Memorial Day 2023

Commemorating those lost in battle can be traced to 361 BC. in Greece following the Pelopennesian Wars.

Here in America what later became Memorial Day began just after the Civil War, was expanded to include all soldiers lost after WWI and didn't become a national holiday until nearly the end of the Vietnam war. (1971)

When I was a boy, people handed out poppies to commemorate the dead, due in large part to the following poem. Written be a surgeon during WWI, the poem came to speak for so many.

I include it here, for you today.

 

 In Flanders Fields

By John McCrae 

In Flanders fields the poppies blow 

Between the crosses, row on row,     

That mark our place; and in the sky     

The larks, still bravely singing, 

fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. 

We are the Dead. 

Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,     

Loved and were loved, 

and now we lie,         

In Flanders fields. 

Take up our quarrel with the foe: 

To you from failing hands we throw     

The torch; be yours to hold it high.    

If ye break faith with us who die 

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow         

In Flanders fields.

There is a hill just opposite my home that is covered with poppies each spring, I never fail to think of the lost each time I drive by it.

Remember, today at 3pm, to take on minute to honor those who were lost in our wars.

Next time, on the 3rd, we will return to Texas, so join me there, as always at 9:00am.

To see Vietnam memorials from any state, please click on a state name on the left side of this page. 

I will ask, as I do at the end of nearly every post now, for anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not seen here to please send them to me. I will give you full photo credit for the pic and any information about it you may know. Check your state, or anywhere you may have visited, from the list at the left, or any place else. Please send them to the email at the left or directly to me at Ldddad@comcast.net. Thanks

Pennsylvania XL

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania may be best known of its large Amish population who do not serve in the military as per their religious beliefs. So, it was, perhaps, a little bit surprising to find this Veterans Plaza at the County office building in downtown Lancaster.

It we extremely difficult to photograph due to the numbers of people at the center, sadly, mostly the homeless. It was really crowded.

The plaza consists of several brick columns with plaques to individual military involvements.

Each of the individual columns has a specific memorial plaque.

There are no names listed except of Gov't. officials. Perhaps these are found elsewhere, by my count there are 72 known lost.

It always interests me to see the dates ascribed to the war, as I have often mentioned, we can't even agree on that.

Next time, on the 29th, I will, as I do most years, try to have something special for Memorial Day, so join me then, as usual, at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials from Pennsylvania, or any other state, please click on the state name on the left side of this page.

I will ask, as I do at the end of nearly every post now, for anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not seen here to please send them to me. I will give you full photo credit for the pic and any information about it you may know. Check your state, or anywhere you may have visited, from the list at the left, or any place else. Please send them to the email at the left or directly to me at Ldddad@comcast.net. Thanks

North Carolina XXI

I was completely unaware of this magnificent tribute to so many. When I am planning these trips, I do tons of research to attempt to locate and learn a little about each site I hope to see. Often, misinformation, or scheduling mishaps, or just dumb luck (or the complete lack of it) interferes.

I have related here, on several occasions, stories of people directing me to sites I am unaware of, or of finding an empty field where a memorial is said to be.

In this instance I was traveling through North Carolina and just stumbled upon this vast park, Triad Park, in Colfax, NC. (Also claimed by Kernersville)

This wonderful obelisk was the first warning that something worthwhile was on the horizon.

This entrance pathway offers some hint of what is found further in, but for today, we will simply begin here. there will be more to come at later dates.

The mission statement is clear.

As is so often the case, the numbers have been corrected and/or updated over the years. We now know that 58, 281 of our brothers and sisters were lost as of the four year reconciliation project conducted by the DoD and the VVMF (Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation) Names, if appropriate, may be added each year. None have been in the last couple of years, so maybe, just maybe, we have added the last one.

There is much more here to see and I will be doing so in the not too distant future.

Next time, on the 24th, we will check back in to Pennsylvania, so, as always, meet me there at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials from North Carolina, or any other state, please click on the state name on the left side of this page.

I will ask, as I do at the end of nearly every post now, for anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not seen here to please send them to me. I will give you full photo credit for the pic and any information about it you may know. Check your state, or anywhere you may have visited, from the list at the left, or any place else. Please send them to the email at the left or directly to me at Ldddad@comcast.net. Thanks

Mother's day 2023

I am taking this day, Mother's Day (and my wife's birthday) to celebrate and honor the Mothers, Step-Mothers, Gold Star Mothers and all the women who care and provide for children (no matter how old we may be)

 

I hope your day is glorious and that you can, in one way or another, be with your loved ones.

Next time, on the 19th, we will return to North Carolina, so join me there as always, at 9:00am.

To see additional Vietnam memorials from any state, please click on the state name on the left side of this page.

I will ask, as I do at the end of nearly every post now, for anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not seen here to please send them to me. I will give you full photo credit for the pic and any information about it you may know. Check your state, or anywhere you may have visited, from the list at the left, or any place else. Please send them to the email at the left or directly to me at:

 Ldddad@comcast.net. Thanks

New Mexico XXIV

Last fall I was in Arizona for a bit and drifted over into New Mexico and found a few really great memorial sites.

Today, I want to focus on Deming, NM. Deming is named for Walter Deming who revolutionized production in Japan after WWII. He tried, unsuccessfully, to get the attention of American business and finally approached Japan. The rest is history. (some companies in the US eventually caught on and adopted his measures, much to their betterment.)

Outside the Luna Mimbres Museum on Hemlock Street is a Veterans Park and their are, at least, two markers to remember and honor our efforts.

I will feature the smaller of the two.

There are several pieces of equipment displayed here.

Dedicated to all of our brothers and sisters, this marker is elegant in its simplicity.

Next time, on the 14th, Mother's Day, I will postpone a memorial post until the 19th and simply wish all Mothers, Step-Mothers, Gold Star Mothers and all the women in the world who care for our children a Happy day in recognition of all they do. 

To see additional memorials from New Mexico, or any other state, please click on the state name on the left side of this page. 

I will ask, as I do at the end of nearly every post now, for anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not seen here to please send them to me. I will give you full photo credit for the pic and any information about it you may know. Check your state, or anywhere you may have visited, from the list at the left, or any place else. Please send them to the email at the left or directly to me at Ldddad@comcast.net. Thanks

Nebraska XIX

This could be, possibly, the shortest post I have ever written as it will contain only one photo.

While perusing my files I ran across this one lone photo and thought it was particularly interesting. Its simplicity speaks volumes.

It is located in the vast veterans memorial site in Antelope Park in Lincoln, Nebraska.

As anyone who follows along here knows, I have visited many, many memorials. I am not sure exactly why but I think this one is among the most subtle and perhaps poignant I have seen. There is just something elegant about it.

Next time, on the 9th of May we will return to New Mexico, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials from Nebraska, or any other state, please click the state name on the left side of this page.

I will ask, as I do at the end of nearly every post now, for anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not seen here to please send them to me. I will give you full photo credit for the pic and any information about it you may know. Check your state, or anywhere you may have visited, from the list at the left, or any place else. Please send them to the email at the left or directly to me at Ldddad@comcast.net. Thanks

Montana VII

In 2013 I featured a memorial I ran across in Dillon, Montana, telling the story of a young man's journey to honor his uncle. You can see that post here. In looking over some of the pics I took at that site, I decided to post a couple more in honor of the uncle, the young man's efforts and all those remembered here. 

Dillon is about an hour or so south, more or less, from Butte.

Hundreds of names of those who served or were lost are honored on the individual bricks that make up the wall.

As mentioned in the earlier post, the man who did this memorial was a stone mason, so it was interesting to note this particular feature.

Memorials like this one, built by just regular people give me a sense of peace and pride. It is good to know that people care, and will go to great lengths to remember those who served.

Next time, on the 4th of May, we will return to Nebraska, so meet me there, as always, at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials from Montana, or any other state, please click the state name on the left side of this page.

I will ask, as I do at the end of nearly every post now, for anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not seen here to please send them to me. I will give you full photo credit for the pic and any information about it you may know. Check your state, or anywhere you may have visited, from the list at the left, or any place else. Please send them to the email at the left or directly to me at Ldddad@comcast.net. Thanks