Henry M. Kenaga

Kansas Department of Corrections — Topeka, KS

Veteran → Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch June 20, 1954

Age 58

Tour of Duty 25 yrs

The Vigil Panel 90 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 11

Incident

Officer Henry Kenaga was shot and killed while attempting to prevent a prison escape. Several inmates had stormed the visitor's room with guns and knives and taken six hostages. As they attempted to cross the prison yard, they were confronted by Officer Kenaga. As Officer Kenaga attempted to stop them, he was shot. The suspects were stopped by other officers and were returned to their cells. Six inmates, 22, 24, 24, 24, 27, and 34, were charged with first-degree murder. The oldest was identified as Officer Kenaga's killer. The guns the inmates used were .22 caliber pistols that they made themselves. A girlfriend of one of the inmates smuggled him the bullets. Five inmates were convicted of first-degree murder and got a life term added to their sentences. On May 30, 1968, one of those inmates, the youngest, was burned to death when two inmates set him on fire after dousing him with a flammable liquid. Officer Kenaga was a United States World War I Army veteran and served with the Kansas Department of Corrections for 25 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-KS-15EF8E67
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Correctional Officer Kenaga gave the Kansas Department of Corrections 25 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Kansas, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Kansas Department of Corrections

Type Corrections

Location Topeka, KS

Platform Identity kanscorr.shawnee.ks.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 20, 1954

Tour of Duty 25 yrs

Age 58

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Henry M. Kenaga served in the the United States military (1918â1919) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Correctional Officer Henry M. Kenaga is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In KS, 237 of 335 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.7% of this state's fallen. That is 70.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Kansas Department of Corrections, 8 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Kansas Department of Corrections

of 12 officers

66.7% Felonious

KS — Statewide

237

of 335 officers

70.7% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious