George Kernaghan
George Kernaghan of Missouri has been fighting the VA for service-connection for years, and last year he asked me to help him, and to tell his story. The VA has denied him on a claim for an injury he received when a sniper bullet struck him in the back while he was driving a 20-ton semi in a convoy near the Kuwait border the day after Christmas in 1990. If anyone witness the attack on this convoy or was in this area at this time, please contact me or Mr. Kernaghan.
It was shortly before midnight at Camp 13 in Al Jubail. EO-3 Seabee Kernaghan subbed in to haul supplies to Camp 53 at Al Khanjar, otherwise known as Camp Lonesome Dove. The convoy headed north from the base on a hard-pack coastal road and stopped at Res Al Meshalb for an inspection and to switch fuel tanks. The convoy then headed west along a main supply route, paved with gray coral, heading into the open desert, and then from the area of Al Meshalb, headed north, toward Lonesome Dove.
Mr. Kernaghan noticed after they turned north that several other trucks had fallen in behind them, growing their convoy to a length of 30 or more vehicles. Each truck was spaced about three vehicles apart -- standard convoy spacing. The line of trucks stretched far back down the road behind Kernaghan. The convoy passed on, Kernaghan’s truck following the gray dust cloud thrown up in his headlights by the truck in front of him. They passed the abandoned village of Mishalb. They passed a road signed marking the route to Kibrit.
At the point the convoy swerved north, making for Camp Lonesome Dove. After a short while they came upon a deep wadi, or valley, in the desert. Kernaghan lost sight of the truck in front of him for a moment before he emerged from the wadi. When he crested he saw that the two escort vehicles ahead of his truck had stopped. He also heard the sounds of an AK-47 in close proximity. Kernaghan stopped his truck. U.S. Marines ran past his truck on the right side shouting at him to take cover, that they were taking fire. Kernaghan heard a round strike his truck. Then another round came through the sand bags used to “harden” the trucks and struck Kernaghan in his flak jacket covering his lower back. The force of the bullet threw Kernaghan from the truck harder than he planned -- he landed on the desert floor head first and dislocated his shoulder.
Again, if anyone has any information to share, contact me. I may post it here so that other people can read it. It may also help George win his claim against the VA. The VA Regional Office has told him to prove this attack occurred. Your information can help us do that. You can always contact me at 877.VET.WINS or email me at dan@veteranappeals.com.