Wendell Hampton Ford
Governor (1971-74), Senator (1974-1999)
Daviess County
Ford is a Democrat and was an insurance agent before entering politics. He served in World War II. Ford served as a state senator and lieutenant governor prior to his election as governor. As governor, Ford raised various taxes to fund improvements in aid to dependent children and the aged and food-stamp program increases. He increased funding to the University of Louisville and what became Northern Kentucky University. Ford pushed strip-mining regulations and other efforts to improve the environment. He emphasized coal research in the wake of the period’s national energy crisis and presided over the expansion and reorganization of state government departments. He resigned as governor to enter the U.S. Senate, serving from 1974 to 1999.
http://history.ky.gov/governors.php?pageid=27§ionid=8 Kentucky Historical Society
Ford Hails Training Site as One of the Best in Country
by Staff Sgt. Dale Greer
During dedication ceremonies for the training site name in his honor, U.S. Senator Wendell H. Ford hailed the new facility as one of the best in the nation. “We are here today to dedicate a facility that plays a tremendous role in training our men and women to be their best when things are at their worst,” Ford told an audience of several hundred military and civilian spectators gathered at the dedication. “And that makes this facility one of the most valuable weapons that our military could have.” “When commanders come to this facility, they know their men and women will find no better simulation of what they can expect in wartime.” “Today, we are witnessing the start of a new era in military training – an era where the nation will look to Kentucky for much of their training needs,” Ford said, who was instrumental in funding the site’s expansion. “I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am to have my name associated with a facility of this caliber – a facility that will not only prepare today’s armed forces for whatever they might face but will continue to be a leader in training future generations.” Ford, native of Owensboro, was a member of the U.S. Army in 1944-46. He then went on to serve in the Kentucky Army National Guard for thirteen years before pursuing public office.
The Bluegrass Guard Volume Two, Issue One