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Georgia Military College Celebrated Military Heritage Weekend
Georgia Military College Celebrated Military Heritage Weekend
Over the weekend, Georgia Military College celebrated Military Heritage Weekend, honoring GMC alumni military men and women that serve our great country. The event brought together members of the GMC family, community leaders, and visitors from around the region.
Events kicked off Friday morning as Georgia Military College recognized the Vietnam Veterans 50th Homecoming Anniversary Commemoration with a special ceremony. GMC welcomed Captain Charlie Plumb, a former Navy fighter pilot who spent six years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. Captain Plumb shared his powerful message of resilience and determination, inspiring all those in attendance.
Following the Vietnam Veterans 50th Homecoming Anniversary Commemoration was the Military Honors Ceremony, where GMC inducted three new members to the Hall of Heroes, paying tribute to Alumni of the GMC Corps of Cadets who have demonstrated extraordinary service to our nation while bringing honor to GMC. This is the highest recognition for an alumnus of the Corps of Cadets, and either the individual or members of the late individual’s family were invited to the Military Honors Parade to accept the prestigious honor.
Closing out the evening was the Grand Tattoo, a military tradition dating back to the 17th century and a fitting way to honor our nation’s veterans. This event, steeped in history and tradition, included special entertainment featuring GMC Junior College Glee Club, where they performed the GMC Alma Mater and God Bless America.
The entire event was a tribute to the sacrifices and achievements of our military, and a testament to the enduring spirit of service that is deeply ingrained in the GMC community.
The 2023 Hall of Heroes inductees are:
1LT Louis “Chap” Ashmore
The late Honorable Powell Moore
The late MAJ Joseph Uhler
1LT Louis “Chap” Ashmore
Louis N. “Chap” Ashmore attributes much of his life’s success to his service in the Vietnam War and later in the business world with the foundational lessons of leadership he learned at Georgia Military College. He attended GMC Junior College from 1963-1965, and after graduating with his associate degree, Ashmore obtained a Building Construction degree from the University of Florida.
Upon his graduation from the University of Florida, he entered the U.S. Army in 1968 as a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry. He graduated from the Infantry Officer’s Basic Course, Airborne School, and Ranger School, and was then assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, where he completed Jumpmaster School. On October 20, 1969, he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Regiment, First Cavalry Division in Vietnam and was promoted to First Lieutenant.
While serving with C Company as a Platoon Leader, he led a Ranger Recon Team to secure a position for a fire base in Cambodia, “Fire Base X-Ray.” This was the first fire base established for the April 1970 Cambodian Excursion. Prior to this, his unit mostly worked out of Fire Base Jamie, which was approximately six kilometers from the Cambodian border. 1LT Ashmore engaged in multiple fire fights in and around the Fish Hook and Parrot’s Beak areas.
While serving in the Vietnam War, 1LT Ashmore was awarded numerous medals for his heroism and service. He earned the Silver Star for gallantry in action during a firefight where he took two rocket launchers and crawled under intense fire to eliminate an enemy location. He received the Bronze Star with “V” Device for heroism in ground combat against hostile forces. While under intense fire including RPG, mortar, and machine gun fire, 1LT Ashmore moved from position to position to direct his men so they would not be surrounded by the enemy’s superior forces. He was also awarded the Bronze Star for achievement in ground operations against hostile forces.
1LT Ashmore was wounded on February 3, 1970 when he was hit in the leg and upper body. A medevac took him to Camp Zama, Japan for two months to stabilize his wounds. He left Japan in April 1970 and was taken to Martin Army Hospital at Fort Benning, GA until mid-December 1970. In total, he spent almost an entire year in the hospital recovering from his injuries. For the wounds he sustained in battle, 1LT Ashmore was awarded the Purple Heart.
Additionally, 1LT Ashmore was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, Air Medal, National Defense Service Medal, the Parachutist Badge, Ranger Tab, Vietnam Service Medal, and Vietnam Campaign Medal.
After serving in Vietnam, 1LT Ashmore joined the 160th Military Police Battalion in Tallahassee, Florida. He was promoted to Captain and assumed the position of Company Commander. While in that leadership role, the company was awarded “Best Army Reserve Company” in Florida. CPT Ashmore retired from the U.S. Army in 1980.
He then went on to embark on a successful construction career and founded Chap Ashmore and Associates in 1993. As President, he leads the company in the construction, development, and consulting of multi-family projects throughout the Southeastern United States. Ashmore has participated in the construction of over 14,000 apartment units in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, and the Carolinas. In addition, he has been active with Habitat for Humanity in several communities and with the American Legion.
Ashmore has been married to his wife Marie for 50 years. Together they have one daughter, Addie, and one grandchild, Jessie Lanier.
Honorable Powell Moore
The Honorable Powell Moore has deep family connections to the Milledgeville community and Georgia Military College. A native of Milledgeville, Moore’s great-grandfather, grandfather, and father were newspaper editors at The Union-Recorder in Milledgeville. His great-grandfather, Jere N. Moore, is one of Georgia Military College’s founding fathers.
He attended GMC High School and graduated in 1955 before attending GMC Junior College for one year. At GMC, he was a Cadet Battalion Commander and lettered on the Junior College football team. He then went on to attend the University of Georgia, graduating in 1959.
After graduating from The University of Georgia, Moore was commissioned as an Infantry officer in the United States Army. He served for more than three years with tours in Baumholder, Germany, and Fort Benning, Georgia. After concluding military service, Moore embarked on an incredible career in public service. During his lifetime, Moore served in senior positions for two U.S. Senators and four U.S. Presidents.
He served as Press Secretary to United States Senator Richard Russell of Georgia from 1966 until the Senator’s death in 1971. He then joined the Nixon Administration, first serving as Deputy Director of Public Information for the Department of Justice and later as a member of the White House Legislative Affairs staff. He served on the White House Staff under President Ford as well. From 1975-1981, he engaged in government relations and legislative affairs consulting, representing a variety of corporations and associations. Moore returned to the White House in January 1981 the day following Ronald Reagan’s inauguration as President of the United States. As Deputy Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs in 1981, he managed the Senate component of the Legislative Affairs office at the White House. In January 1982, President Reagan nominated him to be Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs, and he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in February 1982. After leaving government in late 1983, Moore advised and represented business interests as a consultant and as Vice President for Legislative Affairs of the Lockheed Corporation.
In September 1998, Moore returned to government service, serving as Chief of Staff to Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee until 2001. In April 2001, President Bush nominated Moore to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs and he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in May 2001. He is, perhaps, the only person to have led congressional liaison efforts at both the Departments of State and Defense.
Moore concluded his public service in 2009 as representative of the U.S. Secretary of Defense to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Vienna, Austria.
Throughout his esteemed career, Moore played a leading role during some of our nation’s most critical moments, including the end of the Cold War at President Reagan’s State Department, Watergate, the confirmation of Sandra Day O’Connor as the first female Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the Pentagon and The Global War on Terror.
Presidents, cabinet secretaries, and senators sought Mr. Moore’s advice and counsel. They trusted his steady hand and unflappable approach to any crisis. He was deeply respected as an honest broker by leaders in both U.S. political parties.
Moore was awarded the Defense Department’s Medal for Distinguished Public Service in 2005.
He was a trustee emeritus for the Richard B. Russell Foundation and the Georgia Military College Foundation. He was a member of the former board of visitors of the James Cox Jr. Center for Journalism at the University of Georgia as well. Moore was a member of the Society of Colonial Wars and the Society of the Cincinnati. He was a past president of the Association of Former Senate Aides and the U.S. Senate Press Secretaries Association.
Moore was married to his wife, Pamla, for 17 years. He had two children, a daughter and son, and five grandchildren.
MAJ Joseph Uhler
For Major Joseph Richard Uhler, a football scholarship led him to Georgia Military College from his hometown of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the GMC Junior College in 1942 and immediately went into military service, earning many honors and distinctions throughout World War II.
Uhler was initially assigned to the 139th Tank Destroyer Training Battalion, which was stationed at North Camp Hood, Texas. He was there for only a few weeks before the 894th Tank Destroyer Battalion shipped out to serve in World War II, on August 6, 1942. Having been assigned to that unit, Uhler arrived in England on August 17, 1942. Five months later he landed in Oran, Algeria, due to delays caused by an outbreak of spinal meningitis. He was committed to battle on February 23, 1943 at Kasserine Pass in Tunisia, and it was during the heat of battle that Uhler received a field promotion to 1st Lieutenant.
In April, Uhler’s leadership inspired his platoon to hold their position under heavy artillery fire, all while taking extensive losses of both men and equipment. Even after losing half of his transportation vehicles and several of his men, Uhler continued to occupy his position until ordered to withdraw. That same afternoon while still under attack, Uhler advanced to one of his burning vehicles and assisted his men in putting out the fire. He courageously assisted his men even though there was a box of anti-tank mines burning and approximately 80 rounds of 75mm ammunition on the vehicle, likely to explode at any time. Uhler was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry during this North African Campaign.
Uhler and the 894th landed in Italy in late October, and by December, they were in the vicinity of Pignataro, in the Mignano sector. They were then transferred to the Anzio beachhead on January 25, 1944, where his battalion supported British troops. During March to September 1944Uhler was involved in aerial operations against the enemy. Small planes were used to provide invaluable information for troop movement, enemy placements, and possible target locations. For his service, he was awarded the Air Medal for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial reconnaissance.
The unit entered Rome in June and crossed the Arno River at Pisa in September. They became mired at Porretta Terme late 1944–early 1945 and were finally able to enter Genoa on April 28th. While serving in Italy, Uhler was promoted to Captain. He was also awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement in ground operations against the enemy from August to November 1944.
Uhler served with B Company, where his unit was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for the company’s actions near Carroceto, Italy, in February 1944. He also received the French Fourragère, signifying the unit’s award of the Croix de Guerre. Uhler left military service having been promoted to the rank of Major.
After returning home to Georgia from the war, MAJ Uhler continued his education at the University of Georgia’s School of Forestry. While there, he met his future wife, Margaret Anderson. They married on July 22, 1948 and had four children together. MAJ Uhler worked in the Forestry industry, and he resided in Milledgeville until his passing in April 2007.
The Military Honors Ceremony and the Vietnam Veterans 50th Homecoming Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony were livestreamed on the GMC YouTube Channel and can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/@gmc-georgiamilitarycollege7570/streams
