Published: July 08, 2006 11:19 pm      

Kentucky Veterans Welcome Home Celebration

Largest gathering of vets in state’s history only a month away

The Kentucky Veterans Welcome Home Celebration to be conducted Aug. 3-6 at Madison County’s Battlefield Park, is shaping up to be the largest gathering of veterans in the state’s history.

“We’re expected anywhere from 15,000 to 25,000 people to attend during the four-day event,” said Emerson McAfee, one of the organizers.

Six winners of the Medal of Honor, including Korean War veteran Ernie West of Greenup County, have committed to attend, he said.

West and two other Medal of Honor winners will be on hand for the opening ceremony the evening of Aug. 6, and will be recognized by Gov. Ernie Fletcher. The other three also will attend the celebration.

Franklin D. Walker of Richmond, one of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, also will be present for the opening ceremony to receive special recognition from the governor, McAfee said.

Former Miss America Heather French Henry, who has made advocacy for disabled veterans her special cause, also will take part in the opening ceremonies.

The homecoming celebration is for all veterans, McAfee said, but Vietnam veterans will be in the spotlight as a traveling replica of the national Vietnam Veterans Memorial will be set up for the event.

The names of the 1,050 Kentuckians killed in Vietnam will be read during a special memorial service.

Richmond native Wayne O. Smith, an Air Force pilot who was held as a prisoner of war for five years by the North Vietnamese, will read the names of his Kentucky comrades who died in Vietnam.

During Smith’s wartime captivity, he was held in a cell next to U.S. Sen. John McCain’s. McCain detailed his experiences in a best-selling autobiography titled “Faith of My Fathers.”

The U.S. armed forces will be supporting the celebration with several flyovers by military aircraft, including a B-52 bomber and T-45 Navy trainers. Flyovers by restored World War II aircraft also have been scheduled. Paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division will drop in for the celebration on Sunday afternoon.

The Trojan Horsemen, who fly T-28 Warbirds from World War II, will put on an air show Sunday afternoon.

Displays of military equipment will be set up for the celebration.

In addition to the solemnities and military demonstrations, lots of entertainment has been planned. Some “big name” entertainers will be on hand, including Grand Ole Opry stars Janie Fricke, Aaron Tippin and the bluegrass group Confederate Railroad. A number of local entertainers have been booked as well.

Confederate Railroad will headline Friday night’s entertainment with Fricke performing late Saturday afternoon, followed by Tippin on Saturday night.

No admission will be charged for the celebration, McAfee emphasized. “That’s why we’ve been soliciting charitable contributions to make this event possible.”

Local governments, businesses and individuals are supporting the celebration, but, “We’re still a little short of what we need,” he said. “Donations by sponsors are tax deductible.”

For more information about the event, visit the Web site www.kentuckyveteranswelcomehome.com or contact McAfee via e-mail at emcafee@alltel.net.

Bill Robinson can be reached at brobinson@richmondregister.com or at 623-1669, Ext. 267.