Miranda Pederson/Daily NewsGeneral Richard COdy accepts the key to the city from Mayor Elaine Walker on Monday at the General Motors Corvette Plant.

After grabbing a bite to eat at the National Corvette Museum’s Corvette Cafe on Monday, retired Gen. Richard Cody had a long journey ahead of him. Cody planned to drive from Bowling Green to his home in Washington, D.C., an 11-hour trip.

However, Cody wasn’t at the museum as a regular tourist. He was there to pick up a brand-new Corvette, a name with which Cody is very familiar. The torch red Grand Sport is Cody’s 10th Corvette.

“Bowling Green builds the best sports car in the world,” Cody said.

Cody’s father started a Chevrolet dealership in Vermont in 1956. It was there that Cody fell in love with the Corvette. Cody said he was allowed to drive the dealership’s Corvettes as long as he was able to eventually sell them.

In 1968, Cody joined the Army and enrolled in West Point. Once he graduated, his father gave him the first Corvette he wouldn’t have to sell.

Cody said that after driving Corvettes for 42 years, he wanted to see where they were made. General Motors Bowling Green Assembly Plant military veterans honored Cody in a short ceremony after he toured the plant.

“On behalf of the veterans, thanks for choosing the American Corvette,” said David Peters, a former Marine and paint shop employee. Among other things, Cody was given the distinction of Kentucky Colonel and the key to the city of Bowling Green.

“The only reason why America has the greatest military in the world is because we have the best workers in the world,” Cody remarked after the ceremony.

Cody was joined by his brother, Bobby Cody, who now runs their father’s dealership, and son, Clint Cody. Clint followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the Army, achieving the rank of major. Clint is stationed at Fort Campbell, and just returned from his fifth tour as an attack helicopter pilot in Iraq.

In addition to following his father professionally, Clint is also an avid Corvette fan, and helped his father pick out the features on his new Corvette.

“I had to make sure he got all the options he needed,” Clint said.

After the ceremony, Cody went to the museum to sign the necessary papers to get his new car, which was on display at the museum.