US AIRBORNE

1st Lieutenant John Kenneth "Kenny" Ballard graduated from Stamford (CT) High School in 1933. He was even the president of his class in his sophomore year.

He played football and was a quarterback in his youth.

He also played soccer, baseball, basketball, and hockey for his town's teams and later became one of the key players on the hockey team at Fordham University.

John Ballard was drafted in December 1941. He was made a 2nd Lieutenant in the 4th Armored Division before graduating from the Officer Candidate School at Fort Knox, Kentucky, in October 1942.

Becoming a 1st Lieutenant, he volunteered for airborne troops. He was assigned to Company I of the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment.

During the Normandy campaign, 1st Lt. Ballard was injured in the face and jaw on June 15, 1944. After treatment, he returned to combat.

He was severely wounded a second time in the abdomen in July and was evacuated to England.

He was later transferred to Rhodes General Hospital in Utica, where he received treatment for 16 months.

He received leave in November 1945 and was discharged from his military obligations on February 1, 1946.

Unfortunately, 9 days later, he was killed in a car accident.

John Ballard is buried in St. John Cemetery in Darien, CT.