Rockport Heroes Remembered!
Rockport Soldier Series #9!

Time May Be Immortal-Soldiers Are Not!
Old Photos Furnished By Hilma.
Stat by jrd on 7/30/07. Revised Source Code on 1/27/16.

This Military Series Is Designed To Give Honor To Those From The Rockport Area That Served Our Country. I Have Not Left Out Anyone Intentionally, As I Can Only Include Those That I Have Information About. If You Know Or Are Aware Of Anyone That I Have Not Included, Please Feel Free To Send Me Some Material And I will Include Them In The Series. Thanks.

Music is a Patriotic Medley Of Military Tunes.

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David Heltsley.

David Heltsley was just one of those guy that never saw a stranger and he was especially friendly to the younger Rockport residents. By the time that I was able to venture from the confines our property, David always seem to be near. Most of the time, he was talking or telling some tale, but in the meantime, he was keeping an eye on the area, as David seem to think that this area was his space to protect. Any youngster that got out of line or was about to get hurt would hear from David. Otherwise, it was one of those situation where if one was safe, one could do their thing without any interference from David.

David Heltsley wore many work hats and had many plans. He operated a restaurant, for several years, at the location where the Rockport Post Office is now located. His main trade was a construction electrician and he enjoyed talking about being an electrician and of electricity in general. His tales and tricks about electricity was one reason that I found electricity fascinating and thus, wanted to be an electrician. I can hear him now telling all that would listen that he could stick his finger in a light socket or touch an electrical wire and live to tell the story. He could and he did, but he was ever so careful to make sure what he was touching was a neutral wire or the neutral connection on the light bulb socket. A twelve year old kid just did not know the difference, thus to us, David was always entertaining.

I don't know much about David's military life. I know that he was drafted and served his country when Uncle Sam presented him with a draft notice. He went where he was needed and returned a hero. I think that most of his military service time was spent in England. I have a promise of more details and will make additions or corrections to this write-up when I receive the promised material. David Heltsley married Evelyn and I can remember two children, a boy and a girl. It seems as if there was another child, but I can not put a name or a face with anyone else. After retirement, the David Heltsley's bought a small farm on the Green River in the Little Bend area. There, the two of them enjoyed their retirement years. Their work on the farm produced a nice orchard and they sold apples and peaches. My family, by this time consisted of a wife, a son and a daughter. We just loved to visit the Heltsley Orchard and pick apples until our baskets runnuth over. Surely do miss those trips.

Arnold Judson Brown.

T/5th Grade Arnold Judson Brown, Battery B, 134th AAA Gun Battalion.
He was inducted into the army April 8, 1943 in Ft. Harrison, Indiana and received his honorable discharge on February 4, 1946 at Ft Atterbury, Indiana.

He served in numerous battles including Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge), Rhineland, Central Europe and Ground Combat. He earned various medals including 4 Bronze Stars, the EAME Theater Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal and American Theater Ribbon.

His family was very proud of his service to our country. He died June, 1972. He was the husband of Palestene Brown, father of Janie Brown Paxton and Jim Brown and the son of the late Virgil and Beulah Brown of Echols, Kentucky.

The above picture and write-up of TSergeant Brown was taken from the Ohio County Times, Hartford, KY dated July 4, 2002. Thanks Ohio County Times for you remembrance of one of our brave soldiers.

I did not know Arnold Judson Brown. According to Hilma, and I hope that I get this correct, Arnold is the brother of Hildred Brown. They were cousins of Bert Neal and Powell Wilcox. Thanks Sergeant Brown for your service to our country.




Hemon Johnson Jr.

Hemon Johnson was an owner and operator of a restaurant when I first got to know him. He and his wife operated their restaurant out of the old Rockport Bank Building. This was in the time frame of the mid forties. He had a son that was a few years younger that I, but that did not keep the son from trying to play with us. While his son was in the tricycle stage, we were in the bicycle stage and that made it difficult for him to keep up with us. It was Rockport in the forties and we did not try to prevent him from following. We lived just across the street from the restaurant and got to know the Johnson family quite well. Hemon and my father were friends from years past.

I am guessing that Hemon joined the Navy during the time frame of World War II and served honorably until the end of the war. With discharge papers in hand he returned to Rockport and he and his wife opened the restaurant. Not sure how long they kept the restaurant going, but would guess until the early fifties. We moved from downtown Rockport in about 1952, to near the High School, and I am thinking that the restaurant was still operational. "Fat Mammy" and Adrial probably started their restaurant in 1953.

For the next twenty years or so, Mr. and Mrs. Hemon Johnson seemed to have disappeared from Ohio County and Rockport, as I had not heard their name mentioned. We moved from Rockport to Hartford in 1971 and soon after the move, I ran into Hemon. He was in the "Heating and Air Conditioning" business and owned his own place in Hartford. At the time he was thinking retirement and was turning the business over to his son.

I am just not in the know of Hemon's military experience and do no know where and when he served his country. If anyone has knowledge of his military service and would like to share it, I would be glad to update this page.

Thanks for looking and visiting the Rockport/Echols Web Site.

See you.......
jrd