The students selected Seaman First Class Paul Griffith from Greenup County, Private Homer ‘Smokey’ Davis from Rowan County, Corporal Gladys ‘Hornet’ Meyers from Greenup County, Staff Sergeant Sammie Slusher from Salyersville, Greenwood ‘Cokie’ Cocanougher from Lexington, and Lieutenant Colonel John ‘Big Dog’ Daugherty from Bath County.
Below are the PowerPoints and posters for each person.
Metadata by Kaitlyn P'Simer.
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Impact of World War II in Eastern Kentucky
A Intro
An introduction poster to the Impact of World War II in Eastern Kentucky created by Emma Crouch in the fall of 2024.
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Paul 'Raymond' Griffith
Isabella Anderson-Huseman and Allison Ferguson
Paul Raymond Griffith began his active-duty service on May 17, 1945 where he was stationed at the Fleet Post Office in San Francisco, California. He later served on both the USS Samar (ARG11) and the USS LST 505 working in the mail room organizing and distributing the mail among the men on the ship.
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Paul Raymond Griffith
Isabella Anderson-Huseman and Allison Ferguson
Seaman 1st Class Paul R. Griffith joined the Navy despite ‘not being able to swim’ according to his son. He served at the Fleet Post Office, the USS Samar and USS LST 505 in the mail rooms. Griffith received the Asiatic Pacific Area Ribbon and the World War II Victory Ribbon. After leaving the Navy, he worked for the US Postal Service until his retirement.
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Homer 'Smokey' Davis
Walker Anderson and Jeremiah Brown
Private Homer ‘Smokey’ Davis operated the M26 Pershing T26E3 tank. His Division, called Spearhead, was at the Battle of Cologne. After serving in the war, he became an electrician at Morehead State University.
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Smokey & the Panther: Homer "Smokey" Davis
Walker Anderson and Jeremiah Brown
Homer “Smokey” Davis belonged to the 3rd Armored Division, known as Spearhead. Davis saw heavy fighting towards the end of the war and had the rare privilege to operate the M26 Pershing T26E3 tank. Spearhead was present at the Battle of Cologne, where Davis and crew fought and won a famed tank duel with a German Panther.
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Gladys 'Hornet' Meyers
Emma Crouch, Kaitlyn P'Simer, and Arwen Sergent
Corporal Gladys ‘Hornet’ Meyers serviced in the Women’s Airforce during Korea. She worked at the Defense Plant in Dayton, Ohio and took care of her family as teenager. She is the first woman in her family to serve – three of her brothers – Clarence, William, and Theodore - served in World War II one of which also served in Korea. Her father, Link Stamper, served in World World I.
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Gladys Veronica Stamper Meyers: "The Hornet"
Emma Crouch, Kaitlyn P'simer, and Arwen Sergent
Gladys Meyer came from a long line of military servicemen. She’s the first female in the Stamper family to enlist in the United States military. She was deeply inspired by her three brothers, Clarence, William, and Theodore who all served in World War II. She served in the Women's Air Force during the Korean Conflict.
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Sammie Slusher
Bryce Fletcher, Dawson Helton, and Ty Ledford
Staff Sergeant Slusher enlisted in July 1942 and passed in June 1944 before his daughter could meet him. In 1943, he became the recipient of the Silver Star and the Purple Heart. His medals are the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign and the World War II Victory Medal.
The Silver Star is awarded to those who had valor in combat and the Purple Heart is given to those were injured or killed while serving the US military.
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The Price of Freedom
Bryce Fletcher, Dawson Helton, and Ty Ledford
In April of 1943 at Djebel under heavy enemy fire Private First Class Slusher and three other enlisted men swiftly assaulted the hill with fixed bayonets and did away with an enemy machine gun squad. For this action he was awarded a silver star. The next day he was injured by a shell fragment for which he received a purple heart.
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Greenwood 'Cokie' Cocanougher
Chandler Howard, Brennan Ison, and Zoey Rounsville
Greenwood ‘Cokie’ Cocanougher participated in the War Service Training Program where she taught 250 students. She was the first woman to pin wings on a graduate, who was her son. After the war she became the leader of the Civil Air Patrol and Aero Club of Louisville. She served on UK Board of Athletics.
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Greenwood "Cokie" Cocanougher: "A Mother Doing Her Part"
Chandler Howard, Brennan Ison, and Zoey Rounsville
Cokie Cocanougher participated in the War Service Training Program where she solo taught 250 students how to fly. She was the second woman to land a plane on an army airfield and the first woman to pin wings on her son who graduated flight school.
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John Thomas 'Big Dog' Daugherty
Christina Lambert and Bryce Tackett
Lieutenant Colonel John ‘Big Dog’ Daugherty was sent to Espiritu Santo Island in 1943. In 1944, he was ordered to start a bombing attack on Rabaul out of fear of a Japanese ship attack. He flew a Grumman ‘Avenger’ and his team sunk seven ships. He was awarded the Flying Cross for showing heroism while in flight.
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Kentucky's Flying Leader: John Thomas Daugherty
Christina Lambert and Bryce Tackett
On July 31, 1943, Colonel John Daugherty and his bomber group were sent to Espiritu Santo Island to prepare for the Japanese along their acquired territory of Rabaul in the Pacific. In February 1944, it was assumed Japan was preparing a possible navy attack. Daugherty was ordered to begin a bombing attack on Rabaul. On March 4, 1944, the crew destroyed seven Japanese ships, with Daugherty sinking one while flying a Grumman "Avenger" torpedo bomber plane. He would receive a Flying Cross.