The truck and trailer have a mind of their own... and hauled us into Kentucky, we don't know for how long yet.
One of the reasons for visiting Kentucky was to see the birthplace of our "Baby Blue".
There was a bit of confusion as to which hospital in Louisville she was made in. Not knowing there are two plants in Louisville, we called up one, and it turned out to be the assembly plant. We found out about the second plant when I walked into the gate security office, the guards informed me we were only 30 miles off target. The Stamping Plant is where F-250 to F-550s are assembled.
A tour visitors to Louisville should do is the Louisville Slugger factory. Explore https://www.sluggermuseum.com.
If you want a tour, you gotta make reservations. Ever wonder where the bat idea came from?
That's right, the butter churn, the life blood of the Hillerich business. J.F. Hillerich believed that butter churns would take them into a new century. Now his son Bud, had a different way of thought... baseball bats. In the early 1900s the churn business was declining, and Louisville Slugger became their main production item.
Get you credit card out, and pay for our tickets for the tour. The tour takes about 45 minutes. Before visitors tour the factory, they can meander through the museum, part of which is interactive. 
The bats we are holding were actually used by major league players. I held a bat used by Orlando Cepeda, Carol was using Rickey Henderson. Visitors cannot just grab a bat, someone that works for Louisville Slugger hands it out with specific instructions. Bats that visitors can choose from:
Remember I said Bud Hillerich wanted to make bats... the first bat he made was in 1884, for Pete Browning. Pete Browning was a slugger for the Louisville Eclipse, and that is how the name Louisville Slugger came about. To this day, Pete still has not been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Next case over was the bat that Babe Ruth used in 1927, and tracked his home runs.
Look closely in the lower photo, notice the notches around the Louisville Slugger logo... like notches on a gun. Babe went on to hit 60 home runs that year.
The walls tell the heartbreaking story of Jim Thorpe. Jim Thorpe was born in 1887, a member of the Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma, and a descendent of the Thunder group of the Blackhawk. He was given the name Wa-tha-sko-huk, meaning Light After the Lightning, or Bright Path.
He lost his twin brother, and was shipped off to Haskell Institute in Lawrence, Kansas. By 16 was orphaned and going to an Indian school in Pennsylvania. He moved on to do great things with his athletic abilities, receiving support from his Native American community. A lot of folks may remember him as a football player. The truth of the matter, baseball was a part of one of the biggest tragedies in the Olympics. Jim Thorpe earned two gold medals, only to be illegally stripped of them six months later. I talked of a heartbreaking story, this is where it starts. Jim Thorpe competed in the 1912 Olympics. After the deadline a technicality was noted... he had played semi-pro ball in the summer of 1909-10.
The Olympic injustice followed him all his life, but did not slow him down, athletically or professionally. Jim Thorpe played football, baseball, basketball, and did track and field.
After his death, he was buried in the town of Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, in a town he never visited. Sadly the family and Indian Nation have been petitioning for years to bring his body back to his homeland so a proper ceremony can be performed. The important take away is that he did not let racism, injustice, or heartbreak stop him from achieving his best.
Onward folks. Visitors have the opportunity to take pictures with their favorite baseball stars.
The museum can be re-visited after the factory tour. With that said, let's head to the factory.
The first sight entering into the factory is the bundles of blanks, made of ash, maple, and birch woods. Louisville Slugger invites players they have contracts with, to come in and choose which they would like their bats made out of. If you are a baseball fan, you can tell which players have contracts with Louisville Slugger, their bats will have their signature burned into the bat. We also learned that the Louisville Slugger logo is burned in at different locations on a bat, depending on the type of wood the bat is made from.
Bats for professional players are made differently from the everyday bat you and I would buy.
This machine makes a bat in 48 seconds, and is very precise, because professional players are pretty picky. For the everyday user they use a different machine.
This machine produces bats in 30 seconds, sands them, and cuts off the ends that attached the bat to the lathe portion of the machine. The next machine burns the logo on the bat.
Farther down the line their are people standing by to dip bats in whatever color is ordered up.
Today this guy was dipping bats in black. After they are dipped in their initial color and dry, they go into a clear coat dip next. At the end of the factory tour, visitors walk into a room pick out a small souvenir bat... we took one for each grandchild.
There a two options leaving the room, one is back into the museum, the other is out to the lobby and gift shop. Leaving the facility, there is a wall containing signatures of all the players that have, or had contracted with Louisville Slugger, for their bats.
After the tour we took a walk around historic downtown Louisville. Louisville is located along the Ohio river. We walked the walking/bike path along the water, then we took an elevator to the upper level, which opened on to a park overlooking the river. There are several bronze statues paying tribute to the Louis and Clark expedition. Along the street visitors can find home plates with bats at them.
This tribute is to Ernie Banks. The district is full of old buildings too.
On the way back to our truck we came across an unusual pomegranate.
Here is a closer look at the embellishment of the limo.
I hope you're history lovers, heading into the South has lots of history pertaining to the Civil War. We are learning a whole lot more about the Civil War than the textbooks taught us in school.
One of our stops was to the Federal Hill mansion of John Rowan, in Bardstown.
This home was not the starter home of John and Ann Rowan Sr. They started with a log cabin in 1795 , on 325 acres. John had a single level brick home commissioned, and named it Federal Hill in honor of the Federalist party. In 1812 John decided to enlarge the home to its current design. The new three story home was completed in 1818 with the efforts of enslaved and freedman construction crew. During the construction era, the farm grew to more than 1300 acres.
No pictures were allowed to be taken inside the home.
There were several tragedies that occurred at this mansion.
- In 1833 there was a cholera breakout... that even affected the rich and famous. During a celebration of a John Rowan Jr. political success held at the mansion, contaminated water was served, eight slaves and eight family members died from cholera.
- In 1841 a lightning strike caused a fire destroying the entire third floor. The third floor is reconstructed to its original design.
- In 1855 John Rowan Jr. dies from a broken neck, after falling out of an upper floor window. His death left his wife Rebecca caring for their 10 children.
In 1897 Rebecca dies, and the estates is divided amongst the majority of the children. The youngest daughter, Margaret "Madge" Rowan Frost, receives the house and all the original contents.
In 1923 Madge Frost transfers the estate to the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and in that same year the estate is renamed My Old Kentucky Home - Good Night.
Have you caught on to the name change? Stephen Foster wrote the song "My Old Kentucky Home - Good Night". He was also a visitor to the mansion in its glory days, and friend of the Rowan family.
A little more information can be found at: https://www.visitmyoldkyhome.com.
Kentucky was one of those states that had mixed emotions about slavery. The earliest attempts to create awareness regarding slavery were in 1783. In 1833 Kentucky passed a law prohibiting the importation of slaves. The law was financially restrictive for farming, so the law was later overturned in 1849.
In 1852 Harriet Beech Stowe's story Uncle Tom's Cabin was published which focused on the plight of a slave taken from his family, and sold to a plantation in the Deep South. In 1853 Stephen Foster's song My Old Kentucky Home - Good Night is released echoing much of Harriet's sentiments in Uncle Tom's Cabin.
There was a difference of opinion on Federal Hill regarding slavery, John Rowan Jr. was anti-slavery, and it was rumored that he payed his slaves. There are no records indicating that the Rowans freed any of their slaves. The issue divided the state, 100,000 fought to preserve the Union and abolish slavery, while 40,000 fought for the Confederates. The enslaved that fought for the Union were granted their freedom. Slavery in Kentucky did not end officially until the 13th Amendment was added to the Constitution December 6, 1865.
What would it be if we didn't stop by the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History in town. The Whiskey Museum is located in Spalding Hall. Info at: https://www.oscargetzwhiskeymuseum.com.
The building was erected in 1826. It was part of St. Joseph College until 1889. During the Civil War, Spalding Hall served as a hospital. It has served as a college, orphanage, seminary, and a prep school for the college from 1911 to 1968.
Shall we? The museum is located on the first floor.
BACKGROUND HISTORY: Oscar Getz was a whiskey distributor before prohibition, after prohibition, he and his brother-in-law got back in the wholesale business. Their product was distilled by the Tom Moore Distillery, in Bardstown Kentucky, and given their label Old Barton.
By 1940 he was the largest wholesaler in a seven state region. His hobby was collecting memorabilia and artifacts from the world of bourbon and whiskey. In 1944 Oscar bought the old Tom Moore Distillery, and changed the name to Barton Distillery.
The Barton labeled bourbon was re-labeled as Very Old Barton. Bourbons at the time were only required to be aged two years, the Barton bourbons were aged four and six years.
Oscar had a great reputation, was a historian and lecturer, and named Man of the Year twice by the industry, once in 1942, again in 1957. His collection continued to grow, and his wife was tired of all that "stuff" in the house, so he moved it to the distillery offices. From 1957 to the 1980s, visitors were welcome to visit, many thought the museum was the distillery tour.
With his collection snowballing in size, Oscar asked the town of Bardstown for space. The town came up with a 200 year old Catholic seminary... Spalding Hall. Unfortunately Mr. Getz passed away in 1983, before he could see his vision completed in 1984.
One of the interesting exhibits is a still once reportedly owned by George Washington.
The still was discovered on the property of family that were slaves of George Washington. I don't think George was distilling bourbon, but he was doing whiskey... and making a fair amount.
So let's back up a bit in history. It is rumored that in 1620, the Puritans brought enough alcohol on the Mayflower to supply each person with 149 gallons of wine and beer.
In 1789 the first recorded temperance society is recognized in Litchfield, CT., and not long after in 1791, the government instills a Whiskey Tax law on the distilling of public and private distilleries. It didn't take long for people to rebel against the new tax... we're talkin' 1792. Quietly in 1802 the tax was repealed.
Ok, back to George Washington. In 1797 George produced about 60,000 gallons of whiskey. By 1799 George was producing 11,000,000 gallons of product.
Matt... speed up this evolution, so we can get to the good stuff... will do.
- 1814 to 1817 a temporary "whiskey tax" is imposed to pay for the the War of 1812.
- 1826, the first American Temperance Society is formed.
- 1830, Americans over the age of 15 are guzzling seven gallons of pure alcohol a year.
- 1832, Congress bans alcohol on Indian reservations.
- 1834, American Temperance Society has 5,000 chapters, and 1,000,000 members.
- 1851, Maine is the first state to pass prohibition laws.
- 1860, 1,100 legal distillers producing 88 million gallons of alcohol annually.
- 1862, Lincoln imposes a new liquor tax to deal with Civil War debts.
- 1869, the Prohibition Party is formed.
- 1873, Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) organized.
- 1895, American Anti-Saloon League founded.
- 1900, 300,000 saloons operating in the United States.
- 1906, more saloons than schools, libraries, or churches.
- 1913, 16th Amendment ratified, established Federal Income Tax, an alternate source to the Alcohol Tax.
- 1914, All but 14 Kentucky counties are dry.
- 1919, Congress passed the Volstead Act over President Wilson's veto, establishing powers and procedures to enforce prohibition under the 18th Amendment.
- 1918, Kentucky is the third state to ratify the 18th Amendment.
- 1920, Americans enjoy their last legal drink, for 13 years.
Packaging of whiskey was pretty elaborate before and after prohibition.
The earlier bottles in the top photos didn't have paper label, the distillers name and type of whiskey was stamped in the glass bottle. The lower photo contains different decorative designs. The fiddle style bottles were to honor Stephen Foster and his song about Kentucky. The term "booze bottle" came about around 1840. A Philadelphia liquor dealer, E.G. Booz was selling his liquor brand.
As you can see Mr. Getz had a large assortment of whiskey bottles in his collection.
The Civil War brought about new strategies for engagement. Many of us have heard about the contest between the Monitor and Merrimac, a confrontation that ended in a draw, but brought in the era of ironclad ships.
Another advancement was the ability to blow ships up, and leave without being detected. This would be the introduction of the Confederate submarine Hunley. 
This 40 foot long submarine traveled just below the waters surface, its mission was to detonate a torpedo against the hull of a 200 foot long Union gunboat. The 135 pounds of black powder was attached to a 17 foot steel pole on the front of the submarine. This torpedo bomb was rammed against the hull, causing an explosion. The Union gunboat, U.S.S. Housatonic was sunk, and the Hunley into the night, and vanished... for 131 years, when it was discovered in 1995.
We all know that everyone that drinks are the most trustworthy of people, especially when no one else is around. The folks in the late 1800s weren't so sure.
This locking bung was used by retailers prior to prohibition, to protect from theft, or watering down of the alcohol.
How about for the personal stash.
Let's talk a little more about the impact the 18th Amendment had on Kentucky. When the 18th Amendment went into affect, hundreds of Kentucky distilleries closed, costing 6,000 to 8,000 jobs.
You might remember from another post, I talked about a method for getting alcohol, was through prescriptions. In Kentucky there were six distillers that held a medicinal license. Initially, the distillers could only provide from existing warehouse stock. Two of the distillers no longer had bottling capabilities, but the law allowed them to use one of the other licensed distillers for bottling.
Congress modified the Volstead Act when supply was getting low, allowing the licensed distillers the opportunity to produce new stock. Between the four distilleries capable of production, they were only allowed to produce 3,000,000 gallons per year.
Prohibition didn't stop the distilling of alcohol, it only went underground. For Kentucky there is a legendary story about the Ballard brothers, who furnished Cincinnati with booze. Federal agents suspected the brother of making and distributing the moonshine, so they decided to raid the brother's farm in December of 1922. They found what looked to be an abandoned cabin and still, to their surprise, they were wrong. There were two men guarding the location, and a shootout occurred, killing two federal agents. A few days later they again conducted a raid on the farm, which resulted in five men arrested, Charlie Ballard shot three times, Bob Ballard killed, and one more federal agent killed. Here we have two major battles with three federal agents dead, and still a decade to go in prohibition.
After prohibition whiskey could be found just about anywhere.
I'm sure you cannot see the prices for the alcohol, it ranges from $.85 cents to a $1.00 for a fifth.
With WWII in full swing the government was making ships right and left to send our boys to fight. In 1945 the U.S. Marine Corps had a "liberty ship" built, and named it Bardstown Victory. 
It made its way into the fleet via a unique christening. Two stipulations were made for the christening: 1) christen by a non-dignitary, 2) christen with a bottle of bourbon. To prevent jealousy as to whose bourbon was used to christen the ship, the Bardstown distillers provided a bottle of their bourbon, and a blindfolded person chose a bottle out of a box.
One of the biggest bourbon distilleries in Bardstown is Heaven Hill. I am choosing to say little about the distillery, during our visit to the area, the workers were on strike.
Bardstown being what it is, there is a lot to visit, and if you're not careful, you may find yourself in trouble.
This is outside the old Bardstown jailhouse, now a Bed & Breakfast. After lunch we headed to a couple more museums.
GET AND STRETCH OUT THOSE MUSCLES NOW.
Visit: https://bardstownmuseumrow.org for more information on the Civil War Museum, The Hal Moore Military Museum, and Women in the Civil War Museum. These three museums can be visited for the price of one ticket.
We started at the Civil War Museum, because that is where visitors buy the ticket for the museums. The museum attempts to keep an even keel, not siding with either North or South. Walking up the ramp to the exhibits, there are photos from the Civil War, and its participants.
A dislike for slavery started way back in the 1820s, with a Quaker, named Benjamin Lundy. From 1830 on a gentleman by the name of William Lloyd Garrison, a publisher, railed against slavery, and eventually became the leader for Abolitionists. Joining him were big names like Thoreau, Emerson, and Whittier, along with many politicians. By 1850, with the publics awareness growing, abolition reached a fever pitch with the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law, which returned captured slaves back to the owners. Harriot Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin didn't help either.
The government was always on the fence about slavery, whether to admit a state as "free" or "slave", the only answer was compromise. Not just one compromise, but three between 1820 and 1854: the Missouri Compromise of 1820, the Great Compromise of 1850, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854.
Passing the Kansas-Nebraska Act gave each state the authority to decide whether to be "free" or "slave". Unfortunately things only worsened in Kansas with southerner ruffians from border states coming up and pushing for slavery, and the abolition folks pushing for a free state. One week in 1856, Lawrence Kansas, a free state center, was sacked and destroyed by southern ruffians. Five days later an abolitionist and his sons took revenge on some pro-slavery settlers along the Pottowatomie creek, hacking them to death.
With this new Act, the flames were fueled more and more, building a great divide between the states. On one side you had a New York preacher sending guns to abolitionist supporters, and then there was the grooming of guerrillas to fight for southern ideals. Those same guerrillas would wreak havoc during the Civil War, and later as outlaws.
Remember the abolition supporter and his sons from 1856... he is back in the picture again in 1859. That supporter was John Brown. In 1859 he and his sons decided to raid the armory at Harper's Ferry, with the goal of confiscating the weapons, head south, and destroy slavery. The eighteen men, of which five were black, quietly took over the armory and engine house. John was expecting the slaves to rise up and support the cause... they did not. The townspeople rallied together and surrounded John Brown's group in the engine house. The first man to die was one of the freed slaves, nine others died, including two of John's sons. Two days later the Marines are called in, led by Lt. Col. Robert E. Lee, and stormed the engine house, wounding John Brown. John Brown was tried and hanged. Before he was hanged he made a statement, "I, John Brown, am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with blood". He foresaw the war.
The Civil War really started when Ft. Sumter was fired on by General Beauregard, and with ammunition and supplies running out, Major Anderson surrendered.
Let's talk a little about the guerrillas of the South. Guerrillas were considered irregulars, sometimes sanctioned by the armies. The guerrillas were usually unsavory type individuals that did not concern themselves with other peoples feelings, usually causing fear in the local community.
If you have ever watched old westerns that took place after the Civil War, William Quantrill's name may have come up. It was said he might have been one of the bloodiest guerrillas from the Civil War. He was actually from Ohio, and a schoolteacher. He was lured to the lawlessness along the Missouri-Kansas border. He started out as a Jayhawker, then switched loyalties with a commission in the Confederate Army. Quantrill was the leader of the sacking of Lawrence, Kansas. His group of guerrillas were pretty ruthless. They take a break in Texas for awhile, where the folks were southern soldier sympathizers. They wore their welcome out though, and became a scourge in the community. His group of guerrillas got restless and split into factions. A notorious guerrilla that came to lead one of the factions was "Bloody Bill" Anderson.
"Bloody Bill" apparently liked killing, without question. Union troops harmed his sister, and he vowed to get revenge on Union soldiers. Besides looting and killing, Union soldiers were his pleasure. At one town his group was sacking, a train arrived with convalescing Union soldiers. "Bloody Bill" marched the soldiers off the train, and shot everyone of them, and had his men scalp them. It was said that he had a necklace of Union soldiers scalps hanging around his horses neck.
Here's one for ya. This guerrilla went by the name Sue Mundy, his actual name was Jerome Clarke. He and his brother joined the Confederate Army, but eventually deserted, and turned to the lawless side. William was eventually captured and executed, Jerome continued his career of crime. Because of his fair clean shaven complexion he could pass for a women. Stories spread of a beautiful women leading the gang, with her hair streaming behind her. They spent their time looting and killing around Kentucky and southern Indiana. Sometimes they preyed on the Union Army by dressing up as Union soldiers. A manhunt found him in a barn. He was tried and publicly hanged in Louisville.
More marauders would have been the James brothers, who rode with Quantrill for awhile. They first started their career at Lawrence, Kansas with Quantrill. After awhile Jesse left the gang, Frank stayed. When Ed Terrill and his posse surprised Quantrill's gang, and shot Quantrill, Frank escaped. Jesse and Frank eventually got together and created their own gang, robbing banks and trains, never killing ruthlessly. Both brothers left the life of crime, and settled down. Jesse settled in St. Joseph, MO., where he was killed by a so called friend. Frank eventually turned himself in, was tried in multiple states, for multiple charges, and found not guilty. It is reported that Frank died in 1915 on his family farm, in the room he was born in.
Finally, the most elusive guerrilla gang was Mosby's Guerrillas. His full name was John Singleton Mosby, and was so elusive, he was given the nickname the Grey Ghost of the Confederacy. His unit was predominantly farmers and businessmen from around Virginia. Mosby was officially a Colonel in the Confederate Army. His unit was so successful that the Union army appointed a special group to hunt him down, The group received a hand up from the government, being handed repeating rifles, didn't do much good, Mosby's guys ended up with the repeating rifles. He survived the war, and ended his years as a respected citizen.
Monitor
Merrimac
There was herds of information and exhibits at this museum, but now we are going to move on to the next museum.
The next museum is actually 2-in-1. Entering the door, turn right, and head to the Women in Civil War Museum.
Carol and I were very impressed by the multitude of women involved in the Civil War, without much recognition. Let's get started with a nurse.
Mary Bickerdyke, who was present at nineteen battles.
She brewed coffee by the barrel, sought out eggs, chicken, and beef to augment the soldiers diets. She also assisted by doing laundry and assisting in operating rooms. One incidence she encountered an irate surgeon, asking her about her qualifications for being in an operating room, her response was "I am present on the authority of the Lord God Almighty, have you anything that outranks that?". Mary was the only woman that General Sherman would allow on his battlefields.
Another nurse, Susie King Taylor, volunteer, was with the Union Army's, 33rd Colored Regiment. 
She gained notoriety because of her devotion to helping regiment soldiers that were quarantined for smallpox. Her response when questioned about helping the sick, "all this time my interest is in the boys in blue has not abated. I was still loyal and true, whether they were black, or white."
Who says you can't have your cake, and eat it too? Antonia Ford would have disagreed with that statement. Antonia managed to gain information regarding Union troop size and movements planning to move against General Beauregard. In 1861, General J.E.B. Stuart commissioned her as an honorary-aide-de-camp, with all due respect to the title. Two years later she would provide information that aided Colonel Mosby the opportunity to capture a Union general and several other officers, at their headquarters, without a shot being fired. Because of this embarrassment General Baker sent a female spy to catch Antonia. The two became quick friends, leading to Antonia divulging information regarding Confederate activities. Antonia is arrested and sent to Washington to await her fate, which would be decided by a romantic federal officer. Major Joe Willard, who was engaged to Antonia, he hurried to the capitol to intercede on her behalf. She signed an oath of allegiance before Major Willard, and was released. For that signature, Major Willard resigned his commission, and married Antonia. How's that for getting out a prison sentence?
Who says you can't have your cake, and eat it too? Antonia Ford would have disagreed with that statement. Antonia managed to gain information regarding Union troop size and movements planning to move against General Beauregard. In 1861, General J.E.B. Stuart commissioned her as an honorary-aide-de-camp, with all due respect to the title. Two years later she would provide information that aided Colonel Mosby the opportunity to capture a Union general and several other officers, at their headquarters, without a shot being fired. Because of this embarrassment General Baker sent a female spy to catch Antonia. The two became quick friends, leading to Antonia divulging information regarding Confederate activities. Antonia is arrested and sent to Washington to await her fate, which would be decided by a romantic federal officer. Major Joe Willard, who was engaged to Antonia, he hurried to the capitol to intercede on her behalf. She signed an oath of allegiance before Major Willard, and was released. For that signature, Major Willard resigned his commission, and married Antonia. How's that for getting out a prison sentence?
Women were good in the spy arena. Nancy Hart was a great example. She grew up in western Virginia, and had a good knowledge for the lay of the land, and was perfect position to pass intel of Union troop movements to Stonewall Jackson. She eventually gets caught, and hauled to Summerville for detainment. She feared nothing of the Union forces, except for the incident requiring her picture be taken for Union records. In her fear she grabs the guards pistol, shoots him, and escapes on the general's horse. She escapes to Confederate forces, and leads them back to Summerville, where the Confederates capture the Union forces by surprise.
These were just a few women that made footprints in the sand of the Civil War. There were many other ranging from presidents wives who supported their spouse despite advice they were provided, to a woman that played a major role in creating sanitary conditions for the soldiers.
In the other side of the building was the Hal Moore Military Museum. For some of you, your Spidey senses may be tingling, that's because you see Mel Gibson as an Army officer leading soldiers into battle. We will get back to that later.
This museum encompasses many of the wars that the United States has fought in from the Revolutionary War to present day Afghanistan. I am going to make an attempt to not overwhelm you with more war history.
I find history interesting, I want to see if we have learned anything from the past, or are we still making the same mistakes. I have a lot of thoughts about WWII and Vietnam. WWII peaks my interest because my dad fought in Europe, but chose not to talk about it, like many of the soldiers that came home after the war. The stories my dad told were few and far between. I do remember seeing some of the pictures he brought home, and they were disturbing. One of my dad's assignments was cleaning up concentration camps. To the day he died, the memories of all the bodies just laying around, brought him sadness. Because of all that sadness, he would only watch movies if they were comedies. He did tell me a story one time about General Patton, I'm not sure it was true though. He was assigned under Patton's command at one time, and the story he told me regarding the death of Patton was not the way the movie portrayed it. The story my dad told me was that Patton actually was run over by one of our own jeeps that rolled down a street unmanned, not the way leaders want to be portrayed dying in battle.
When it comes to war, any means possible are used to cause casualties to the enemy. Back in the day little things were dropped on soldiers to wreak havoc.
Today we use IEDs to harm each other.
Many of you may have been taught history of the Nuremberg War Trials, which were several tribunals held from 1945 to 1949. Their were 189 high ranking Nazi officers tried, 161 were convicted. 39 were sentenced to death, some served prison terms, some were found innocent. Lesser ranking personnel unfortunately got away with their crimes against humanity.
With the surrender of Japan in 1945, war crimes trials were held in the Philippines and Japan.
Here is a story about Lt. General Takeshi Mori. He was Kempei Tai Deputy Commander, Commander 1st Imperial Guards Division, the Japanese version of the German SS. When the Emperor decided to surrender to the Allies, some high ranking officers came to Mori and tried to persuade him to help in a coup, and prevent the announcement of surrender. Mori refused, and was shot to death. The officers faked a document giving orders to continue fighting, but the plot was found out and squashed, Japan signed the surrender. In war anything can happen.
We have all heard about the stories of the Code Talkers of WWII, but did you know they actually go farther back, and weren't just Navajo. Code talking was actually pioneered by the Choctaw Indians back in WWI. During WWII the Army used many Native American tribes that included: Cherokee, Choctaw, Lakota, Meskwaki, and Comanche. The U.S. Marines enlisted Basque, and sent them to areas of combat where their language would not be prevalent.
Back to the namesake of the museum. General Hal Moore was a dedicated soldier and leader during the Vietnam War. Most of you remember him as Mel Gibson in We Were Soldiers. It was his belief that he was first on the ground in combat, and last to leave, leaving no man behind. General Moore was born in Bardstown, Kentucky, and lived near Bardstown until his death.
A rather funny story about the General has to do with his receiving the Purple Heart. He received the Purple Heart because he was injured stepping on a punji-stake. He refused to wear the award, and requested that it be removed from his record. He filed a formal request in 1968, and the Adjutant General replied, explaining that a General Order pertaining to the award could not be revoked, and would not be removed from his record.
I really kept this museum visit short, with the hopes that one day you will make a trip to visit the town of Bardstown to visit the museum yourself.
Have no fear, we did visit a distillery, Bluegrass Distillers. They are a small "mom & pop" operation, and one of the few we could get reservations for a tour at.
For whiskey to be considered a bourbon, it must be made with greater than 50% corn, and any combination of wheat or rye.
After the mash phase the product is move to the distilling phase. In the distilling process they break the products into: Head, Heart, and Tails, defined by the temperature product is at. They are looking for a temperature around 78 C, which is the desired temperature for "heart" product. When the temperature exceeds 80 C, it is considered tails, and no more product goes into the barrels.
In the spout there is a thermometer monitoring the temperature of product going into the barrel. The product is distilled twice to raise the proof, and refine the spirits. From here the barrels will age at least two years.
The white tank at the center right side is their mash cooking tank. They cook the grains to a temperature that releases the starches before moving it into the large copper still (on Left), where they will enzymes.
It's time to run again, they are getting close... see later.
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