On this 245th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, I thought it might be worthwhile to reflect a little on the role Kentuckians have played in securing and defending our nation’s freedom.
While Kentucky was only a Virginia County during the Revolutionary War, early settlers like George Rogers Clark played a big role in defending the Western frontier from the British and Native Americans. Clark led a group of Kentuckians called the Long Knives to capture British strongholds at Kaskaskia and Vincennes. Victories at both weakened British influence in the Northwest Territory and Clark is referred to as the "Conqueror of the Old Northwest" in the pages of our history.
Kentuckians again rose to the defense of our young nation during the War of 1812. After a bloody defeat at the Battle of the River Raisin, the Kentucky General Assembly authorized Governor Isaac Shelby to personally take command of reinforcements. Shelby’s rally was successful as an estimated five of every six Kentucky men of military age fought against the British and their allies. Can you imagine sending that proportion of the population to war? The death toll was equally staggering. While 19 states contributed troops to the effort, Kentuckians accounted for approximately 64 percent of casualties.
Generations later, the tenacity of Lawrenceburg native Anna Mac Clarke. Clarke joined the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) in 1942. Clarke was one of only three African American women in the first desegregated class of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps Officer Candidate School, and the only one to graduate. While her career was cut short when she died as a result of complications after an appendectomy, Clarke became the first African-American woman to command an otherwise all white regiment.
That legacy was again evident on February 23, 1945 when a 20-year old from Hill Top, Kentucky climbed to the top of Mount Suribachi and planted an American flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Private First Class Franklin Sousley was one of six Marines to make that climb and has been memorialized for generations in the iconic photograph and the Marine Corps Memorial at Arlington National Cemetary. Iwo Jima was believed to be critical to defeating Japan. American forces invaded the island on February 19, 1945, and the ensuing battle lasted for five brutal weeks. Almost 7,000 Marines died in some of the bloodiest fighting of World War II, and almost the entire 21,000 Japanese soldiers on the island was killed. PFC Sousley was one of those casualties, after taking an enemy sniper’s bullet in the back.
These are just a handful of examples of the Kentuckians who have defended our nation. They are ordinary men and women who stepped up to fill a need. The United States of America is still the greatest country on the face of the Earth. I believe it and I make no apologies for it. What was once an experiment forged out of tyranny by a small group of patriots is today a beacon of opportunity and hope defended by the generations that followed.
I hope you know that I always welcome your comments and concerns on any issues impacting our Commonwealth, even while we are not in session. As always, I can be reached at home anytime or through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181. You can also contact me via e-mail at Josh.Branscum@lrc.ky.gov. You can also keep track of committee meetings and potential legislation through the Kentucky Legislature Home Page at www.lrc.ky.gov.
