THE LATE SENATOR C.B. EMBRY JR., REP. BAM CARNEY AND WWII HERO AMONG INDIVIDUALS HONORED IN ROAD NAMING RESOLUTION

THE LATE SENATOR C.B. EMBRY JR., REP. BAM CARNEY AND WWII HERO AMONG INDIVIDUALS HONORED IN ROAD NAMING RESOLUTION

FRANKFORT, KY (April 3, 2023) – The Kentucky General Assembly enacted House Joint Resolution 7 (HJR) in the 2023 Legislative Session, which includes both House and Senate Joint Resolutions (SJR) honoring deceased Kentuckians who have served or have made a notable impression on the commonwealth.

Senator Steve Meredith's SJR 52 was included and designates US 231 from KY 70 at Aberdeen to the Ohio County Line in Butler County in honor of the late C.B. Embry Jr., who passed away last September after a long-fought battle with cancer.  He was 81 years old.

Embry was elected 12 times to five different public offices, including the mayor, county judge-executive and both chambers of the Kentucky General Assembly. He was a passionate advocate for veterans and education issues. The designation of the portion of US 231 from KY 70 at Aberdeen to the Ohio County line is a small token of appreciation and perpetual recognition of Embry's incredible legacy.

Within HJR 7 is a clarification that US Route 27X, which begins at the Nicholasville Bypass and becomes Main Street in downtown Nicholasville will be named the 'Senator Tom Buford Memorial Highway.' Senator Donald Douglas introduced Senate Resolution 139 in the 2022 Legislative session to honor the late Tom Buford, who passed away in July 2021.

The resolution also honors the late Rep. Bam Carney with the designation of a completed portion of the Campbellsville Bypass (KY 55) from KY 201 to KY 70—and upon completion—to US 68, in Taylor County in his honor. Carney passed away at 51 in July 2021 following a battle with pancreatitis.

Henry Ledford of Big Creek, Kentucky, a United States Army World War II veteran, was included in the resolution by Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester.

Ledford, one of the few remaining WWII veterans in America and one of the oldest veterans in Kentucky, passed on November 30, 2022, at 103 years old. Ledford served for the 11th Infantry Regiment and freed prisoners from a concentration camp near Landberg, Germany.

The resolution designates KY 66 from Clay/Leslie County line to US 421 in Clay County the 'Henry Ledford Memorial Highway.'

HJR 7 incorporated additional SJRs honoring many others, including:

• ·         SJR 5, sponsored by Sen. Max Wise, R-Campbellsville, honors Rep. Herman W. Ratliff. Ratliff served Taylor, Green, Metcalfe, and Marion Counties as a Kentucky State Representative for 19 years from 1968 to 1986 including three terms as Minority Caucus chair. He served in the United States Army during World War II, primarily in the Philippines, attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant. Ratliff was recognized for his service with the Asiatic Pacific Theater Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and a Good Conduct Medal.

• ·         SJR 27, sponsored by Sen. John Schickel, R-Union, honors Charles Patrick, husband of the late Irene Patrick. Charles served as a Boone County Magistrate and member of the Hebron Church of Christ, the Masons and Shriners International. He was also the owner of Patrick's Auto Parts in Hebron.

• ·         SJR 89, sponsored by Sen. Rick Girdler, R-Somerset, honors Colonel Vermont Garrison. Garrison was assigned to the 4th Fighter Group, where he downed seven German planes earning him the title of Ace before being shot down and becoming a prisoner of war. He was one of only seven pilots to become an Ace in both World War II and the Korean War. Garrison also served in the Vietnam War as Vice Wing Commander of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing and earned the title of Triple Ace.

• SJR 94, sponsored by Sen. Phillip Wheeler, R-Pikeville, honors Chief Petty Officer 3rd Class Virgil Mounts. Mounts was providing care for Army assault troops on Omaha Beach during the Invasion of Normandy when a shell exploded nearby, killing him instantly. Although listed as 18 years old in official military records, he was only 16 and is thought to be the youngest service member to be killed at the D-Day invasion.

• SJR 95, also sponsored by Wheeler, honors Sergeant Thomas Epling. Epling, a combat medic, was wounded on two occasions and awarded two Bronze Stars for bravery under fire, the Combat Medic Badge, a Unit Citation and the Korean Service Medal.

• SJR 99, also sponsored by Girdler, honors 1SGT Norman Richard Wells. Wells earned many awards and medals during his illustrious military career, including the World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Army Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Good Conduct Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, and the Expert Rifleman's Badge.

• SJR 102, sponsored by Senator Brandon Storm, R-London, honors Officer Logan Medlock. Medlock was a London City Police Department Officer and was tragically killed in the line of duty when an impaired driver ran into the driver's side of his police cruiser.

• SJR 103, also sponsored by Storm, honors Officer Travis Hurley. Hurley was a twenty-one-year veteran and K-9 handler with the London City Police Department who retired in 2021 as a lieutenant.

Also within HJR 7 are clarifications, corrections and fixes to past road namings.

Finally, not having individual Senate Resolutions, but included in HJR 7 were:

Wheeler honors three Lawrence County Vietnam veterans:

·         KY 3398 From US 23 to KY 3 will be named the Jimmy Wayne Hardwick, Ellsworth Swann, and Charles Spencer Memorial Highway

Stivers honors Alvin Webb of Jackson County with a memorial bridge naming:

·         The bridge is located on KY 3630 at mile point 2.65

Senator Johnnie Turner, R-Harlan, honors Greg Page of Bell County:

·         A portion of KY 2129 will be the Greg Page Memorial Highway.

Click here to find HJR 7 in its entirety, including honorary bridge and road namings, supported by members of the Kentucky state House of Representatives. The measure was given final approval in the Senate on March 16 and was signed into law on March 21.

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