Colonel Harold C. Kinne, Jr. was born 28 December 1924 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island and enlisted in the Army in 1943; after attending Officer Candidate School with the Tank Destroyer Branch, he transferred first to the Infantry and then to the Chemical Crops in 1949.

Colonel Kinne served on the Manhattan Project as a Nuclear Effects Engineer. During the Vietnam War he served as the U.S. Chemical Corps Research and Development Command Chief, Chemical Operations Division, Military Assistance Command Vietnam - Headquarters, including specific staff supervision over chemical operations throughout Southeast Asia. He also served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

Colonel Kinne held a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Brown University, Master of Science in Physics from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, a Master of Business Administration from George Washington University and Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Texas, Dallas.

His awards include the Bronze Star, Aircraft Crewman Badge, Combat Infantry Badge, Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, World War II Victory Medal, United Nations Service Medal (Korea) and Vietnam Service Medal.

Colonel (Retired) Kinne passed away in March of 2016.