Vol. 115, No. 28	July 9 , 2008

Saluting the Fourth

Photos by Larry See Jr.
Members of the Headquarters, Headquarters Troop 16th Cavalry at Fort Knox salute the nation with a 51-gun salute, with 50 shells honoring the 50 states and one honoring the United States territories.

At Fort Knox

By LARRY SEE JR.
Messenger Staff

An overflow crowd at Fort Knox’s annual Fourth of July “Salute to the Nation” resulted in Brig. Gen. Donald Campbell, Jr., the commanding general of the U.S. Army Armor Center and Fort Knox saying that staff needed to acquiremore chairs next year.

“I want to thank all of you for coming out,” Campbell said on the sunlit day, which erased thoughts of rain forecast for the nation’s 232nd birthday.

“Thank you for attending as this day holds deep meaning for all of us here,” Campbell said. “It is more than the present and the future. We are here to reflect on the past and honor those sacrifices of men and women who have gone before us. We also need to look to the future.”

Campbell said the United States will no longer accept conditions placed on them by governments over 1,000 miles away, having done away with that in drafting the Declaration of Independence.

“It allowed our country to accept some ideals, which were pretty innovative at the time,” he said. “But the British government was not so accepting of this document.”

The Continental Army, the forerunner of today’s United States Army, was credited with putting down the original rebellion, Campbell said.

“They proudly stood up to the British at Yorktown and defeated them,” he said.

Brig. Gen. Donald Campbell Jr., commanding general of the U.S. Army Armor Center and Fort Knox addresses spectators during the Fourth of July event on post.

He concluded his remarks by saying “this is America, the land of the free and the home of the brave and we can say with honor that our soldiers will continue to stand up for the rest of the world.”

Retired Lt. Col. William Gehr, U.S. Army, presented a toast to the flag as a member of the Floyds Knobs, Ind., Boy Scout troop held it.

The 113th U.S. Army Band, played patriotic music and members of the Non-Commissioned Officer’s Academy posted the colors.

At Otter Creek Park

International Harvester tractors created a sea of red during the 16th annual Lincoln Trail Antique Power of the Past threshing days and antique tractor show over the weekend at Otter Creek Park. Local club members hosted the International Harvester Collectors, Ky. Chapter 24 Red Power Reunion, bringing participants from throughout the country.

Weather didn’t dampen the spirits of participants at the 16th annual threshing days and antique power show over the holiday weekend.

Matt Pike and Wade Pike shovel wheat into a steam-engine operated threshing machine at the threshing show over the weekend. The 50-horsepower steam engine was owned by Bardstown resident Randal Durbin was named “My Three Sons.”

“This is our 16th show and it appears to be getting better every year,” club President Edd Pike said. “I want to thank anyone that had any part of this and hopefully you will all be back again next year.”

The nature center grounds at Otter Creek Park was the perfect spot for the event, which featured food booths, arts and crafts, tractor supplies, kids games, threshing and baling entertainment and much more.

Daily events included steam engines, threshing and straw baling, a blacksmithing demonstration, and field demonstrations.

Club members spend the entire year planning this and their other major event, the farm toy show and sale in March at the Farm Bureau Community Building on the Meade County Fairgrounds.

Next year’s show is tentatively scheduled for July 10-12 at the park.

At Ohio River boat docks

The purser’s lobby is what guests will first see after stepping foot about the R/b River Explorer, a floating hotel barge. Bargemates get their guests quickly checked in and directed to their rooms for the five to 10-day excursions along many of the nation’s waterways. The trip stopping in Brandenburg was enroute to Louisville and then was destined for a visit at Owensboro.

It’s not often a riverbarge spends an overnight visit in Brandenburg, but the R/B River Explorer did just that over the holiday weekend.

During the boat’s stop, area residents were given a chance to visit the floating hotel with guided tours offered by bargemates, or staff from the vessel.

The Explorer is composed of two barges, the DeSoto and the LaSalle. Tours were offered of the public facilities on the LaSalle barge, as the DeSoto is where the guest quarters were at.

All staterooms are 200 square feet and feature individually-controlled air conditioning and heat, select satellite TV, a VCR, mini-fridge, coffeemaker, binoculars, full-size tub with shower, hair dryer, large opening picture window and a choice of twin or super queen bedding. Platinum deck staterooms, located on the upper level, offer a small balcony.

A small library, complete with books and games, a gift shop and a galley, with all the commands heard by the ship’s captains are on board.

The R/B River Explorer sits on the boat docks along the Ohio River in Brandenburg’s Riverfront Park. While passengers spent Sunday morning visiting the Patton Museum at Fort Knox, bargemates provided tours for residents.

Staff double as tour guides during stops, with our tour guide coming from New Orleans, where the barge is headquartered, and doing double duty as a waiter.

He explained all staff perform a variety of roles, including waitering, cleaning, housekeeping and cooking. They are housed in dorm-style rooms with two to four members in a room and community bathrooms.

The barge, built in 1998, measures 730 feet long and 50 feet high. The vessel accommodates about 200 guests.

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