Rain holds off for Mill Springs Memorial Day program

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May 25, 2009

By CHRIS HARRIS, CJ Staff Writer The Commonwealth Journal Mon May 25, 2009, 04:58 PM EDT

Somerset — Gray clouds rolled overhead at the Mill Springs National Cemetery, but even the rain stood still in solemn remembrance Monday as fallen heroes were honored and cherished.

The annual Memorial Day Service at the final resting place for so many of this nation’s veterans — located along Ky. 80 only yards away from the site of the Civil War’s Battle of Mill Springs — was threatened by rainy weather, but while the skies were dry, the eyes were not for many of those in attendance who had loved ones serve and even die in uniform.

Many survive and continue to carry on their tradition, however, such as members of the American Legion Post 38 Honor Guard. Proud individuals clad in green stood watch amongst the clean white gravestones as speakers offered words and plaques of appreciation were given to the Honor Guard’s long-standing participants.

The guest speaker this year was a man very familiar with the type of hallowed ground on which Mill Springs’ headstones stand. Glenn Madderom is Chief Engineer for the National Cemetery Administration Memorial Service Network 4 region, which oversees engineering and construction issues for 27 national cemeteries in nine Midwestern states, including Kentucky. Prior to that, he spent 19 years working for the Veterans Administration as a construction engineer overseeing large expansion projects at VA medical centers in California, Texas, Illinois, and Indiana.

“The America we know today would not be the same were it nor for the men and women we are here to honor today,” said Madderom. “Much of the contemporary history of the world was shaped and molded by the tens of millions of American veterans who put their lives on hold to wear the uniform.

“Who among us could even begin to contemplate the world today had courageous defenders of freedom not stood fast against the scourge of Nazi fascism or ruthless Japanese imperialism in the Pacific?”

Madderom reminded the crowd that the latest generation of servicemen and women are engaged in similar struggles, returning from places like Iraq and Afghanistan — if they return at all. He also noted that 123 national cemeteries are hosting events similar to the one at Mill Springs, and that Kentucky alone has seven such burial grounds that began with Civil War heritage, as did Nancy’s.

“I urge you to visit them all if you get the chance,” he said “They are moving beyond words. ... Let us never stop educating our youth about the price that has been paid for their freedom. A trip with them one of our nation’s sacred shrines — our veterans’ cemeteries — is a good place to start.”

Though the cemetery providing an eternal home for those who served their country in arms was a humble reminder of Madderom’s message, that “freedom isn’t free,” it was also a time to celebrate those still with us. Post 38 members who have performed military rites for fallen comrades included Morris Chumbly, Homer Davis, Winn Dotson, Henry Hamilton, Kenney Hamilton, Paul Hinkle, Bill Messer, Paul Sluder, Glenn Whitaker, Boyd Begley, Les Bridges, Charles Coomer, Larry Cooper, Clarence Floyd, W.W. Freeman, Gene Hansford, Glenn Hillidge, Ray Walter, Elden Yahning, Omar Snell, and Jim Vaught.

Four of those — Freeman, Hansford, Walters, and Yahning — were particularly noted for having been a part of the Honor Guard for almost two decades.

Gilbert Wilson, in his first year as Mill Springs Battlefield Administrator, estimated that there were about 300 in attendance — down a bit from normal, perhaps due to concerns about the weather, yet Wilson was filled with pride at how the event turned out.

“I’m so pleased to see all the support from the community,” said Wilson. “I was a little nervous about things going right, because we really want to honor these people and their families the way they need to be honored.”

Wilson recalled how far back this event stretches as part of the community consciousness — as so many buried in Mill Springs fought in World War II, it seems hard to imagine a world before that, but large numbers came out to recognize veterans even prior to that great war.

“Some of the older people in my church talked about riding in a wagon all the way from Oak Hill out here, and they’d spend the whole day,” said Wilson. “They would picnic and commemorate all the war veterans — World War I veterans, Spanish-American War, and Civil War, because World War II hadn’t occurred yet.

“It’s really a great pleasure for me to be a part of this.”

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Pulaski carries Girdler to win

In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s primary election, it was impossible to miss the colorful signs dotting nearly every Pulaski roadway. The names in the race for the 15th State Senatorial District seat popped out: A.C. Donahue. Chris Girdler. Mark Polston.

Once citizens hit the ballots, however, the results mirrored the dimensions of the signs themselves: Chris Girdler stood the tallest.

Girdler, deputy district director for Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, ran away with the votes inside Pulaski County’s borders, earning 3,926 votes for 62.05 percent of the total number cast.

That number more than doubled the next highest vote-getter, businessman Mark Polston, who raked in 1,624 votes for 25.67 percent.

However, Polston — who owns Classic Carpet, a home-flooring business located just off the southern 914 bypass — can claim a moral victory ... three of them, in fact. In all three counties in the district other than Pulaski — those being Adair, Casey, and Russell Counties — Polston actually edged out Girdler.

In Adair, Polston beat Girdler 629 to 394. In Casey County, it was 538 to 417, and in Russell, it was 1,862 to 1,038.

Polston said he just “couldn’t pull it out with the numbers” and that “the machine worked for” Girdler in Pulaski County.

“I think that was their strategy — I think they had a Pulaski County strategy all along,” said Polston. “They played the political game well.”

Polston said the difference between his and Girdler’s campaigns was that “mine was a very, very grass roots campaign,” he said. “I did not have a political machine behind me. I understand how this process works, and in this instance, he prevailed.”

As for why Girdler didn’t take three of four counties, the winning candidate — since there are no Democrats in the race, winning the Republican primary was effectively a final victory for Girdler — said he didn’t have an answer for that.

However, “I believe things happen for a reason and I hope the long and strenuous campaign will only heighten my desire to move beyond the bitterness and partisanship of the recent past,” said Girdler.

“Regionalism is a goal of mine, and I look forward to helping all four counties,” he added, noting that he campaigned heavily in each of them.

Sen. Vernie McGaha, the long-time state senator whose seat the candidates were vying for, actually supported Polston after Liberty’s Todd Hoskins dropped out of the race earlier this month.

Donahue, a local attorney, got 556 votes in Pulaski County, 8.79 percent of the vote. He only received 145 votes in Russell County, 74 in Adair County, and 75 in Casey County, where hometown candidate Hoskins almost matched him with 71 votes despite no longer being officially in the race.

Polston said he’s “still digesting” what happened, and though “the process has been a very good experience for me,” he wouldn’t commit to running again in the future. “I wouldn’t shut the door to anything, but I’m not opening any doors either.”

Still, “I think I got a lot of people involved in the process that had not been involved before and would not have been otherwise,” he said. “A lot of people got out and worked really hard, got motivated to talk to friends and neighbors. I think a lot of people became involved through this campaign that are going to be involved for a long time.”

Girdler stressed his “positive message” and said that Rogers is a “mentor and good friend” that he would turn to for advice in dealing with a frequently combative legislative body in Frankfort, one for which Girdler hopes to help change the culture.

Girdler said that he was “confident and optimistic” during the day Tuesday because he’d “worked extremely hard.” Nevertheless, the realization that he’d won gave him “chill bumps,” he said.

“I’m absolutely honored,” said Girdler. “The position of state senator is more than an honor, more than an office. It’s a charge to keep, and I will give it my all.

“I pledge to be the people’s state senator,” he added. “I look forward to working with everyone to move this region forward.”

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