A biographical series documenting the life and military career of Col. William Allen Darden, Jr., from his Nashville roots to his global service with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“I can do all this through Him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). Many of us carry lessons from our parents that only become clear years later. For me, one of the most lasting came from my father—not through long conversations, but through simple instructions he repeated when I complained that I couldn’t do something: … Read more
The remarkable military engineering career and WWII history of Colonel William A. Darden are the focus of a major new regional profile in the July 2026 edition of Good News Magazine (Lebanon, TN). Written by journalist Jeriah Brumfield, the in-depth article, “Col. William A. Darden: The hidden cost of courage,” features accompanying photography by Ashleigh … Read more
~ Honoring Colonel William A. Darden: A Veteran’s Legacy of Engineering and Army Intelligence on Veterans Day, Memorial Day & America250 ~ America250 is a time to honor our country, the Founding Fathers, the men who fought to free the United States of America, and those who fought to keep our country free. It is … Read more
~ The Great Society on the Stones River: Lyndon B. Johnson and the 1968 Dedication of Percy Priest Dam~ LBJ in Nashville On June 29, 1968, Nashville became the temporary center of the American political universe. President Lyndon B. Johnson, a man whose presidency was defined by both soaring domestic ambition and the heavy toll … Read more
William A. Darden, called Bill or Allen by his friends, was a Tennessee Renaissance Man. He was a long distance runner on the Vanderbilt track team. He won honors on the Georgia Tech debate team. He was keenly intelligent and rose to leadership in any organization he was part of. He was a decorated soldier, … Read more
Kathryn E. Darden, a veteran Nashville-based publisher and member of New Day Baptist Church in Bellevue, has been officially selected for inclusion in the prestigious Marquis Who’s Who registry. This significant professional milestone was prominently featured recently in the Baptist and Reflector, the venerable news journal of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, under the headline “Kathryn … Read more
Update: This interview and Darden’s 50-year family legacy were recently featured in the Baptist and Reflector. Link at the end of the article. Success in the media industry is often a marathon, not a sprint. For Nashville native Kathryn E. Darden, that marathon has crossed the 40-year mark, earning her a prestigious seat in the … Read more
~ A small collection of poems about my mother who died right before Mothers Day and whose visitation was on Mothers Day ~ Mothers & Daughters Haiku (2011)How complicatedAre the fragile bonds betweenMothers and daughters. Mothers Acrostic (2011) M eeting the needsO f othersT hroughout eachH our, day and week,E veryone shouldR emember her day. Kathryn E. Darden Finally (2026) Finally … Read more
They called her “Miss Mary.” She and my father, William A. Darden, came from an older, more formal generation, and people she had known all her life called her “Miss Mary” out of a deep-seated, traditional Southern respect. My mother grew up in an era of rigid propriety, a world of women who stayed at … Read more
In the annals of Middle Tennessee history, certain milestones serve as markers for professional excellence and community service. One such record is found in the 14th Edition of Who’s Who in the South and Southwest (1975-1976), published during the American Bicentennial. Among the distinguished leaders recognized in that historic volume was Colonel William Allen Darden, … Read more
