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The following is a compilation of significant dates in our commonwealth’s military history. For more on the legacy of our Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen, visit the Kentucky National Guard eMuseum.
October 1, 1879 – Joseph Preyer Nuckols appointed Adjutant General of Kentucky by Gov. Luke P. Blackburn.
Adjutant General Joseph Preyer Nuckols
October 1, 1887 – Samuel Ewing Hill is appointed Adjutant General of Kentucky by Gov. Simon Bolivar Buckner.
October 1, 1950 – Capt. Richard Lee Ross, of Prospect (Jefferson County) died in an aircraft accident near West Point Kentucky during a training flight. He was a member of the 165th Fighter Squadron, Kentucky Air National Guard.
October 2, 1867 – Franklin Lane Wolford is appointed Adjutant General of Kentucky by Gov. John W. Stevenson.
October 2, 1869 – Pvt. Allie Cooper was killed while on state active duty in Springfield, Marion County while serving with Captain Levy’s Cavalry Company of the Woodford Rifles . The Guard had been called out by the governor in response to a request from a District Judge citing lawless bands in the area, sometimes referred to as “Regulators,” they had hung a man named Clem Crowdus. The Guard was sent to assist in capturing those responsible and to keep further similar incidents from occurring. Pvt. Allie Cooper’s killer, a citizen with the last name of Rollins was tried and convicted for Cooper’s murder. Newspaper accounts from the time say that Cooper and an unknown number of fellow soldiers were apparently off duty, were fired upon from the back room of a saloon by at least two assailants. Cooper and his fellow soldiers had been attending the county fair, was reportedly killed by a member of one of the “lawless bands” the Guard had been called in to quiet shortly after they entered the saloon and were speaking to the owner.
October 4, 1846 – Duel at Port Lavacca, Texas, between Capt. Thos. F. Marshall and Lieut. James S. Jackson, of Capt. Cassius M. Clay’s company, both of the Kentucky cavalry regiment; two shots exchanged, but both escape unhurt (Mexican-American War)
The Battle of the Thames (War of 1812)
October 5, 1813 – Kentucky Governor Shelby, with 4,000 Kentuckians reinforce Gen. Harrison, and take part in the brilliant victory of the river Thames, which closes the hostilities in the northwest theatre of operations (War of 1812)
October 6, 1954 – The Kentucky Medal for Valor presented to Jess D. Brown, Walter Carter, Howard A. Curtis and Charles W. Simmons by Governor Lawrence Wetherby. They were the first Kentucky Air National Guard recipients to be awarded the medal.
October 7, 1961 – The 413th Ordnance Company arrived at Fort Stewart for active duty in response to the Berlin Crisis. They returned to Kentucky National Guard status on August 12, 1962.
October 7, 2001 – Operation Enduring Freedom (Military Phase) began (Global War on Terrorism)
The Battle of Perryville (Civil War)
October 8, 1862 – Battle of Perryville, followed by Gen. Bragg’s withdrawal from Kentucky (Civil War)
October 8, 1971 – Operation Jefferson Glenn (Vietnam War)
October 9, 1950 – Invasion of North Korea (Korean War)
The Battle of Pleasant Point (1774 )
October 10, 1774 – Battle of Point Pleasant during Lord Dunmore’s War. Frontier militiamen from Va. were attacked by Ohio River Valley Indian tribes. After an all day battle the Indians left the field, heavy casualties on both sides. The treaty that followed this battle ceded the land southeast of Ohio River to Virginia opening up that territory for settlement.
October 10, 1942 – Sgt. Oscar Dean, Company D, 192nd Tank Battalion (Harrodsburg Tankers) died at Camp Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, Philippines of dysentery (World War II)
October 10, 1950 – Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Fighter Group, personnel and equipment placed on active duty at the direction of President Harry S. Truman. They are ordered to report to Standiford Municipal Airport to serve for a period of 21 consecutive months unless sooner relieved. The unit is part of the First Air Force, Continental Air Command. Elements called to active duty: 123rd Fighter Group, 165th Fighter Squadron, 223rd Air Service Group (Less Detachment C) and 165th Utility Flight (Korean War)
October 10, 1961 – The 3rd Medium Tank Battalion arrived at Fort Knox for active duty in response to the Berlin Crisis. They returned to Kentucky National Guard status on August 12, 1962.
Adjutant General Frank Wolford
October 11, 1867 – Gov. John W. Stevenson authorizes Adjutant General Frank Wolford to raise 3 volunteer companies in Boyle, Marion, and Casey counties, to sustain the laws and protect the people against the outrages and murders of the “regulators.”
October 11, 1991 – Tebbs Shewmaker Moore is appointed Adjutant General of Kentucky by Gov. Wallace G. Wilkinson.
October 12, 2000 – Bombing of USS Cole.
October 13, 1775 – U.S. Navy established.
October 14, 1861 – John William Finnell is appointed Adjutant General of Kentucky by Gov. Beriah Magoffin and re-appointed to the position by Gov. James F. Robinson.
October 14, 1858 – Presentation to the Masonic Grand Lodge of Kentucky, of the sword worn by Col. Joseph Hamilton Daviess when he fell at the Battle of Tippecanoe - enclosed in a box made of oak from the vary tree under whose shade he expired; presented by Judge Levi H. Todd, of Indiana, a native of Kentucky and a member of the family of Col. Daviess.
October 14, 1952 – Operation Showdown/Battle of Hill 598 (Sniper Ridge) began (Korean War)
Medical corpsmen of the 1st Battalion Aid Station, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th U.S. Infantry Division, assist in helping wounded infantrymen of Companies D and L, 31st Regiment, following the fight for Hill 598. (Korean War)
October 15, 1813 – Kentucky troops reach Frenchtown, on the river Raisin, on their return from the victory of the Thames. They collect 65 skeletons of their massacred countrymen, and inter them with proper honors (War of 1812)
October 19, 1781 – Surrender of Gen. Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia (American Revolutionary War)
October 20, 1969 – 2nd Battalion, 138th Field Artillery returned home and was released from active duty on October 20, 1969 after serving 11½ months in Vietnam (Vietnam War)
October 20, 1950 – Korean War’s first Airborne Operation (Korean War)
October 22, 1790 – Harmar’s Defeat. Col. Trotter leads Kentuckians during the campaign (Early Indian Wars)
October 23, 1944– Battle for Leyte Gulf (World War II)
Capt. John William Shewmaker
October 23, 1951 – Capt. John William Shewmaker of Harrodsburg was a pilot with the 165th Fighter Squadron for several years and went to Korea with the 111th Fighter-Bomber Squadron and was killed while flying an escort mission over North Korea on a bombing raid on this date. He was classified missing in action until the end of 1953. The Kentucky Air National Guard base was named Shewmaker Air National Guard Base in his honor on February 17, 1959 with a public ceremony in June 1960. The name was ordered changed in 1976 with the new designation of Standiford Field (ANG).
October 23, 1965 – Battle of the Ia Drang Valley began (Vietnam War)
October 23, 1983 – Beirut Terrorist Attack.
October 24 – United Nations Day
October 24, 1944 – Pvt. Vernon H. Bussell, Pfc. Robert V. Cloyd, Pfc. Ancel Edgar Crick, Pvt. First Class John Lewis Cummins, Pvt. James William Sallee, all serving with Headquarters Company 192nd Light Tank Battalion (Harrodsburg Tankers) died aboard the Japanese “Hell Ship” Arisan Maru, when it was sunk.
October 25, 1983 – Operation Urgent Fury.
Kentucky Air National Guard 2nd Lt. Richard L. Hudson
October 27 – Navy Day
October 28, 1961 – The 2nd Medium Tank Battalion arrived at Fort Stewart for active duty in response to the Berlin Crisis. They returned to Kentucky National Guard status on August 12, 1962.
October 29, 1967– Battle of Loc Ninh began (Vietnam War)
October 30, 1957 – 2nd Lt. Richard Lloyd Hudson perished near Vevay, In., when the Kentucky Air National Guard F-86A Sabre Jet he was piloting crashed during a routine Air Defense Command scramble. He enlisted in the Kentucky Air National Guard in August 1953. He entered cadet training in November 1955 and received his commission and wings on March 28, 1957.
October 31, 1968 – Operation Rolling Thunder ended (Vietnam War)
Sgt. Daniel Wallace
October 31, 2008 – Sgt. Daniel Wallace, of Dry Ridge, Grant County, Kentucky was killed when his unit was attacked by enemy forces while conducting a route clearing mission to remove improvised explosive devices (IED’s) in West Paktika Province, Afghanistan. Wallace was a member of Company C, 201st Engineer Battalion based in Cynthiana and serving with Company B from Olive Hill in Afghanistan. Wallace was serving as a gunner on a Mine-Resistant, Armor-Protected vehicle (MRAP) when they came under small-arms fire. The 201st mobilized in March 2008 and deployed to Afghanistan in May 2008. Wallace enlisted in the Kentucky National Guard in May of 2006.
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Click here to access the original story.
Click here for more history of the Kentucky National Guard.
FRANKFORT, Ky. — A new painting commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Persian Gulf War has been posted on the Kentucky National Guard eMuseum website.
The Road to War, by artist Michael Goettner, honors the Kentucky National Guard troops that took part in Operation Desert Shield / Storm - 25 February 1991 in Southern Iraq.
The painting was commissioned by the 138th Fires Brigade in 2011 for a limited edition of signed and numbers prints of the original painting. The painting features the 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery Battalion who mobilized on 10 December 1990 and returned in May 1991.
The battalion was commanded by Maj. John Wayne Smith with subordinate units from Glasgow, Tompkinsville, Campbellsville, Monticello and Springfield, Kentucky. While deployed they were assigned to the 196th Field Artillery Brigade, 24th Infantry Division, XVIII Corps; 1st Cavalry Division, VII Corps. Their mission was to provide fire support in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Kuwait.
During the deployment the 1/623rd worked with the 101st and XVIII Airborne Corps as well as VII Corps; given mission to provide fire support to six coalition divisions.
The concept for the artwork is taken from a photograph taken by Lt. John Dooley of A Battery.
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Story and photo by Sgt. Bryan Ploughe, 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery UPAHR
Members of HHB 1/623d FA performing a color guard detail at the opening ceremony of Vet Jam, located in Barren County, Ky. This event has been held for five years and the Kentucky Guard has been a participant since its beginning. (Kentucky Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Bryan Ploughe, 1/623rd FA UPAHR)
NOTE: Each Wednesday kentuckyguard.com publishes stories by Kentucky National Guard unit public affairs historian representatives, also known as UPAHRs. This is an additional duty taken on by a Soldier or Airmen with the intent of telling their unit’s story. This is one such story ….
Glasgow, Ky (June 11, 2011) – This year’s Vet Jam held in Glasgow marked five years of an outdoor music festival recognizing and celebrating some of the area’s unsung heroes: the American war veteran.
This year’s event featured performances from 10 local bands ranging from bluegrass to hard rock, and catered to hundreds of supporters. Members of the Kentucky National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery – based in Glasgow – took to the field and conducted a color guard detail as the national anthem was performed. The Soldiers also provided a 21-gun salute in honor of the war heroes.
Ernie Wagoner hosted the celebration on his farm. He expressed emotion in talking about the Kentucky Guard troops attending the event.
“The 623d is near and dear to me, as well as this community,” Wagoner said. “It is just a natural fit to have them here today, and they know we are here for them. They have been here and helped out since the conception of this event, and they are deeply appreciated for all that they do and we hope they are able to continue to do so in the future.”
First time attendee, Staff Sgt. Patrick Raby, Headquarters Battery, 1/623rd, was impressed by the celebration.
“This event is unbelievable,” he said. “I was not sure what to expect upon arrival today, and the sight of all of these veterans, that include World War II, Korea, Viet Nam, Gulf War and others is very humbling.”
“The wealth of knowledge and experience that is concentrated here is priceless,” he added. “More communities need to arrange an event of this caliber to recognize and show appreciation for what they have today.”
Proceeds from Vet Jam go to support local veterans organizations.
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Jessica Sampler pins the rank of captain on the lapel of her husband, Justin, in a ceremony conducted at Boone National Guard Center. (Photo courtesy Chaplain (Maj.) Bill Draper)
Click here for more photos on this and other stories about the Kentucky National Guard.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (June 7, 2011) — The Kentucky National Guard artillery community is getting a little spiritual enrichment with the promotion and assignment of its newest chaplain.
Chaplain Justin Sampler was promoted to the rank of captain in ceremonies conducted at the Boone National Guard Center. Joint Force Headquarters State Chaplain (Col.) David Graetz conducted the promotion while Sampler’s wife, Jessica, assisted.
Sampler’s first assignment as chaplain is with 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery.
Sampler grew up in Oklahoma and joined the Army National Guard his senior year of high school. After serving as a “thirteen mike” he went to officer’s candidate school and became a field artillery officer. He then moved to Louisville and attended the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he graduated.
“Out of all the units that I could be assigned, I’m thankful to be with the 623rd,” said Sampler. “After serving with them as an artillery officer and now as a chaplain, I am able to relate to their mission and in turn I am able to provide them with spiritual support. It’s the best of both worlds.”
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Story and photo by: Sgt. Bryan Ploughe, 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery
Col. Rondal Turner presents Sgt. 1st Class Donald Jones with the 2010 Food Drive winning plaque. Two Kentucky Army National Guard units donated more than 1,000 pounds of non-perishable food items to their local non-profit organizations for distribution during the holiday season. Pictured from left to right are Staff Sgt. Brian Garrett, Staff Sgt. Will Sewell, Sgt. 1st Class Donald Jones, Col. Rondal Turner, Sgt. 1st Class Chad Jones, Lt. Col. Jeffery Hughes and Family Assistance Specialist Kari Hutchison. (Photo by Sgt. Bryan Ploughe, 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery UPAHR)
NOTE: Each Wednesday kentuckyguard.com publishes stories by Kentucky National Guard unit public affairs historian representatives, also known as UPAHRs. This is an additional duty taken on by a Soldier or Airmen with the intent of telling their unit’s story. This is one such story ….
GLASCOW, Ky. (May 18, 2011) – Giving to local communities is a long standing tradition for the Kentucky Army National Guard. Two units from 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery were recognized for their support in a ceremony held recently at the Glasgow Amory.
Each year the Kentucky National Guard, in coordination with Kentucky National Guard Family Programs staff, conducts food drives around the holiday season. A challenge is put out to all units to try to generate as much non-perishable food as they can to donate to local non-profit organizations of their choosing.
Battery A, located in Tompkinsville, captured first place for the most food donated for the Thanksgiving holiday. Headquarters Battery, located in Glasgow, captured first place for the most food donated for the Christmas holiday. The two units together generated more than 1,000 pounds of food for their local charities.
Sgt. 1st Class Donald Jones received the award for Headquarters Battery.
“We are not the winners here,” said Jones. “Although we hold the plaque, the families in the community that will be getting this food are the ones that we need to keep in our minds. We have not won until these families don’t require our assistance.”
“These Soldiers are always willing to step up to a challenge,” said Col. Rondal Turner, 138th Brigade Commander. “Whenever these Soldiers are presented with an opportunity to shine, not only do the approach the opportunity with a winning attitude, they go all out and accomplish the mission with a level of success that would make any commander proud.”
“Our battalion has always been very fortunate in the relationship that we have with our hometowns,” said Lt. Col. Jeffery Hughes, commander for the 1/623rd. “This is just another way that we can continue to give to the citizens that give so much to us. The holidays are truly a time of year that we should focus on those in need. Our Soldiers have done a fine job of demonstrating their commitment to their fellow citizens.”
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Jerry Rains, Regional Response Manager for Kentucky Emergency Management, talks with members of the Kentucky National Guard about the flooding situation in the Grand Rivers area on May 5, 2011. KYEM personnel and Guardsmen are currently deployed to multiple locations across Western Kentucky. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Dennis Flora, Kentucky Air National Guard)
FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 6, 2011) — Here are some photos and video shot by Kentucky National Guard photographers of the flood relief effort in Western Kentucky.
Click here for more Kentucky National Guard images.
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Staff Sgt. Jedadiah Cossel and McCracken County Emergency Management member, John Colson, assess the current water level on a McCracken County highway that serves as a major artery for the county. (Photo by Sgt. Chad Massingale, Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery)
Kentucky National Guard Soldiers in humvees assist Kentucky Emergency Management officials in flood damage assessment surveys in McCracken County. (Photo by Pfc. Justin Lindsey, Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion 623rd Field Artillery)
On May 5, 2011, the Army Corps of Engineers detonated a levee located on the Mississippi River near Hickman, Ky. to relieve stress that was causing additional flooding to surrounding communities. (Photo by Sgt. Bryan Ploughe, 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery Unit Public Affairs Historian Representative.)
Spc. John Wilson with A Battery, 1st Battalion, 623d Field Artillery, carefully plots road blockages in Livingston Co.(Grand Rivers) Ky. while helping support flood relief efforts with Kentucky Division of Emergency Management in the mobile emergency response center. (Photo by Sgt. Bryan Ploughe, 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery Unit Public Affairs/Historian Representative.)
Pfc. Jacob Manning, 1123rd Sapper Company, Kentucky National Guard out of Leitchfield, Ky, stops traffic at an entry control point leading into the city of Smithland, Ky. on May 5, 2011. The entry control points help protect the community from looting and unauthorized entry from non-residents. Guardsmen are currently deployed to six counties locations across Western Kentucky. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Dennis Flora, Kentucky Air National Guard)
Pvt. Dustin Girten and Pfc. Chad Frank of the 1123rd Sapper Company patrol by foot along the levee in Smithland, Kentucky on May 5, 2011. Guardsmen are currently deployed to multiple locations across Western Kentucky, including Hickman and Smithland. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Dennis Flora, Kentucky Air National Guard)
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Story by Sgt. Paul Evans and Sgt. Bryan Ploughe, Unit Public Affairs/Historian Representatives
Soldiers from Headquarters, 103rd Brigade Support Battalion put their shovels in the ground prior to planting tree seedlings outside the Harrodsburg Armory on April 22, 2011. The 103rd’s tree-planting efforts were a part of Earth Day honors across the state. (Photo by Sgt. Paul Evans, 103rd BSB Unit Public Affairs/Historian Representative)
Glasgow and Harrodsburg, Ky. — Kentucky Guardsmen joined a statewide Earth Day celebration by planting more than 120 white pine seedlings at armories across the commonwealth April 22.
Lt. Col. Jeffery Hughes and Sgt. 1st Class David Page take special care in planting one of fifteen white pine seedlings at the Glasgow National Guard Armory to celebrate Earth Day 2011. (Photo by Sgt. Bryan Ploughe, 1/623rd FA Unit Public Affairs/Historian Representative)
“The Kentucky National Guard has a long standing reputation of giving back to the communities where our units are embedded,” said Lt. Col. Jeffery Hughes, 1st Battalion, 623d Field Artillery commander. “This was once again a display of the selfless service that our Soldiers are known for.”
138th Brigade Command Sergeant Major Joey Simpson sees the effort as a matter of pride in ownership.
“The Glasgow Armory was built the early 1960’s, and has been through a few updates,” stated Simpson. “This is just a small improvement that we can make to continue to beautify our campus.”
The planting of trees across the Commonwealth of Kentucky sets the standard for what can be accomplished in the future to celebrate Earth Day and support the Guard the Environment campaign and the Kentucky’s growing green mission.
“Anybody that has been deployed overseas can appreciate the value of a tree and what it has to offer,” said Staff Sgt. Will Sewell. “I take great pride in providing this treasure for future generations.”
Members of the 103rd Brigade Support Battalion in Harrodsburg shared their fellow Soldiers’ concern for the future.
“It feels good knowing these trees are something our children will benefit from one day,” says Staff Sgt. Mark Arnold.
“We are trained to destroy the enemy on the battle field,” said Staff Sgt. Timothy Collins. “But today we are planting life on this earth.”
Staff Sgt. Mark Arnold of Harrodsburg’s Headquarters, 103rd Brigade Support Battalion distributes tree seedlings as Staff Sgt. Eddie Donahue marks a planting location on April 22, 2011. (Photo by Sgt. Paul Evans, 103rd BSB Unit Public Affairs/Historian Representative)
Capt. Brian Mattingly plants a tree seedling outside the Harrodsburg Armory on April 22, 2011. (Photo by Sgt. Paul Evans, 103rd BSB Unit Public Affairs/Historian Representative)
Story and photos by David Altom, Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs Office
email: david.altom@us.army.mil
October 6, 2010
Part one of a three part series
The scenario is familiar. Getting up at oh-dark-early, the gathering together of Soldiers and gear on a quiet airfield. The smell of aviation fuel and the call of “Load up, gentlemen.” The hurry up and wait. The long flight. And finally, in country.
Six Kentucky Citizen-Soldiers, all wounded warriors, offload their gear from their ride, an Air National Guard C-17. They smile and laugh. They have plenty of reason to be happy. This time their destination is not the streets of Baghdad or some lonely outpost in Afghanistan. This time it’s the wilderness of Alaska. Their assignment: a few days of adventure, fun, and – most importantly – comradeship.
A joint effort between the Kentucky National Guard and dozens of generous individuals, Operation Wounded Warrior Alaska has a single focus – take a small group of battered war veterans who put their lives on the line for their fellow Soldiers and their nation, remove them from their daily grind and give them a chance to rejuvenate, recreate and reconnect.
And what better backdrop than the last great American frontier?
Hurry up and wait: Master Sgt. Brett Hightower enjoys the spacious accommodations of a Mississippi Air National Guard C-17 en route to a week of healing and adventure. Hightower was one of six injured Kentucky Army National Guard Soldiers who took part in Operation Wounded Warrior Alaska. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
Kentucky Army National Guard Sgt. First Class Chuck Reed came up with the idea for the trip. A retired Kentucky State Trooper and a member of the Guard for 37 years, Reed is a frequent visitor to the 49th state and a part-time employee at the Salmon Catcher Lodge where the troops will stay during their visit.
“I thought, what a great way, if we could work out a trip for some of our wounded warriors,” Reed says. “I talked with Terry Johnson, the owner of the lodge, and he was extremely supportive. It took a little while but we worked things out.”
Reed’s expectations are simple. “I just want the guys to experience Alaska because they have paid so much and given so much. It is just one way to help reinvigorate their fighting spirit and to possibly pay back a little.”
The wounded warriors include Master Sgt. Brett Hightower, Staff Sgt. Ricky Brooks, Staff Sgt. Ken Wininger, Sgt. Casey Cooper, Spc. Henry James and Spc. Jaremy Austin. Staff Sgt. Bart Greenwood, an Iraqi War veteran, serves as their escort and support staff. They are all met by Reed upon their arrival at Elmendorf Air Force Base, just outside the city of Anchorage, following a chain of flights courtesy of a Kentucky National Guard C-23 Sherpa and a Mississippi Air National Guard C-17.
Spc. Henry James, Spc. Jaremy Austin and Staff Sgt. Bart Greenwood share a moment at an arts fair in Anchorage before heading out for the Kenai Peninsula. Camaraderie between the troops was strong throughout Operation Wounded Warrior Alaska. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
The schedule begins with a visit to the city of Anchorage, then a leisurely drive to the Kenai Peninsula for several days of fishing and taking in the Alaskan countryside.
Alaskan hospitality is evident everywhere the warriors travel. Seventy-four year old Ron Fike welcomes the Kentuckians to his home, an aircraft hangar adjacent to a lonely gravel airstrip. Fike, the archetype Alaskan, smiles modestly as he shows off his experimental plane and workshop. The troops are fascinated as he tells of chasing a bear off his property just a few days before.
“I’m a disabled veteran, too, from Korea, so I can identify with them,” says Fike. “I’m glad to see men like that come and visit.”
Korean War veteran Ron Fike (center) shows off his pride and joy to the Kentucky Guard wounded warriors. Surrounding Fike are Chuck Reed, Jaremy Austin, Casey Cooper, Ricky Brooks, Brett Hightower, Ken Winninger, Henry James and Chad Carroll. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
Airplanes in Alaska are like pickup trucks in Kentucky. It seems that just about everybody has one. Johnny Evans, an Alaskan state park ranger and friend of Reed, flies as part of his ranger duties. Unlike Fike, who lives in an apartment in his hangar, Evans built one on the front of his house. The Kentuckians feel privileged when they are told they have full run of the house during a dinner held in their honor.
Sgt. 1st Class Chuck Reed and Alaskan Park Ranger Johnny Evans discuss their favorite subject: Alaska. "I just want the guys to experience Alaska because they have paid so much and given so much," says Reed. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
“Alaskans love the veterans,” Evans says. “When I told everyone the wounded warriors were coming to visit, there was an outpouring of food and money to help them out on this trip. People appreciate what these guys have done for our country. I am honored. I respect these guys and love’m. I’d do this all the time if I could.”
Despite being told “take it easy and have fun, guys,” the troops pitch in wherever the need comes up. During the cookout at Evans’ home Brooks and Wininger take over grilling duties, freeing the host to entertain his guests. When Evans jumps in his airplane – in t-shirt and flip-flops, no less – and takes off to run an errand, he showers gravel into his newly constructed hangar. Hightower, ever the NCO, puts down his Alaskan beer, picks up a broom and starts sweeping. A few minutes later and the hangar looks brand new and ready for inspection.
“Now that’s a Soldier,” someone says. Everyone smiles and nods.
Old habits die hard.
(Tomorrow: Humor, adventure and brotherhood. Oh, and some fishing, too!)
Spc. Jaremy Austin and Staff Sgt. Ricky Brooks give their approval. Both were severely injured by improvised explosive devices while serving in Iraq with the Kentucky Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery. (Photo by David Altom, KYNG Public Affairs Office)
Glasgow, Ky. (March 19, 2010) — Local artist J. T. Davidson puts the finishing touches to his rendition of a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) on the wall in the Kentucky National Guard armory in Glasgow.
Glasgow is the home of 1st Battalion, 623rd Artillery, which is transitioning to the new HIMARS and is scheduled for their inaugural firing later this spring. (Kentucky National Guard photos by John M. Trowbridge, Command Historian)
