. He is the son of George Kendrick, 3811 Long Street, and husband of Mrs. Della Kendrick of Norfolk, Va.
- Rank: Steward Third Class
- Date of death: 19 May 1945
- County: Hamilton
- Hometown: Chattanooga
- Service Branch: Navy
- Theater: Pacific
- Conflict: World War II
- Burial/Memorial Location: Manila American Cemetery, Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippines
- Location In Memorial: Pillar X, Middle Panel
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