KERNAN, JOSEPH EUGENE

Name: Joseph Eugene Kernan
Branch/Rank: UNITED STATES NAVY/O2
Unit: RECON ATTACK SQUADRON 7
Date of Birth:
Home City of Record: WASHINGTON DC
Date of Loss: 07 May 72
Country of Loss: NORTH VIETNAM
Loss Coordinates: 195900 North 1055100 East
Status (in 1973): Returnee
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: RA5C
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident: CLARENCE POLFER, returnee
Refno:

Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK from one or more of the following: raw
data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA
families, published sources, interviews and CACCF = Combined Action
Combat Casualty File. Updated 2000 with information from Indiana's Lt.
Governor's Home page.

REMARKS: 730328 RELEASED BY DRV

Synopsis: Joe Kernan, the oldest of nine children, graduated from St.
Joseph's High School in South Bend. He was a catcher on the baseball team
at the University of Notre Dame, and graduated from there in 1968 with a
degree in Government. He was the commencement speaker and received an
honorary doctorate from his alma mater in 1998.

Kernan entered the United States Navy in 1969 and served as a naval flight
officer aboard the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk. In May of 1972, Kernan was shot down
by the enemy while on a reconnaissance mission over North Viet Nam. He was
held as a prisoner of war for 11 months. Kernan was repatriated in 1973 and
continued on active duty with the Navy until December of 1974. For his
service, Kernan received numerous awards, including the Navy Commendation
Medal, two Purple Hearts and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

After completing his Naval service, Kernan worked for Procter and Gamble in
Cincinnati in 1975. He then returned to South Bend, where he worked for
both the Schwarz Paper Company and the MacWilliams Corporation. He was
South Bend's city controller from 1980 to 1984.

Joe Kernan was elected mayor of South Bend in 1987. He served as the city's
mayor for nine years, longer than any other mayor in the city's history.

In 1996, Lt. Governor Joe Kernan and Governor Frank O'Bannon were elected to
the top two positions in Indiana government. As lieutenant governor of
Indiana, Kernan serves as the president of the Indiana Senate, the director
of the Indiana Department of Commerce and as the commissioner of
Agriculture.

Joe and his wife, Maggie, were married in 1974. They have a home in South
Bend, where Maggie works for 1st Source Bank. She is a Purdue University
graduate, who is now a senior vice-president and the director of marketing
at the bank. Maggie is also active in community service, and has been
mentoring a child for five years through a South Bend Community Schools
program.

---

Use your Browser's BACK function to return to the PREVIOUS page

---