USA > Kentucky > Madison County > Glimpses of historic Madison County, Kentucky > Part 23
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Soon after Daniel Boone assumed command of Boonesborough, the governor of Virginia appointed and commissioned officers to organize and train militia bodies throughout Kentucky. Daniel Boone was appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the Fayette County Militia, and this appears to be the first unit organization of the Kentucky Militia. It is from this root that the 149th Regimental Combat Team stems, the parent unit of the National Guard unit now stationed in Madison County. The 149th Regimental Combat Team is therefore a direct decendant, in military order from Lt. Col. Daniel Boone and his organization.
The present National Guard unit in Madison County is the 441st Field Artillery Battalion. This Battalion consists of five Batteries which are: Headquarters, "A", "B", "C", and Service. Headquarters Battery and "C" Battery are located in Richmond, "B" Battery in Lexington, "A" Battery in Danville and Service Battery in Harrods- burg. There are at present about 350 men and 35 officers in the battalion and the weapon with which it is equipped is the 105 mm howitzer.
This battalion has a long and glorious history. It was organized on the twenty-second of May 1846 and designated the 1st Kentucky Volunteer Regiment. The men were all volunteers of the enrolled Militia and were from counties near Lexington. Soon after its organization, it was mustered into Federal service for a year after which it was mustered out of the Federal service in 1847 at New Orleans and disbanded. The unit was not again reorganized until 1857 at Lexington by Capt. John Hunt Morgan. In June 1860 the battalion was withdrawn from the State Guard and moved secretly to Bowling Green, Kentucky, and then reorganized and mustered into the Confederate States service. Along with two other Cavalry Companies, the organization was redesignated as the 2nd Kentucky Cavalry Regiment (Morgan's Men) at Chattanooga in June 1862.
In 1865, after going through the war under such an illustrious leader, the organization was surrendered near Woodstock, Georgia
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and paroled. Reorganization was not accomplished again until 1884 when it was designated as a battalion of the Second Regiment of Infantry, Kentucky State Guard. This Second Regiment later be- came the 149th Regimental Combat Team of which the 441st Field Artillery Battalion of Richmond is presently a part.
Immediately after the declaration of war with Spain in 1898, the Regiment was sent to a concentration center at Chicamauga until the brief period of hostilities had terminated. During this stay in Chicamauga, the sanitary conditions became so bad that an epidemic of typhoid fever broke out, and the Regiment had a large number of casualties. After the conflict with Spain, there were no more calls to Federal Service until June 1916. This time mobiliza- tion took place at Fort Thomas, Kentucky, after which it was sent to Camp Owen Berne, at Fort Bliss, Texas. This call came about as a result of the Mexican Border disturbance in Texas, the Ken- tucky troops became a part of the Tenth Provisional U.S. Division. The Regiment was assigned a defensive sector along the North bank of the Rio Grande River near El Paso.
Following the border duty, the Regiment was ordered home and was mustered out of the Federal Service at Fort Thomas, Feb. 15, 1917, and was almost immediately recalled for service in World War I. In the latter part of March 1917, by order of the governor, the Adjutant General called the Regiment into service to protect vital transportation lines and industrial points. On April 28, it was called into Federal service, moved to Camp Shelby, Miss., and upon arrival there it was redesignated as the 149th Infantry, a part of the Thirty-Eighth (Cyclone) Division. The Regiment still bears the same names today except that it now consists of a Field Artillery Battalion in addition to the three infantry battalions and this re- quires that it be called a Regimental Combat Team instead of an Infantry Regiment.
Following World War I, a part of the 149th Infantry was split off to form the 53rd and 54th Machine Gun Squadrons of the Kentucky National Guard. These Squadrons were combined to produce the 123rd Cavalry Regiment in 1929. This regiment was inducted into Federal Service on the 24th February 1941 at Frankfort. In 1943 the Cavalry Regiment was redesignated as the 103rd anti-aircraft Artillery Battalion, sent to the European Theater and entered com- bat in Sicily. The 103rd AAA saw action during the following cam-
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paigns in World War II: Sicily, Normandy, Northern France, Rhine- lands, Ardennes, Alsace, and Central Europe. After World War II, the 103rd AAA was inactivated at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey and reorganized as the 441st Field Artillery Battalion in Lexington, Ken- tucky on 30 January 1947. "C" Battery of the 441st Field Artillery Battalion was located in Richmond and other batteries were located in Danville and Harrodsburg. In November 1953, due to the organi- zation of the XXIII Corps Artillery in Lexington, the Headquarters of the 441st Field Artillery Battalion was moved to Richmond where it is at the present time. Plans have been made and approved for the conversion of the Artillery Battalion, which is now armed with the 105 mm howitzer, to a battalion of 8 inch self propelled howitzers. This change is scheduled to occur on 1 Sept. 1955.
There are many campaign streamers that the 441st Field Artillery Battalion is authorized to display. In addition to those already mentioned relating to World War II, the 441st has streamers for participation in World War I, War with Spain, Civil War, and the Mexican War. In all, the 441st has participated in sixteeen major campaigns since its organization in 1846.
Two other organizations play an important role in the military history of Madison County. These are Companies "G" and "H" of the 113th Medical Regiment. Company "G" was organized on June 3, 1916. This company went to the Mexican Border in 1916, and saw almost continuous service on through the first World War. It reorganized in 1921 in Winchester, Kentucky where it remained until 1927, when it was moved to Richmond, Kentucky. The com- pany was organized in Richmond on 16 February 1927 by Captain J. B. Floyd and continued in existence until called to Federal service in February 1941. "H" Company of the 113th Medical Regiment is one of the oldest National Guard organizations in the state. It was organized on June 3, 1916. On 1 July 1922 it was moved to Rich- mond, Kentucky and Major O. F. Hume became its commanding officer. With the retirement of Major Hume in 1928, the command was taken over by Captain Robert M. Phelps, who commanded the unit until 1941.
Four National Guard units then are outstanding in the military history of Madison County: The 149th Infantry Regiment, The 441st Field Artillery Battalion, Company "G" and Company "H" of the 113th Medical Regiment. Many men from Madison County and
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the other counties of central Kentucky have volunteered to fill the ranks of these organizations and answered the call of their country to service. Throughout its history, the Kentucky National Guard and its forerunners have cherished the tradition of rendering their military duty with zeal when called upon. Its history teems with incidents of self-sacrifice unsurpassed in doing and achieve- ment. The Service of these men is a contribution to the country of which the people of Kentucky and Madison County may be justi- fiable proud.
THE RESERVE OFFICERS TRAINING CORPS
The Reserve Officers Training Corps of the United States Army exists for the purpose of developing officers-leaders of men. It offers a course of instruction leading to a commission as a second lieutenant in the U. S. Army Reserve.
The mission of ROTC is to have ready in time of national emer- gency a corps of educated, well-rounded leaders for our Armies.
The corps as it is now known was established in 1916. However, the antecedents for the corps reach back to 1819 when Captain Alden Partridge, a former Superintendent of the United States Military Academy, founded the first civilian institution of higher education which prescribed military training as part of its curricu- lum. Subsequently, other colleges and universities offered military training. During the Civil War, this practice received great im- petus from the Morrill Act of 1862. This act provided grants of land and, later, financial support for colleges that would offer military training along with training in the agricultural and mechanical arts. The high esteem which the ROTC has earned among educational institutions is attested to by a long-standing waiting list of colleges and universities applying for establishment of ROTC units.
In 1936 Eastern Kentucky State College (then known as Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College) was included in the list of colleges offering military training. A ROTC unit was established and qualified students were enrolled in the ROTC for the 1936-37 academic year. Lt. Col. Charles W. Gallaher of the Regular U. S. Army organized the unit and became its first Professor of Military Science and Tactics. He was assisted by Captains Eugene M. Link and William W. Ford also of the Regular U. S. Army. The first
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group of Eastern students received their commissions as reserve officers in 1940. Among those receiving commissions in this first group were Frank H. Wilcox, Richard L. Brown, Raymond Huck and James T. Hennessey. These men had composed the ROTC battalion staff as undergraduates. Marian Campbell had been the Battalion sponsor that year. Other groups of Eastern students were commissioned in 1941, 42, and 43. Among these were Edward Gabbard, Hansford Farris, Ralph and Fred Darling, William Stocker, Guy Whitehead and Walter Heucke. Marie Hughes, Jane Jones and Caroline Miller were battalion sponsors during these years. By 1943 Lt. Guy Whitehead had returned to Eastern as a commissioned instructor. The military staff thus for the first time included a graduate of Eastern's own ROTC unit. Other ROTC graduates were already overseas serving in our Armed Forces. Dur- ing the remainder of World War II the Eastern ROTC unit was supplanted by an Army Specialized Training Program and a Women's Army Corps Program. The young men who would have been ROTC students during this period were already serving in our Country's Armed Forces.
The ROTC unit was reestablished in 1945. Lt Col. John O. Taylor headed up the military staff at this time.
The first large group of students to be commissioned subsequent to World War II was in 1949. Col. William D. Paschall was the Professor of Military Science and Tactics at this time. He was assisted by Majors David M. Easterday and Willard L. Jones. Among the students receiving reserve commissions at this time were John W. Bussey, Archie L. Stamper, Neal A. Parsons, Sidney J. Ormes, Jr., and Virgil R. Hudnall who had been members of the ROTC battalion staff as undergraduates. Reba Coy was the bat- talion sponsor that year.
Classes have been commissioned each year since 1949. Glenn W. Million, Francis M. Rothwell, George H. Hembree, Robert L. Elder, Marion F. White and Ronald H. Smiley were outstanding as undergraduate members of the ROTC during these years. Jennie Lou Eaves, Rachael Johnson, Shirley Spires, Patricia Rickey, Blanche Rose McCoun, and Juliane Wiedekamp were corps sponsors during these years.
In all, two hundred and ten Eastern Kentucky State College students have been commissioned as second lieutenants in the
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U. S. Army Reserve since the end of World War II. Many of these served with distinction during the Korean conflict. Many are serv- ing today on active duty with our Army at important stations throughout the free world.
Army officers now on duty with the Eastern ROTC unit are Col. Haydon Y. Grubbs, Lt. Col. Alden O. Hatch and Capt. Ernest H. Morgan. All of these officers served extensively overseas with com- bat units during both World War II and the Korean conflict.
Currently the Eastern ROTC unit averages about two hundred and fifty men in strength. An average of about thirty students re- ceive their commissions in the U. S. Army Reserve each year. The corps is outstanding in the inspections conducted each year by the Department of the Army. The Drill and Rifle teams ably represent Eastern on various occasions. The color guard gave an outstanding performance at the recent Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival. Eastern was elected this past year to be represented in the Pershing Rifles, National Honorary Organization participated in by many of the ROTC units at large colleges and universities throughout the country. It thus appears that for the forseeable future Eastern will continue to contribute its fair share and more toward preparing a corps of educated, well-rounded leaders for any possible national emergency.
THE BLUE GRASS ORDNANCE DEPOT
The Blue Grass Ordnance Depot, located six miles south of Rich- mond, Kentucky on U. S. Highways 25 and 421, was established under Statutory Authority Title II of the First War Power Act 1941. The purchase order for the land was issued on 5 November 1941. With the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan and the declaration of war by Congress, the immediate need for more storage space for ma- terials of war became apparent. The Department of the Army moved quickly. Personnel of the Land Acquisition Planning Section set up offices in Richmond. Two tracts of land were purchased early in January 1942 for burial sites for bodies to be moved from ceme- teries located in the area and plans went forward for the transfer. All property owners were contacted and where satisfactory con- tracts could not be negotiated, condemnation suits were filed.
Some property owners were scheduled to give possession as early as 25 February and all property to be vacated by 1 April 1942.
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Approximately 14,650 acres were acquired. Three prime contracts were let in March and actual work got under way early in April. The first block of igloo-type storage buildings was completed and released to the Ordnance Corps in September. The last igloo was poured on 10 October with all igloo work completed in December. The last contract was reported complete in May 1943.
When completed, the project provided three areas-an ammuni- tion storage area, a combat equipment storage area, and an adminis- trative and utilities area. The depot is serviced by a depot-wide telephone system with a four-hundred line switchboard, a 500,000,000 gallon reservoir is provided, a water distribution sys- tem, filtration plant, sewage disposal system, electrical distribution and lighting system, and fire protection system. The depot is serviced by approximately 145 miles of surfaced roads, and 45 miles of standard guage railroad track with switch connections complete to the Cincinnati-Knoxville Division of the L&N Railroad.
Due to war effort and necessity for conservation of critical ma- terials, much of the original construction in the administrative and utilities area was of a temporary nature. Some of the original build- ings have served their purpose and have been disposed of; others have been made semi-permanent until such time as money is budgeted for construction of permanent buildings.
With the cessation of fighting in Europe, the depot was selected for storage of diverted and returned materials. Items which could be left in the open were stored in revetted sites located between existing igloos. These sites were prepared by simply using a bull- dozer to level of a spot and then pushing up a dirt barricade around it. These storage points were known as Y-Sites. For those items that required shelter, sheds or X-Sites were prepared by leveling off an area and erecting a roof over it. Space was made in this way for storage of thousands of tons of supplies.
The primary mission of the depot is that of storage for ordnance materials; but as items of ammunition in particular become obsolete, or begin to deteriorate, it becomes necessary that other operations such as renovation and demilitarization be performed for many reasons, including safety, preparedness, reclamation of storage space, and for reclaimable materials. The depot has received its share of such missions. Original planning did not provide for build- ings to house these operations. During the latter half of the 1940's,
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an effort was made to utilize existing buildings with minimum change in structure.
Recognition had been taken of the fact that the depot had been doing a satisfactory and economical job of renovation and normal maintenance without adequate buildings in which to perform the work. In 1954 a building program was started that has added ma- terially to the facilities for doing normal maintenance and renova- tion work.
The Chamber of Commerce representing the business organiza- tions and salaried people of this area saw the depot as the beginning of a new era that would not only help those who would draw the salaries as employees, but would result in a higher standard of living for the community in general. This group exerted every effort it could to encourage the project. The actual start of work marked a new experience for this predominantly agrarian community. Khaki-clad drivers of cars bearing license tags issued from Maine to California and Washington to Florida converged on Madison Coun- ty. Most of this group brought wives and children and many pulled house trailers. Huge pieces of machinery rumbled by on giant carriers, diesel engines jarred the night air with their terrific horse- power. Talk of owl shifts, union wages, and bulldozers became common. These were sincere, hardworking men, intent on doing the biggest job ever to come to the community. These men who often worked seven days per week and long hours did not find time to indulge in frivolities. It was found that they showed more interest in good schools and churches.
The peak of construction was reached around 1 September with a daily employment of approximately 6700 workers.
Housing was a definite problem; many could not find space in Madison County and located in adjoining counties. The problem would have been much worse had not hundreds of these experienced workers brought their own homes in form of house trailers with them. The housing situation was not materially helped with the completion of building contracts, since the depot operating per- sonnel then took over, and this group-although not so numerous -- considered themselves permanent and was not satisfied with single rooms and smaller apartments. Efforts were directed toward obtain- ing federal housing projects, both in Richmond and on the depot, but it was not until 1953 that these projects were opened for occu- pancy.
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Major R. W. Hay was the first commanding officer and opened an office at the Richmond Armory on 25 April 1942. He immediately set about putting together an organization to operate the depot when it was turned over to the Ordnance Corps. He talked to organized clubs, public officials, professional people, and citizens whenever and wherever the opportunity presented itself. In his approach, he set for himself the task-with a fair measure of suc- cess-of overcoming opposition by soliciting the cooperation of the community.
During the next several months, civilians were selected and sent to existing government installations for training in the various phases of ordnance work. By the time the first shipment of ordnance material was received for storage on 2 October, a sufficient number of personnel had been trained to man the supervisory positions. By December, there were 21 commissioned officers assigned to duty at the depot and 2000 civilians had been employed. The largest employment level in the history of the depot was reached about July 1943 with 33 commissioned officers assigned to duty at the installation and with 3700 civilian employees.
There have been eight commanding officers assigned to duty at the depot, two of whom have served two assignments each: Major R. W. Hay, April 1942 to January 1943; Colonel R. H. Hannum, January 1943 to January 1944; Lt. Col. R. W. Hay, January 1944 to March 1944; Major H. O. Nelli, March 1944 to May 1946; Colonel R. H. Hannum, May 1946 to July 1946; Colonel J. W. Orcutt, July 1946 to July 1948; Lt. Col. J. C. Wilson, July 1948 to April 1950; Lt. Col. R. T. Mulvanity, April 1950 to August 1952 (Major G. J. Lynch served interim); Colonel R. O. Welch, September 1952 to May 1953 (Major G. J. Lynch served interim); Lt. Col. N. A. Athanason, August 1953 to date.
The depot fire prevention record has been marred by only one major conflagration involving a building and in that case, the fire was confined to the roof. The same type of record is held by the depot with regard to security. These records are, no doubt, due in part to the patriotic views held by the citizenry of the community. This same patriotic zeal has on occasions when the demand arose, emptied offices and shops of every able-bodied man who could be spared to load supplies, and kept workers at their posts until ordered to go home for rest. Forty consecutive hours were not unusual rec-
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ords for male employees, and on one occasion, a group of women st uck to a line operation for 32 hours in order that a shipment could be made according to schedule.
From October 25, 1943 to October 23, 1945, the depot was operated on contract by a corporation known as Blue Grass Ord- nance Depot, Incorporated, a subsidiary of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company.
Following the cessation of hostilities in 1945, as would be ex- pected, depot activities were curtailed. This resulted in a series of reductions in operating personnel. Many employees voluntarily re- turned to former occupations or moved on to other jobs. During the peacetime operation period previous to the Korean situation which arose in June 1950, the personnel strength on the depot dropped at one time to as low as 25 to 30 per cent of peak em- ployment.
Immediately following the intervention of the United Nations in the Korean conflict, the call went out for additional help. The need was particularly critical for capable supervisors to take charge of additional crews needed to condition and load material.
Former supervisors were personally contacted as well as through regular channels and a number returned to depot employment. Within a few weeks, depot manpower strength had doubled.
The depot faced this situation and was again able to make ship- ments according to schedule.
With the cessation of hostilities in Korea, operations were again curtailed, but not so drastically as following World War II. An effort is being made to keep normal maintenance more nearly cur- rent and a working organization ready for quick expansion should the necessity arise.
ยท BOONESBOROUGH POST 7098, VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS
Post 7098, Veterans of Foreign Wars, was born in Richmond in the early days of May, 1946, and was promptly named "Boones- borough Post" by its forty charter members in honor of historic Boonesborough in this county.
The post met from time to time wherever it could, but in early 1947 it moved into its present home at 110 East Main Street. Grad- ually, largely from contributions of its members, the post was able to provide furniture and equipment for its quarters and this in turn
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brought in new members until the membership increased to well over 200 in 1952.
Very early in its life Post 7098 began to assume its obligations to veterans and to the community. Since 1947 the post has con- ducted some thirty military funerals and for the past several years it has been the only local veterans organization so doing. For the last six years it has put up and trimmed a large Christmas tree on the courthouse square; it has given several thousand dollars to such charities as Telford Community Center, Irvinton Memorial Park, hopsital work and the families of deceased or dis- abled veterans; in addition it has provided free service aid for veterans seeking a pension or hospitalization.
The women's auxiliary to the post was formed in 1948 and has proved its metal many times over. It has contributed generously to work among under-priviledged children and has been the mainstay of the post's social and fund-raising activities.
The commanders of the post to date have been J. B. Bayer, Jr., Virgil McWhorter and Albert Cosby. The present commander is Grove Thompson.
Post 7098 is looking forward to rendering more service to the community and to the nation .- By John Bayer.
REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS BURIED IN MADISON COUNTY
Prepared from a research made by MRS. JERRE B. NOLAND
James Black ( -1790), a private in Capt. Warley's Co. 3rd Regiment South Carolina troops under Col. William Thompson at the siege of Charleston 1780.
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