The National Guard began in Danville in the 1940s, and was located on Sixth Street. The unit was not activated for federal duty until Vietnam, when the artillery unit stationed there (Company C, 2/138th) was called up. However, the orders were canceled when Company C was transferred to Bardstown and the 103rd Forward Support Battalion moved to Danville. The men from Danville were spared from going overseas.
The 217th Quartermaster Detachment (water purification unit) was activated for Desert Storm. The 217th was put on stand-by while the other Danville unit, the 137th Transportation Detachment, was given two weeks to prepare. Shortly after receiving the first orders, another set of orders alerting the 217th to prepare for immediate mobilization was received. The 217th was one of the first units to be involved in Desert Storm because of their water purification experience. This is the only unit in the state with that capability. During mobilization, it was very hectic, as uniforms had to be issued, the men had to get shots, health insurance, wills updated, and so forth. Families of the soldiers met at the armory for 10-11 hours a day for briefings and the Guardsmen were busy loading up equipment and vehicles to leave for Fort Knox, where they would train before leaving for Saudi Arabia. Upon arriving at Fort Knox, the men had a month of training before departing. The men left Fort Knox to fly out of North or South Carolina for Saudi Arabia.
The 217th was gone for 6-8 months, purifying water out of the ocean for other American troops to drink. The 217th was attached to another unit from Alabama. While in Saudi Arabia, the unit began to use the Row Pu desalinization system for the first time, rather than the older system they had been using in Kentucky. the unit returned to Kentucky, the older water purification systems were turned in and replaced with Row Pu.
The 137th joined Desert Storm a short while later. They were stationed at the ports and helped to unload ships and cargo. Upon return from Saudi Arabia, the soldiers were greeted with a hero's welcome and a parade. Currently, the 217th Quartermaster unit and Company A of the 103rd Forward Support Battalion are stationed in Danville.
Community activities that take place at the armory include circuses and "Breakfast for the Boss," where the soldiers' have their employers come out and Guardsmen discuss the benefits of having soldiers as employees. During drill week, employers are invited to come out and observe what their employees' job is with the Guard. The Danville Guard is the only one in the state to sponsor either of these activities. Other activities the Guard participates in around Danville include the Adopt-A-Highway program, an air show in nearby Junction City, and the "Stabowen" night time air shows. The Danville Guard created a promotional videotape about their unit, and it was aired on the local TV station. The Danville National Guard has won more community awards than any other unit in the Battalion.
In addition to community awards, the Guard has been involved in many state active duty missions. They were called up to provide security during the Vietnam riots at the University of Kentucky in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The Transportation Detachment hauled truckloads of medicines and supplies to Florida after Hurricane Andrew in the early 1990s, and also transported food to different areas. The 217th Quartermaster Detachment was called to Iowa for three weeks in the early 1990s to purify water during the heavy flooding in the Midwest. In 1996, the unit went to Owensboro to purify water. As one of the highest priority units in the state, the Water Purification Unit gets the equipment they need quicker than other units. Before the 217th, water units were attached to Engineer companies.
The Danville Guard has a female commander, and is the only one in the history of the Danville National Guard. Lieutenant Judith Masters was active in ROTC and the Army Reserves before serving with the National Guard. She started out as commander of the Headquarters Detachment and is now commander of the entire unit.
In addition to their promotional videotape, the Danville Guard created their own Web page, which was viewed by the Commander in Washington D.C. General Navas, Commander of the National Guard, sent the Danville unit a letter of commendation for their work and coins from two-and-three star General Baca. Deborah Lee, Assistant Secretary of Defense under William Perry, visited the armory several years ago to present an award to the unit.
Danville Armory The Danville Armory is situated on roughly two acres in an industrial part of Danville, not far from downtown. The current armory is the only one ever built in Danville, although an old warehouse on Sixth Street housed the National Guard for a time. The current armory is a two-story brick building with small one-story wings on either side, and is similar in design to the 1953 Paducah Armory. The OMS #5A is contained within the armory itself. The armory is not a very large one compared to others in the state, but the National Guard has been very active in the military and community since they started in Danville.
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.