05/10/2026
🇺🇸 MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY ANNOUNCEMENT 🇺🇸
Private Frank James to be added to Kentucky National Guard Memorial
Join us on Monday, May 25, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. for the annual Memorial Day observance at the Kentucky National Guard Memorial, located at the entrance of Boone National Guard Center (100 Minuteman Parkway, Frankfort, KY).
As we honor our nation's fallen service members, this year, one additional name will be unveiled on the memorial bringing the total number of Kentucky Guardsmen honored to 318 soldiers and airmen who died in the line of duty since 1912.
This Memorial Day, we honor the life and sacrifice of Private Frank James, whose name will be permanently added to the memorial.
Born on December 3, 1882, in Roseville, Hancock County, Kentucky, Private James moved to Evansville, Indiana in 1910 and worked as a plumber there before answering his nation’s call to service by enlisting in Louisville on April 17, 1917. Following initial training at Camp Zachary Taylor in Louisville and mobilization training at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, he deployed to France in October 1918 as a member of Headquarters Company, 138th Field Artillery Regiment, 38th Infantry Division, American Expeditionary Forces.
On the evening of 26 October 1918, near the rail station at Gaël, France, disaster struck. A train carrying elements of the 138th Field Artillery, including Headquarters Company, had stopped—reportedly due to mechanical difficulty. Headquarters Company occupied the rear six cars of the halted train. Following behind was another train carrying Kentucky’s 113th Ammunition Train. At approximately 8:50 p.m., the second train collided with the stationary cars, telescoping multiple wooden railcars and completely demolishing the rear section of the train.
In darkness and confusion, fellow soldiers attempted rescue operations. Communication lines were downed in the wreckage, delaying rescue efforts. Medical assistance arrived from Camp Coëtquidan during the early morning hours. The wounded were evacuated, and the dead were gathered for identification and burial.
Tragically, Private James and 11 fellow soldiers of the 138th Field Artillery lost their lives in this catastrophic railroad collision. His death—occurring only two weeks before the Armistice ended World War I—serves as a solemn reminder that sacrifice often extends far beyond the battlefield. Today, he rests among America’s honored dead at Arlington National Cemetery.
To properly honor his memory, we are asking for the public’s assistance in locating any surviving family members of Private James so they may be formally invited to attend this year’s ceremony. If you know of any relatives, please contact Dean Stoops at [email protected] or call (502) 682-8454.
Parking will be available on Boone Center grounds with shuttle vans available to transport attendees to and from the memorial site.
This ceremony is free and open to the public, and we invite all Kentuckians to join us as we honor those who gave what President Lincoln called “the last full measure of devotion.”
