Kentucky: National Guard History eMuseum

The National Guard has been in London since 1910, when it was Company "A", Second Kentucky Infantry. Not until 1916, when they were mobilized for service on the Mexican border, did the unit participate in a federal campaign. During World War I, the unit was designated as Company "A", 149th Infantry, and saw action in France after training at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. Men from the unit principally served as replacements for other units, and at the end of the war, the unit was mustered out of federal service. The National Guard was reorganized after the end of World War I, and in 1920 became Troop "B", Fifty-third Machine Gun Squadron, the first federally recognized National Guard unit in the state of Kentucky, according to the 1938 Historical Annual of the National Guard of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. In 1929, the unit was again reorganized as the Cavalry Rifle Troop "E", 123rd Cavalry. The unit served in World War II, and was organized as a Combat Engineers Detachment based in Somerset between 1968 and 1974. The type of units stationed at London between 1929 and 1968 is not presently known, but a tank company (Company D, 123rd Armor), was there at some point. Volunteers from London went to Vietnam and Desert Storm.

The current National Guard unit at London is designated Company B, 1/149th Infantry, since 1974. This unit at London is activated one to two times a year for state active duty missions. Some of these missions include forest fires, floods, and snowstorms. The unit was activated for the snowstorm in February of 1998, with their main mission being to transport people to the hospital (especially dialysis patients), and transport medical personnel to work. Transportation is the main mission of the London Guard unit. During the February, 1998 snowstorm, the armory was opened to stranded motorists. Because of its closeness to Interstate 75, the armory housed over 70 people during the snowstorm. During the 1994 March snowstorm, the armory housed over 300 people who were without electricity or who were stranded on the interstate.

The National Guard in London also participates in many community activities and festivals, including traffic control during the Chicken Festival, Laurel County Homecoming, and Laurel County Days. Drill hall rentals also take place at the armory, including church meetings, circuses, community meetings and groups, weddings and wedding receptions, graduations, and military balls.

The previous armory is a two-story red brick building with a covered entryway and small metal casement windows set high in the wall. In the OMS there are a few offices lining the walls but the large drill hall area takes up the majority of the space. One large garage door is situated at the back of the building, and office space lines the left side of the hall. Another building behind it is a one-and-a-half story red brick building with three bays (garage doors), and a small entry door and window. This building is primarily a maintenance structure, with two or three small rooms (offices) off to one side.

London Organizational Maintenance Shop

The current armory is the third building constructed for the National Guard in London. The first building, a stable used by the cavalry unit, was located on Dixie Street off Main Street, and was demolished several years ago. The second building was an armory, constructed in 1952 (See Photo Below). Still standing, the building is now used as the Organizational Maintenance Shop (OMS #2) for the current armory on State Police Road.

Old London Armory

There are actually two buildings at the OMS site, and both are used for maintenance purposes. The building at the rear of the main armory was the maintenance shop for the other building when it served as the armory; now both buildings are used for maintenance.