Cordell Meador and Burl Broughton were best friends in Holland, Kentucky in the 1930s and early 1940s. They explored, hunted and fished up and down Long Creek and Barren River. They graduated from high school in the spring of 1944. Upon graduation and during World War II, Burl soon decided to join the Navy.
His friend Cordell was the only child of tenant farmers Idell and Aubry (called Aub) Meador. Idell was nearly blind and Cordell being an only child and her only source of support was not required to enlist. However, being patriotic and with his best friend, he and Burl went to Louisville to enlist in the Navy. They were separated during the enlistment process and when they emerged from the enlistment process, Burl was in the Navy and Cordell (because of his colorblindness) was in the Army.
Cordell was later shipped to Europe while Burl made his way to the war in the Pacific (participated in the landing at Iwo Jima). Cordell joined the final months of fighting in Europe and was killed in Luxenbourg. He was killed on February 10, 1945 just two days before Luxenbourg was liberated.
His tombstone says he was killed in Germany but Burl told me on more that one occasion that he had talked with one of Cordell's army buddies and that it was actually Luxenbourg.
Burl returned after the war and worked at Big Four Feed, Stone Quarry and was the county agent for Farm Bureau until retirement. He loved his family and was the source of many great stories until his death at age 85.
Each year, Burl would plant a big patch of turnip / mustard greens to give to people in the community. Sue Neal and I continue this tradition in memory of Cordell and Burl. This year, we have had several residents in our community and elsewhere to stop by and pick some greens. I have imagined Cordell and Burl walking across this very field on their way to do some squirrel hunting along Long Creek years ago.
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