Kent Bennetts passed from this life at his home in Olathe on 19 Jun 14. He was born 14 Sep 31 in Flint, Michigan, the son of Weldon J. and Mabel E. (Weaver) Bennetts. He graduated from Fenton High School, Fenton, Michigan in 1949 and attended Graceland College in Lamoni, Iowa, prior to enlisting in the United States Army in 1951. Kent served in the Korean War with the 68th Engineering Company and afterward was accepted for Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry and later entered the Medical Service Corps. After completing his initial military service, he attended the University of Missouri at Kansas City School of Pharmacy.
Kent re-entered the U.S. Army in 1957 and became a helicopter pilot. He served in Vietnam as a member of the “DUSTOFF” medical evacuation team during the 1965-66 buildup of American forces.
Kent retired from active military service at the rank of Major after a 23-year career. He was a senior aviator and was awarded the Air Medal with 8 oak leaf clusters, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, the Combat Medical Badge as well as numerous other decorations during his career.
Kent was a member of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots’ Association, the Solo Pilot Association. and the DUSTOFF Association.