Francis Joseph Kernan

Francis Kernan was born Jacksonville, Florida on 19 October 1859 as son of John A. and Elizabeth C. Kernan. He joined the United States Military Academy in 1877 and graduated in 1881.[1]

Maj. Gen. Kernan (left), Maj. Gen. James McAndrew, General John J. Pershing, Maj. Gen. James Harbord and Brig. Gen. Johnson Hagood in Tours in July 1918

After his graduation he was stationed at Fort Canby, Fort Klamath and Fort Sidney, before going back to West Point in 1888 to work as an instructor in Law and History until 1891.[1]

Kernan became Judge Advocate in the departments for Dakota and later Texas until 1896.[1]

During the Spanish–American War, Francis Kernan became a member of General Arthur MacArthurs staff on his tour to the Philippine Islands in 1898, where he earned a Silver Star citation for gallantry. After the Philippines he took over duties in the Judge Advocate Generals office and later on Cuba.[1]

Kernan went back to the Philippine Islands to serve under MacArthur from 1900 to 1903. Now a major, he was appointed member of the General Staff Corps in Washington D.C. in 1906. Following his staff duties, he served for a short time on the Philippines again at Fort William McKinley commanding a regiment.[1]

In 1917, Kernan became brigadier general[1] and when the United States planned to join World War I, Kernan, to his own statement, was asked to formulate the official instructions for the Supreme Commander of the American Expeditionary Forces, John J. Pershing.

Now a major general of the National Army, he arrived in France in September 1917 where he took over command of the Service of Supply section, after Richard M. Blatchford had failed to organize a functioning line of communication and was replaced on Pershings order.[2] Kernan kept the position until July 1918, but he also failed to organize an adequate delivery of supplies and was replaced by James Harbord.[3]

Kernan was sent on a diplomatic mission, to negotiate with German envoys in Switzerland to reach an agreement concerning treatment and exchange of prisoners of war. After the Armistice of 11 November 1918 he became an advisor to the American Commission to Negotiate Peace in late 1918.[1]

Kernan became major general of the regular Army in October 1919 and was send to the Philippine Islands again until late 1922, when he briefly commanded the Seventh Corps Area before requesting to be retired.[1]

Francis Kernan was married, the couple had four children. He died in Daytona Beach, Florida on 3 February 1945. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.[4]