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Alben Barkley Museum
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Memorable Last Words of the Veep
By: Robert L. Brackney - 2003-03-21
People may have forgotten Barkley's last words, spoken during a mock "convention" at the University of Virginia, just before he dropped dead of a heart attack. They are up on my corkboard.
"I would rather be a servant in the house of the Lord than sit in the seats of the Almighty."
Also on the corkboard is a quotation from the Gospel according to St. Luke: "When you have done all you have been told to do, say, 'We are merely servants; we have done no more than our duty."
"I would rather be
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Errors
By: Brown - 2003-06-13
The speech was at Washington and Lee and the last words were "seats of the mighty"
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Alben Barkley
By: Bob Spencer - 2004-11-22
In 1951 I was in the Air Force and served on the Vice Presidents aircraft. The Vice President was a person who believed in God and liked to have a drink of Kentucky Bourbon. A fine gentleman that I will never forget. The airplane that we flew back then was a converted B-17 Bomber. I have never seen any mention of these airplanes regarding their use as VIP aircraft in the early 50's. I left the Air Force in 1953 and later became an Army Officer/Aviator. Served three tours in Vietnam and Retired in 1980 as a LTC. Bob Spencer
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Funeral of VP Barkley
By: 1stLt Gerald F. Merna USMC (Ret.) - 2005-01-27
I was the NCO in Charge of the Marine Corps Recruiting Station, Owensboro, KY from Dec55 to Jan60. In May56, upon learning of the death of Gov/Sen Barkley, Capt. King, I&I of the 60thSplInfCo in Owensboro, KY, sent a telegram to Paducah's Chief of Police volunteering the services of himself and six enlisted Marines (of which I was one), to help with traffic or anything else on the day of the funeral. The Chief called to accept the offer, asking us to be there at 0900 and that he could use the help.
Upon our arrival, the Chief told Capt. King that since we were the only unit to volunteer our services, he wanted us to form a six-man honor guard at the railroad station when the body of VP Barkley was due in, and (2) to form a four-man honor guard on ther lawn of VP Barkely's home while the procession passed by. At the railroad yard, in addition to myself (then a TSgt), were: MSgt Sheppherd, TSgt Jordan, Sgt. Lambiasi, Sgt. Murphy and Sgt. Neeld. We were stretched out at 25 foot intervals as his body passed by, as well as the cars bearing Mrs. Barkley and his son and family, Averill Harriman, Adlai Stevenson, kGovernor Chandler, and Senators Kefauver, Wayne Morse, Earle Clements, Stuart Symington, Lyndon Johnson, and others. The extensive press coverage for the former Vice President to Pres. Harry Truman included a Life Magazine photographer.
The Honor Guard on the VP's home included myself, Tsgt Jordan, Sgt. Lambiasi, and Sgt. Murphy. We were there for about two hours and rendered hand salutes as the funeral procession left the church and detoured enroute to the cemetery in order to pass by The Angles," VP Barklely's home. Prior to leaving the house for the church services, Mrs. Barkley sent word out to Capt. King that she would appreciate it if the Marines would guard her home while they were at the funeral, which of course we gladly did. As the cars passed by, Mrs. Barkley smiled; particularly noticed were the cars bearing Former President Harry Truman and Adlai Stevenson.
After the procession was completed, a Nurse in the BArkley home invited all the Marines in for a brief tour of the home, and served us much welcomed cokes.
The Paducah Police force could not have been nicer to us giving us police escorts everywhere we went, and even treated us to lunch at a motel just out of town.
Aside from a National Guard detail and an MP detail from Fort. Campbell, we were the only other branch of the service represented (no Navy or Air Force).
We were privileged to pay honor to a former United States Senator and Vice President of the United States.
Semper Fidelis
Gerald F. Merna
1stLt, USMC (Ret.)
Potomac Falls, VA
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Email address change
By: 1stLt Gerald F. Merna USMC (Ret.) - 2006-06-24
Please disregard the old email address listed in my brief above article, "Funeral of VP Barkley."
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