Campbellsville Armory

The National Guard has been in Campbellsville since at least the 1930s, when they were Company F, 3rd Battalion of the 113th Quartermaster Regiment. In 1947, Battery B of the 1/623rd Field Artillery was established in Campbellsville, and it has been there ever since. Like other units of the 623rd, Battery B is credited with the lineage and nickname "Morgan's Men." This unit was involved in the Mexican War (1846-48) at the Battle of Buena Vista, and they fought with John Hunt Morgan and the Confederacy during the Civil War. The unit was also involved in World War I, World War II, Korea, and Desert Storm.

Battery B was involved in Desert Storm along with the rest of the 623rd Field Artillery Battalion. The men were called up in late November, and trained at Fort Campbell. Some of the men left for Saudi Arabia in January, while others shipped out in February. Battery B sailed to Dhahran and waited for their equipment to arrive. When it arrived, and after off-loading the equipment, the men traveled 742 miles through the desert, 362 miles of which were in Iraq. While in Iraq, the men moved trucks to Al Jubayl. The majority of the men were able to leave Saudi Arabia in May, after going through 30 days of demobilization. Three of the men had to stay until August, when the equipment was loaded back onto the ships and sent home.

The 1/623rd Field Artillery is the highest priority unit in the state because of their equipment and their ability to use the MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System), one of the newest technological advancements in weaponry.

Old Campbellsville Armory

The current armory is the second one built in Campbellsville. The first building was located at the corner of North Central Avenue and Broadway. After the National Guard left the original building in 1964, it sat empty until 1970 when the City of Campbellsville bought the building. The Fruit of the Loom Company began operations in the basement of the building before their factory was built. The current armory sits on Broadway and is in the heart of the commercial district. The armory serves as both a community and military center for the city.

Photos and information courtesy Kentucky Heritage Council -- Report No. 25" Inventory and Evaluation of National Guard Armories in the State of Kentucky" - 1999 by Kate Carothers.