Kenneth Oscar Campion the oldest son of farmer Oscar Campion and Albena K. Gagnon. His father worked hard providing for the family, especially in light of having a crippled shoulder and left leg. He raised his children in Minnesota where Kenneth was educated and graduated high school. The 1940 U.S. Census shows Campion as still living with his parents in Marshall City, Lyon County, Wisconsin. The following family members are recorded as living in the family home:

Head Oscar Campion M 46 Iowa
Wife Albena Campion F 46 Kansas
Son Kenneth Campion M 22 Minnesota
Son Charles Campion M 20 Minnesota
Dau Lucille Campion F 19 Minnesota
Dau Althea Campion F 16 Minnesota
Dau Mary Louise Campion F 8 Minnesota

Kenneth was employed before the war as a janitor's assistant and attended college briefly. In 1941 he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and after completing his boot camp training he applied for flight school. He was accepted and after completing aptitude tests, elimination training and months of flight school, Kenneth was awarded a second lieutenant's commission and his gold pilot's wings as a Marine Corps aviator. He was sent to San Diego, Californa, then to Ewa Naval Air Station, Hawaii, where he received ordered to the island of Midway.

Kenneth arrived at Midway on May 26, 1942, and was assigned to a Vought SB2U Vindicator with bureau number 2067. He and his gunner, Private Anthony Maday, had only a few days to get acquainted and learn to work the Vindicator, a plane most of the pilot's in his squadron had never flown. Private Maday, had limited machine-gun experience, consisting mainly of ground-mounted firing. He had no experience shooting the weapons on the Vindicators, especially in the air. Some of the squadron's gunners were not air school qualified and had been recruited from the squadron's maintenance section. Private Maday had arrived on Midway on May 24, 1942, and was probably his first posting after graduating boot camp. It is clear though that he had not had any flight gunnery training and possibly had never flown in a plane. Kenneth and Private Maday had only a few days to learn how to fly their Vindicator because on the morning of June 4, 1942, they took off from Midway and, as Japanese planes turned the base to rubble behind them, flew off to try and find the carrier strike force that was approaching their territory.

After nearly ninety minutes in the air, the Americans spotted the carriers – and were in turn spotted by patrolling planes from the carrier HIRYU. The slow dive-bombers, unable to dive properly due to the pilots inexperience, and became easy targets for the Japanese pilots.

Kenneth flew his Vindicator into an attack on a Japanese battleship on the morning of June 4, 1942. They survived the dive and managed to drop their bomb, missing their target.

Kenneth formed up on Second Lieutenant George Lumpkin for the return flight to Midway. A Japanese float plane was seen approaching their area and both pilots turned towards the enemy and fired a burst at the aircraft. Kenneth decided to give chase as the float plane raced back towards the covering fire of the fleet. Enemy Zero fighters spotted the two Vindicators and dove down on them and Lt. Lumpkin escaped the enemy fighters by flying into a cloud and lost sight of the Kenneth's plane. Lt. Lumpkin and his gunner were the last American's to see Kenneth and Private Anthony Maday alive.

Kenneth was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions on the day of his death. His citation reads as follows:

"The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Second Lieutenant Kenneth O. Campion (MCSN: 0-9312), United States Marine Corps (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession while serving as a Pilot in Marine Scout-Bombing Squadron TWO HUNDRED FORTY-ONE (VMSB-241), Marine Air Group TWENTY-TWO (MAG-22), Naval Air Station, Midway, during operations of the U.S. Naval and Marine Forces against the invading Japanese Fleet during the Battle of Midway on 4 June 1942. During the initial attack upon an enemy aircraft carrier, Second Lieutenant Campion, in the face of withering fire from Japanese fighter guns and anti-aircraft batteries, dived his plane to a perilously low altitude before releasing his bomb. Since he failed to return to his base and is missing in action, there can be no doubt, under conditions attendant to the Battle of Midway, that he gave up his life in the defense of his country. His cool courage and conscientious devotion to duty is in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

The location of Kenneth's crash site is unknown except for God. It is felt that Kenneth and his gunner are still manning their aircraft, at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

At the time of his death, Kenneth's wife was living in Fountain City, Wisconsin.

Second Lieutenant Kenneth Oscar Campion, Sn# O-009312, earned the following badges/decorations for his service in the United States Marine Corps during World War II:
- Gold Navy Pilots Wings
- Navy Cross Medal
- Purple Heart Medal
- Combat Action Ribbon
- Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon
- American Defense Service Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations Campaign Medal with one bronze battle/campaign star
- World War II Victory Medal