Don Kernodle

Charles Donald "Don" Kernodle Jr. (born May 2, 1950) was an American professional wrestler with the National Wrestling Alliance's Jim Crockett Promotions.

Professional wrestling career

After graduating from Elon College, Kernodle started wrestling in 1973 in the National Wrestling Alliance's Jim Crockett Promotions. He got his start by accepting a "shoot" wrestling challenge from Bob Roop. Although Roop defeated Kernodle by submission, Kernodle's skills impressed Ole Anderson and Gene Anderson who both offered to train Kernodle for free.

At first, he (now known as Pvt. Kernodle) was part of Sgt. Slaughter's "Cobra Corps" and teamed with Slaughter and Pvt. Jim Nelson. In 1982, the team of Kernodle and Nelson won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship from Porkchop Cash and Jay Youngblood. They later lost the title to Cash and King Parsons, from whom they also regained the title. After Nelson was removed from the alliance, Kernodle became the tag partner of Sgt. Slaughter, with whom he held the NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) in late 1982 and early 1983. They lost the titles in a legendary steel cage match vs. Rick Steamboat and Jay Youngblood on March 12, 1983.