Ken Fleenor was born on October 29, 1929, in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He was commissioned through the Air Force ROTC Program at Western Kentucky University on January 14, 1952, and went on active duty to attend pilot training on April 6, 1952. Lt Fleenor was awarded his pilot wings at Bryan AFB, Texas, in May 1953, and then attended F-86 Sabre upgrade training and All-Weather Interceptor training at Moody AFB, Georgia, and Tyndall AFB, Florida, from May to September 1953. His first assignment was as an F-86 pilot with the 469th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at McGhee-Tyson Airport, Tennessee, from September 1953 to May 1954, and then as an F-86 pilot with the 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Johnson AB, Yokota AB, and then Komaki AB, Japan, from June 1954 to April 1957. Capt Fleenor served as an instructor pilot, Assistant Flight Commander, and then Flight Commander with the 3640th Pilot Training Squadron at Laredo AFB, Texas, from April 1957 to August 1958, followed by service as Officer in Charge of the Standardization Board with the 3640th Pilot Training Group at Laredo AFB from August 1958 to April 1962. He served as a flight instructor during an exchange program with the U.S. Navy from April 1962 to October 1963, where he served with VT-7 at NAS Meridian, Mississippi. His next assignment was with the 4453rd Combat Crew Training Squadron at MacDill AFB, Florida, from October to December 1963, and then with the 4453rd Combat Crew Training Group at MacDill AFB from January to March 1964. Maj Fleenor served as an instructor pilot, Flight Commander, Assistant Operations Officer, and then as Operations Officer for the 4454th Combat Crew Training Squadron at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, from August 1964 to January 1966, followed by service as Operations Officer for the 4456th Combat Crew Training Squadron at Davis-Monthan AFB from January 1966 to February 1967. His next assignment was as an F-4 Phantom II pilot with the 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Ubon Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, from February 1967 until he was forced to eject from his stricken F-4 over North Vietnam and was taken as a Prisoner of War on December 17, 1967. After spending 1,914 days in captivity, he was released during Operation Homecoming on March 14, 1973. After hospitalization, Gen Fleenor became Assistant Deputy Commander for Operations of the 12th Flying Training Wing at Randolph AFB, Texas, in August 1973. In August 1974, he became Commander of the 12th Air Base Group, also at Randolph, and then served as Commander of the 12th Flying Training Wing from July 1975 to April 1978. He served as Assistant Deputy Chief of Operations for Headquarters Air Training Command in April 1978, and then again took over command of the 12th Fighter Training Wing at Randolph AFB in July 1978. Gen Fleenor retired from the Air Force on August 1, 1980, after accumulating over 5,400 flying hours during his Air Force career. After retiring from the Air Force, Ken served on the Selma, Texas, City Council from 1984 to 1987, and as Mayor of Selma from 1987 to 1994. Ken Fleenor Flew West on December 10, 2010, and was buried at the Holy Cross Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas. His widow, Anne Elizabeth Read Fleenor (1931-2012) is buried with him.

His Silver Star Citation reads:

For gallantry and intrepidity in action in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force during the period June 1969 to September 1969, while a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam. Ignoring international agreements on treatment of prisoners of war, the enemy resorted to mental and physical cruelties to obtain information, confessions, and propaganda materials. Colonel Fleenor resisted their demands by calling upon his deepest inner strengths in a manner which reflected his devotion to duty and great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.