Kentucky maverick : the life and adventures of Colonel George M. Chinn / Carlton Jackson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Jackson, Carlton, 1933-2014, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Chinn, George M., 1902-1987.

Chinn, George M.

Kentucky Historical Society.

United States. Marine Corps.

Bodyguards.

Businessmen.

Historians.

Military art and science--Technological innovations.

History.

Kentucky--Biography.

Kentucky.

United States.

Marines--United States--Biography.

Marines.

United States. Marine Corps--Officers--Biography.

Military art and science--Technological innovations--United States--History--20th century.

Military art and science.

Historians--Kentucky--Biography.

Kentucky Historical Society--Biography.

Businessmen--Kentucky--Biography.

Bodyguards--Kentucky--Biography.

Genre:

Biographies.

Physical Description:

194 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Lexington, Kentucky : University Press of Kentucky, [2015]

Summary:

"Colonel George M. Chinn's (1902-1987) life story reads more like fiction than the biography of a Kentucky soldier. A smart and fun-loving character, Chinn attended Centre College and played on the famous 'Praying Colonels' football team that won the 1921 national championship. After graduation, he returned to his home in Mercer County and partnered with munitions expert 'Tunnel' Smith to dynamite a cliff. The resulting hole became Chinn's Cave House--a diner that also functioned as an underground gambling operation during Prohibition. He even served as Governor A.B. 'Happy' Chandler's bodyguard before joining the Marine Corps in 1943. In Kentucky Maverick, Carlton Jackson details the life of a legendary and highly decorated Marine whose career spanned both world wars, the Korean War, and Vietnam. Chinn's service paired a love of history with a special kind of genius: he documented the history of military technology while designing innovative weapons such as the M-19 automatic grenade launcher, which is still used in the armed forces today. After leaving the Corps, Chinn leaned on his many connections to become the director of the Kentucky Historical Society. Carlton Jackson's entertaining biography weaves together outrageous tales of gunplay and politics while revealing Chinn's sense of humor, unbending will, and a sense of destiny that could only be fulfilled by a true twentieth-century Renaissance man"--Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Introduction: A maverick from a family of mavericks

What's in a name?

Football and caves

Odds and ends; or, Here and there

Semper fi

"Whose history is it, anyway?"

Back to the cave

Action at the Kentucky Historical Society, 1959-1973

The world according to Chinn

Conclusion: An assessment of Colonel George Morgan Chinn

Appendix A: Chinn's education, awards, and achievements

Appendix B: Chinn's publications.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780813161051

0813161053

OCLC:

893452439