The Story Behind the Stone: Gabriel B. Kinney
From the quiet beginnings in Stouts Mountain, Alabama, as one of 12 children, Gabriel Kinney’s life was destined for extraordinary chapters. Born on February 2, 1921, his journey began with a brief stint at U.S. Steel before the call of duty led him to enlist in the U.S. Army in November 1942. His initial service in the South Pacific was but a prelude to the legendary path he would soon volunteer for—a path that would forge him into one of Merrill’s Marauders.
As a Browning Automatic Rifleman in the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), Corporal Kinney was thrust into the brutal crucible of the 1944 Burma campaign. The mission was audacious: a 1,000-mile trek behind enemy lines to seize the vital Myitkyina airfield. Amidst the unforgiving jungle, Kinney’s courage shone brightly. He led his men in a fierce engagement, eliminating five enemy soldiers without a single loss to their own. The true test of his unit’s mettle came when they withstood an astonishing 16 separate Japanese assaults in a single day, leaving Kinney with just two grenades and a handful of ammunition against overwhelming odds.
During the pivotal Battle of Nhpum Ga, his platoon’s defense of a strategic ridge was anchored by his relentless fire as one of only two BAR gunners in the vicinity. Even as shrapnel tore into him twice and a bullet struck his helmet, his primary concern was not for himself, but for his team’s dwindling ammunition supply.
After the war, this warrior returned to a life of peace, resuming his career as an electrical engineer at U.S. Steel until his retirement in 1982 and raising a family of six with his wife, Elena. Yet his incredible bravery was not forgotten. In 2020, he and his fellow Marauders received the Presidential Unit Citation and the Congressional Gold Medal. Two years later, he was rightfully inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame.
On December 11, 2022, at the age of 101, the world said farewell to Gabriel Kinney, one of the last remaining connections to the fabled Merrill’s Marauders. A testament to a humble man of immense courage, his legacy is not only preserved through medals and halls of fame but is also honored by the “Gabriel Kinney Ranger Base” in Pensacola, FL, the designated name for the U.S. Army Ranger Association’s Gulf Coast chapter.
