Tennessee Guard returns armory artifacts in Bolivar and posthumously honors First Sergeant Howard Vincent Black

Major General Ross of the Tennessee National Guard presented a framed architectural rendering of the Bolivar armory and returned personal artifacts to the family of First Sergeant Howard Vincent Black during the Bolivar City Council meeting.

Ross told the council the armory — dedicated in 1991 to First Sergeant Howard Vincent Black Sr. — was more than a building: it served as a community gathering place and a link between the Guard and local citizens. "The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten," Ross quoted, explaining why the rendering and artifacts matter to the town’s history.

An official citation was read stating the Adjutant General of Tennessee awarded the Adjutant General's Distinguished Patriot Medal posthumously to First Sergeant Black for more than three decades of service, including World War II service as an aerial gunner that included more than 30 combat missions.

Ross presented two copies of the rendering — one for the city’s public display and a smaller replica intended for the library’s military collection — and described a glass case of personal items being returned to Black’s family. He asked the council to place the rendering and artifacts where residents and young people can see them and learn the armory’s history.

The presentation included remarks from senior noncommissioned officers who assisted in locating and preserving the artifacts. Ross said the Guard had worked to identify retired members and correct omissions in recognition where possible.

The council did not take formal action on the donation at the meeting beyond accepting the presentation; the mayor said the rendering would be installed in the armory for public viewing.