Private First Class Kendall was a member of the 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in South Korea on 2 August 1950 and died of those wounds on 4 August 1950.

Kendall was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.