9/19/05
Greetings all and a Good Day to you. May your day be a good one and your future days even be better. May you also pause on occasion and remember our protectors of freedom and those protectors include the American Soldier. When you think things are bad, please try to reflect and remember our Soldiers and especially those in Iraq and Pakistan. Say a simple prayer for them and I believe that you will fell better.
Speaking of Soldiers and the current war, our Country's System seems to be such that most every generation has been exposed to some form of a war. "War Is Hell", is an old expression that has been around almost as long as war itself. For every war or conflict, real lives are involved and real lives are used and consumed. For every Soldier, there is family back home that will have to endure the rigors and tribulations of these conflicts. Soldier's return, some intact, but others return in various stages of disability or even death. All cities, small towns and communities are eventually represented by Soldiers that go to war. Currently, our military is an "All Volunteer" system, but it has been a system where the soldiers were drafted. In any case, when a person serves his/her country, as a soldier, either voluntary or non-voluntary, they should return as a hero. This stat is just a simple form of trying to recognize a few soldiers from the Rockport area that I look upon as true heroes. I hope to follow up with other stats, but even then, I will miss or fail to mention countless others. This, omitting of heroes, will not be intentional. You do not have to be reminded of our heroes, nor will all heroes be known by all people. The ones that I mentioned in this stat, as well as others that I hope to mention in future stats, are just simply those that I know or remember or those that I have pictures. Feel free to send me any pictures of our soldier heroes that you think should be mentioned and I will try to include them in future stats. Your list of heroes will be different, but they are heroes none-the-less.
Hugh Darrell Maddox is pictured in the top-left picture. What a guy, this Hugh Darrell. When you grew up in Rockport in the fifties, there were a few special adults that had time to talk to and listen to the teenagers and Hugh Darrell was one of those guys. Even after returning from service and getting married, he always had time to acknowledge your presence and talk with you. He would talk about most anything, but never mentioned his military service. Thus, I know very little about his service to our country. Hugh was drafted to serve as an American Soldier and he went with dignity and returned with glory.
After service, Hugh Darrell married a woman from McHenry and they made their home in this small town just East of Rockport. There were some children, but I don't know how many. Hugh was killed in a car wreck before he was able to retire and take life easy. May his remembrance by the people in this small town and Ohio County never be forgotten.
The soldier to the right of Hugh Darrell, happens to be an Airman of the Army Air Corps. Carlos Edward "Spagett" Welborn lived with his family and went to school in Rockport until his father (Fred) died in 1935 as a result of a mining accident. After that he finished his schooling while living with relatives.
In early 1942 right after WWII broke out he joined the Army and was assigned to the Army Air Corps. He was at first assigned to supply work; later on he was assigned to an air crew as a gunner on a B-25, light bomber; just before he was to go overseas he was assigned to train again as a gunner on a B-17. Once again just before he was to go into combat his pilot was very ill and the crew stayed in the states. He was then trained on a B-29 still as a gunner. By then he must have been one of the best trained gunners in the Air Corps; but then the war ended and he was soon discharged.
After service, Carlos Welborn married Irene and they made their home in Owensboro. They became involved with a florist operation and soon had their own place. Welborn Florist has been in business in Owensboro for as long as I can remember. There were no children from this marriage. Irene had a son from a previous marriage and from my last recollection, the son is still in the Floral Business and in operation as Welborn Florist.
Bottom-Left is a picture of a Soldier by the name of Bill Tooley. Bill joined the Army soon after graduation from RHS and he considered making the Army his career, but decided differently. He returned to Rockport after he served seven years in the military. He returned to the place where he was raised. He came back home to complete his dream of raising a family and of owning a home where he could some day retire. Bill thought that he wanted to teach school and he enrolled at Western Kentucky State Teachers College. He taught school at Rockport while attending college and must have decided that his dream career was not in the line of teaching. Later, Bill opened a restaurant that became know as "The Green Lantern". Think that David Heltsley may have originated the name when he was first opened the restaurant. Anyway, Bill was in the restaurant business in Rockport for several years. This old writer surely enjoyed dropping in at the "Green Lantern". A lot of others did also.
Bill married Irene Fleener and after deciding to open a restaurant, they moved into the house just up from the restaurant and proceeded to raise a family. There were four children and these four gave Bill and Irene 12 grandchildren. Bill passed away in 1977. Long live his memory; A soldier that will not soon be forgotten.
To the right of Bill is Bruce "Pete" Mason or affectionely know as "Pete". Pete must have been born and trained to be a Grocer and not a soldier. After his tour of duty with the Army, Pete returned to Rockport and married Thelma Tooley. Together they took over the grocery business from Mr. and Mrs. Tom Tooley and were in the grocery business until they both retired. Even after retirement, Pete kept the grocery opened on a part time basis. Think that he just enjoyed going to the store and taking life easy. He just enjoyed talking to his customers and Pete was certainly a Historian. Even as he aged he still had a good recollection of the history of Rockport. Reminiscing about Rockport and talking to his old customers was his retirement pleasure.
Pete and Thelma raised one daughter. Suzanne Mason married an Alexander and they are presently living near Brownsville. Their only daughter has a child which gave Pete a grandchild.
I looked up to all of these men and soldiers. To me, they were all heroes. They are all gone now, but most have left a lasting impression on their community as well as heirs from their marriage. Some soldiers paid the ultimate price and were taken from this old earth at an early age. Those that did not produce any children left an eternal gift to their country and will never be forgotten.
Freedom isn't free. It never has been free and never will be free. There are too many radicals and extremist in this old world that will not allow "Freedom without Force". The American Fighting Men and Women are the force that gives us our Freedom. May they never be doubted.
Do appreciate your time and effort in looking and reading. Without a reader, my time and effort would be for naught. Thanks.
Wishing you all a great day.
See you......
jrd
Greetings all and a Good Day to you. May your day be a good one and your future days even be better. May you also pause on occasion and remember our protectors of freedom and those protectors include the American Soldier. When you think things are bad, please try to reflect and remember our Soldiers and especially those in Iraq and Pakistan. Say a simple prayer for them and I believe that you will fell better.
Speaking of Soldiers and the current war, our Country's System seems to be such that most every generation has been exposed to some form of a war. "War Is Hell", is an old expression that has been around almost as long as war itself. For every war or conflict, real lives are involved and real lives are used and consumed. For every Soldier, there is family back home that will have to endure the rigors and tribulations of these conflicts. Soldier's return, some intact, but others return in various stages of disability or even death. All cities, small towns and communities are eventually represented by Soldiers that go to war. Currently, our military is an "All Volunteer" system, but it has been a system where the soldiers were drafted. In any case, when a person serves his/her country, as a soldier, either voluntary or non-voluntary, they should return as a hero. This stat is just a simple form of trying to recognize a few soldiers from the Rockport area that I look upon as true heroes. I hope to follow up with other stats, but even then, I will miss or fail to mention countless others. This, omitting of heroes, will not be intentional. You do not have to be reminded of our heroes, nor will all heroes be known by all people. The ones that I mentioned in this stat, as well as others that I hope to mention in future stats, are just simply those that I know or remember or those that I have pictures. Feel free to send me any pictures of our soldier heroes that you think should be mentioned and I will try to include them in future stats. Your list of heroes will be different, but they are heroes none-the-less.
Hugh Darrell Maddox is pictured in the top-left picture. What a guy, this Hugh Darrell. When you grew up in Rockport in the fifties, there were a few special adults that had time to talk to and listen to the teenagers and Hugh Darrell was one of those guys. Even after returning from service and getting married, he always had time to acknowledge your presence and talk with you. He would talk about most anything, but never mentioned his military service. Thus, I know very little about his service to our country. Hugh was drafted to serve as an American Soldier and he went with dignity and returned with glory.
After service, Hugh Darrell married a woman from McHenry and they made their home in this small town just East of Rockport. There were some children, but I don't know how many. Hugh was killed in a car wreck before he was able to retire and take life easy. May his remembrance by the people in this small town and Ohio County never be forgotten.
The soldier to the right of Hugh Darrell, happens to be an Airman of the Army Air Corps. Carlos Edward "Spagett" Welborn lived with his family and went to school in Rockport until his father (Fred) died in 1935 as a result of a mining accident. After that he finished his schooling while living with relatives.
In early 1942 right after WWII broke out he joined the Army and was assigned to the Army Air Corps. He was at first assigned to supply work; later on he was assigned to an air crew as a gunner on a B-25, light bomber; just before he was to go overseas he was assigned to train again as a gunner on a B-17. Once again just before he was to go into combat his pilot was very ill and the crew stayed in the states. He was then trained on a B-29 still as a gunner. By then he must have been one of the best trained gunners in the Air Corps; but then the war ended and he was soon discharged.
After service, Carlos Welborn married Irene and they made their home in Owensboro. They became involved with a florist operation and soon had their own place. Welborn Florist has been in business in Owensboro for as long as I can remember. There were no children from this marriage. Irene had a son from a previous marriage and from my last recollection, the son is still in the Floral Business and in operation as Welborn Florist.
Bottom-Left is a picture of a Soldier by the name of Bill Tooley. Bill joined the Army soon after graduation from RHS and he considered making the Army his career, but decided differently. He returned to Rockport after he served seven years in the military. He returned to the place where he was raised. He came back home to complete his dream of raising a family and of owning a home where he could some day retire. Bill thought that he wanted to teach school and he enrolled at Western Kentucky State Teachers College. He taught school at Rockport while attending college and must have decided that his dream career was not in the line of teaching. Later, Bill opened a restaurant that became know as "The Green Lantern". Think that David Heltsley may have originated the name when he was first opened the restaurant. Anyway, Bill was in the restaurant business in Rockport for several years. This old writer surely enjoyed dropping in at the "Green Lantern". A lot of others did also.
Bill married Irene Fleener and after deciding to open a restaurant, they moved into the house just up from the restaurant and proceeded to raise a family. There were four children and these four gave Bill and Irene 12 grandchildren. Bill passed away in 1977. Long live his memory; A soldier that will not soon be forgotten.
To the right of Bill is Bruce "Pete" Mason or affectionely know as "Pete". Pete must have been born and trained to be a Grocer and not a soldier. After his tour of duty with the Army, Pete returned to Rockport and married Thelma Tooley. Together they took over the grocery business from Mr. and Mrs. Tom Tooley and were in the grocery business until they both retired. Even after retirement, Pete kept the grocery opened on a part time basis. Think that he just enjoyed going to the store and taking life easy. He just enjoyed talking to his customers and Pete was certainly a Historian. Even as he aged he still had a good recollection of the history of Rockport. Reminiscing about Rockport and talking to his old customers was his retirement pleasure.
Pete and Thelma raised one daughter. Suzanne Mason married an Alexander and they are presently living near Brownsville. Their only daughter has a child which gave Pete a grandchild.
I looked up to all of these men and soldiers. To me, they were all heroes. They are all gone now, but most have left a lasting impression on their community as well as heirs from their marriage. Some soldiers paid the ultimate price and were taken from this old earth at an early age. Those that did not produce any children left an eternal gift to their country and will never be forgotten.
Freedom isn't free. It never has been free and never will be free. There are too many radicals and extremist in this old world that will not allow "Freedom without Force". The American Fighting Men and Women are the force that gives us our Freedom. May they never be doubted.
Do appreciate your time and effort in looking and reading. Without a reader, my time and effort would be for naught. Thanks.
Wishing you all a great day.
See you......
jrd
