The name of a Kentucky National Guard member from the Knox County portion of Corbin will be added to the Kentucky National Guard Memorial on Memorial Day.
The Kentucky National Guard’s annual Memorial Day observance will be held on Monday (May 26) at 10 a.m. at the Kentucky National Guard Memorial, which is located at the entrance of Boone National Guard Center at 100 Minuteman Parkway in Frankfort.
A total of 22 names will be added to the Memorial honoring Kentucky National Guard men and women who have died in the line of duty since 1912, bringing the total number of names on the Memorial to 317 soldiers and airmen.
Of the new names being added, fourteen died during WWI, one died in 1945 during World War II, one died in 1952 during the Korean War, and six died during the post-911 era of a service-connected illness while serving on active duty.
Among the names being added is Pvt. Goebel Beckham Redmond, age unknown, who was a native of Corbin in Knox County. He died of pneumonia on Jan. 1, 1918, at the Camp Shelby Hospital in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Redmond enlisted in the Kentucky Army National Guard on April 11, 1917, and was a member of Company G, 149th Infantry Regiment, 38th Division. At the time of his death, he was on federal active duty with his unit, which was preparing for deployment to France during World War I. Redmond was laid to rest in the Pine Hill Cemetery in Corbin.
Despite the challenges and sacrifices, the men and women of the Kentucky National Guard have remained steadfast in their commitment to defending our nation and upholding the values of freedom and democracy, according to a release from the Kentucky National Guard.
“As we reflect on the courage and sacrifice of these 22 citizen-soldiers and airmen of the Kentucky National Guard who died in the line of duty, we are reminded of the selflessness and bravery that defines the American spirit. To ensure their service and sacrifice is never forgotten, their biographies are posted on the Kentucky National Guard Memorial website at https://kyngmemorial.org/fallen-warriors,” the release noted.
The Kentucky National Guard Memorial Fund invites the public’s assistance in locating family members of the fallen Guardsmen whose names will be unveiled this Memorial Day. If you know of any relatives, please encourage them to contact retired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Dean Stoops at dean.stoops@kyngmemorial.org or (502) 682-8454 so that a formal invitation can be extended.
The Kentucky National Guard Memorial is located at the entrance to Boone National Guard Center, 100 Minuteman Parkway in Frankfort. Visitors should note that the main entrance to Boone Center from U.S. Highway 127 is currently closed due to ongoing renovations.
Those attending the Memorial Day event should use the west entrance located at 1700 Louisville Road to access Boone National Guard Center.
Parking will be available at the United States Property and Fiscal Office (USPFO). Vans will be available to transport attendees to the Memorial site for the ceremony and back to the parking lot following the event. The Memorial Day commemoration is free and open to the public.
