LANCE CORPORAL
KENNETH L. WORLEY, USMC (DECEASED) 

 

Medal of Honor Citation

Kenneth L. Worley, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism in Vietnam in August 1968, was born 27 April 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.

 

Enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps in Fresno, California, 14 June 1967, he received recruit training with the 3d Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California.  Upon completion of recruit training in August 1967, he was transferred to the Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, California, and underwent individual combat training with Company R, 2d Battalion, 2d Infantry Training Regiment, and basic infantry training with the 2d Infantry Training Regiment, completing the latter in October.
 
He was promoted to private first class, 1 November 1967 and, later that month, was ordered to the Republic of Vietnam. Assigned to the 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, he served consecutively as a rifleman with Company I, with Headquarters and Service Company, and with Company L. He was promoted to lance corporal, 1 May 1968. While serving as a machine gunner with Company L on 12 August 1968, he was killed in action.

A complete list of his medals and decorations include: the Medal of Honor, the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with four bronze stars, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Vietnam War 1965-1973 Medal of Honor