The Region 7 KY Veterans Hall of Fame Monument was unveiled and dedicated Monday afternoon. The monument already includes the names of the 17 inductees to date for Region 7, including five individuals from Daviess County. Inductees are selected not just based on service, but also for their contributions to the community upon returning home.
(See more photos from the ceremony here.)
The 8-foot-tall monument specifically honors KY Veterans Hall of Fame members in an 11-county area, with Daviess County fairly centrally located in the region.
The monument is located steps away from the northeast corner of the Owensboro Convention Center. The front side of the monument faces the Ohio River and contains general information about the Veterans Hall of Fame. The back side of the monument contains information about Region 7 and lists its inductees.
Messages on both sides of the monument drive home the point that individuals are recognized for their service both while active and after returning to their communities.
Region 7 includes the 11 counties of Breckinridge, Caldwell, Crittenden, Daviess, Hancock, Henderson, Hopkins, McLean, Ohio, Union, and Webster.
Individuals currently listed on the monument — along with the branch they served in, their home county, and the year they were inducted into the KY Veterans Hall of Fame — are:
- Parvin Gibbs — USAF; Hopkins County, 2014
- Larry Hager Jr.* — Army; Daviess County, 2014
- Gary Littrell — Army; Hopkins County, 2014
- Richard Frymire — USMC; Hopkins County, 2015
- Rudy Stone — Navy; Hopkins County, 2015
- Aubrey Walker — Army; Hopkins County, 2015
- John C. Thorpe — USAF; Hopkins County, 2016
- Eric A Shrader — USMC; Breckinridge County, 2017
- Shawn Vanlue — USAF; Hopkins County, 2017
- Michael R. Whitfield — Navy; Hopkins County, 2017
- Samuel T. Byrd — Army; Daviess County, 2018
- Dudley Riley* — Army; Hopkins County, 2019
- Clarence R. Martin — Army; Daviess County, 2021
- Adrian P. Bambini — Army; Webster County, 2021
- Keith R. Cain — USMC; Daviess County, 2021
- H. Mike Robinson — Army; Daviess County, 2022
- Harold B. Leasure* — Army; Hopkins County, 2022
In March, two silver-colored benches will be installed, one on either side of the monument.
More than 20 individuals, organizations, and businesses helped fund the project. All of those who contributed are listed on a special granite marker to the side of the monument.
Adrian Bambini is the regional representative for the KY Veterans Hall of Fame Foundation, and he hosted the dedication ceremony.
He said Kentucky’s Hall of Fame program was established in 2010, and that “relatively few” states have a formal program like Kentucky does.
“With nearly 300,000 veterans now living in Kentucky and with only a few hundred selected so far for induction into the KY Veterans Hall of Fame, just to be nominated for possible induction is a great honor,” he said.
The selection committee reviews applications annually, with 25-30 chosen per year. Posthumous nominations are also accepted.
“In Kentucky, selection into the Veterans Hall of Fame is based on what a veteran has done since putting the uniform aside,” Bambini said. “Some of the veterans selected for the Hall of Fame were on active duty for as little as 2 years while others completed a full military career before returning home. While many Hall of Fame members served in a combat zone during their time in the military, others did not.”
Bambini said all those who have been selected for membership in the KY Veterans Hall of Fame have in the past been recognized by various organizations for their outstanding community contributions.
“To have been selected for membership in the KY Veterans Hall of Fame is the pinnacle achievement for the men and women so selected, as it takes into account a lifetime of service to one’s fellow citizens,” he said. “The veterans being honored with this monument have served tirelessly in their home communities and have become community leaders. They would all be quick to acknowledge that they themselves received a lot of help along the way. While working together for the common good, we can accomplish what to some might seem as impossible.”
Other participants in the dedication ceremony were VFW Posts 696 Honor Guard (posting and retrieval of the colors, 21-gun salute); Keith Cain (opening prayer); KY Veterans Hall of Fame member Mike Robinson (pledge of allegiance); Gold Star Mother Cathy Mullins (National Anthem); and Owensboro High School JROTC (unveiling).
