The Medal of Honor: Billie Kanell

In case you didn’t know, there is a museum here in Poplar Bluff. It has tales of us, our family and our history. I want to tell you some of the tales found within the museum walls.
Billie Kanell was the oldest brother of a large family.
When he graduated from Poplar Bluff High School in 1950, Billie joined the Army. Pvt. Kanell was sent straight to Korea.
Billie was assigned to the 25th Infantry Division. They were presently holding a position in an area known as the “Punchbowl.”
According to an eyewitness account by Steve Mullens, the same day Billie reported to his new unit, he was handed several boxes of ammo and told to take it to the top of the hill.
Billie took his place in a machine gun position. On his first night, hundreds of Chinese soldiers attacked. They were outnumbered and quickly overrun. The fighting was hand to hand.
When a grenade landed in their foxhole, Billie jumped on it, saving the lives of the two other soldiers he just met.
Billie survived the blast and the battle continued, according to Mullens’ account. When a second grenade landed in the foxhole, Billie scooped it up, sheltering the other soldiers from a second blast.
Billie did not survive this time.
When morning came, they still held the hill.
Steve Mullens, the eyewitness, was one of the two soldiers in the foxhole with Billie. He didn’t even know the new guy’s name, nor that Kanell received the Medal of Honor.
Pvt. Billie Kanell was posthumously awarded America’s highest award, the Medal of Honor, for his actions on Sept. 17, 1951. He came home and was laid to rest in Fairdealing.
The Army further honored Billie by naming buildings, streets and rifle ranges after him.
Numerous museums tell his story throughout the country.
Poplar Bluff dedicated Kanell Boulevard to him, and the Poplar Bluff High School JROTC Battalion has his name.
What Billie did on his first day was extraordinary. Think of what he would have done on Day 2.
Billie Kanell’s Medal of Honor is the centerpiece of the Kanell Hall Veterans Museum. It is on display, as well as numerous photos of his service. Kanell Hall is located in the Poplar Bluff Museum.
The museum is open every Sunday free of charge from 1-4 p.m. at 1010 Main St., Poplar Bluff (Formerly the Old Mark Twain School). Tell them Mike sent you!
Mike Shane is a veteran, Poplar Bluff resident and board member for the Poplar Bluff Museum.