Massachusetts XI

Dedham, Massachusetts is a suburb of Boston and sits, nearly, on the WSW border of the city.

This memorial is found in the Brookdale Cemetery.

Honored all the men and women who served and the six from the area that were lost, including a Medal of Honor recipient.

Below the names are a pair of hands, bound by barbed wire to, remember the POW's.

The center feature  includes a map of 'Nam and various representative components of the war.

On the back of the memorial is a full sized figure of soldier, on either side of him are wreaths.

The memorial may be found along Brookdale Avenue.

Next time, on the 21st, we will take a trip back to Mississippi to see more Faces of Remembrance, so as always, join me there at 9:00am.

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

September 11, 2017

Many of you know that om particular days I write about things other than Vietnam memorials. Again, this year I want to feature another 9-11 memorial. As I travel the country to visit memorials to our brothers and sisters from 'Nam, I frequently see 9-11 memorials and always photograph them, too.

Today, I will show you the memorial I saw in Omaha, Nebraska

It is called "On the Wings of Angels" and was built by Woodsmen of the World, an insurance group, the people of Omaha and the 300 who had casts made of their hands for the "globe"

While I can find very little information about the site, it seems clear to me that the "silver" portion of the site are the Wings and the hands represent those that were lost.

Omaha has had a memorial service in a local park for those lost. It was started by the sister of a man killed in the towers. She places flags for each of those lost. This is a marvelous remembrance, I think, but it is not permanent as this one is.

In my research for this site a ran across some dissension. Some think we need not be reminded of these events. I think this is somewhat short sighted as in the not too distant future, those who actually remember will be gone, so these memorials, like all memorials, will remind our children and grandchildren of our past, our history.

300 citizens volunteered to have their hands cast to create this.

Dedication plaque

So, today, we honor those lost on that fateful day in NYC, Shanksville and D.C. I wonder will the world ever be the same.

Next time, in the 16th, we will return to Massachusetts, so join me there at 9:00am.

To see other memorials, from any state, click on the state name on the left side of this page,

Maryland XVI

We have been in Gaithersburg, Maryland before, in fact, on this very street. West Deer Park Road is the home to memorial to William Christman III that we visited quite some time ago. However, just a few feet away is another memorial.

This one, in a copse of trees, is to all those from Gaithersburg who sacrificed all in Vietnam.

Extremely reminiscent of the standing stones you see in Ireland and other countrys, it pays honor and respect to these soldiers. I often say that I love all these memorials and that is the truth, but, this one is personal to me, I live not far from here and I know some of these names. An interesting note is that one of these guys is not from Gaithersburg, but the next town up the road, Germantown. I have been unable to find any information as to why he is included here. If you know, I would certainly love to hear the story! You, my readers, have on many occasions provided me with updates and better information, hope someone can this time, too.

On September 11th, I will post another of the many 9/11 memorials I have found in my travels, as is my custom. So, join me here on the 11th at 9:00am.

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

Maine XII

Wells, Maine lies a little south of Kennebunkport, famous for being one of the homes of the Bush family.

Along one of the man thoroughfares, Post Road,  is the Ocean View Cemetery and to my astonishment today, I read that it is one of 200 in the area.

 This view is of a memorial that seems to list all that served, both in Korea and Vietnam.

These from the area were lost in 'Nam.

There are many veterans resting here, lots from the Civil War and I saw one stone with an 1811 date on it. don't know if it is the oldest. there are also family groups with many dates very close to each other, perhaps some kind of epidemic or other disaster.

Next time, on the 7th, we will take another look at Maryland, so join me there at 9:00am.

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

Louisana X

I know that I promised to return to Maine in the last post, but I decided while looking over some old photos to do something a little different first.

Whenever I find a memorial with our brothers and sisters represented, I take a "portrait" of the faces. In looking through some of these today. I thought I would begin to feature them here, too.

So, today, these are from the Vietnam memorial in New Orleans. as I have said previously it is one of two in the city and the only one with soldiers represented. This memorial stands at the Super-dome on the Poydras Street side. It is elevated so you must either look up or climb up to the above street level to see it.

Over the years I have had the honor to meet a few of the sculptors of some of these memorials. They tell me that in most cases the people represented are not actual individuals, but imaginary or, sometimes, composites of many, many people. I have not been able to determine which is the case for these three warriors (top) who are trying to rescue their fallen brother (the last pic.) In fact, the very few exceptions of which I am aware is The Three Servicemen statue in DC, adjacent to The Wall. Two of the three there are said to be of specific individuals and the third is a composite of a couple of guys. One other exception, as a coincidence, in in Iberville, Louisiana.

So, next time, on the 2nd, we will actually return to Maine, so, join me there, as always at 9:00am. Occasionally, I will post additional "The Faces of Remembrance" photos, here.

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

Georgia VI

Columbus is the home of a major military installation that has a terrific infantry museum and a couple of memorials I will write about at a later time. Today, however, I want to share with you a smaller, local, memorial built by the surrounding community.

Located in a small park on the corner of Buena Vista Road and Lawyers Lane it honors not only those who were lost but all that served.

The morning we arrived (my lifelong friend and 'Nam vet Steve was with me) it was so humid and foggy I couldn't get a shot without my camera lenses completely fogging up. I've never really had this happen before. so, we waited and waited for the sun to rise a little higher and burn some of the fog off and for the camera components to clear and become usable.

Once they did, we got to work.

The memorial is made entirely of bricks, some of which have been sculpted to create a scene of several vets, similar to The Three Servicemen at the Wall in DC. I have only seen an all brick memorial once before, in Pennsylvania.

It turned into a beautiful day and I was pleased that we waited for the humidity and fog to dissipate. I love these community memorials after writing about so many of the larger, more elaborate ones through the country, it is these that I spend the most time at now.

The bricks adjacent to the soldiers are covered with names. There seemed to be no notation as to branch of service, years served in-country, or if any of these were lost. Just a community remembering and honoring their own.

Next time, on the 28th, we will venture back to Maine, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials from Georgia, or any other state, click the state name on the left side opf this page.

Connecticut XXIII

This beautiful memorial park is in Stamford, Connecticut.

Like most of these, it honors many for many eras and wars. Called, Veterans Memorial Park it was dedicated in 1977 and is located on Atlantic Street, near Main Street.

There are a number of components here, a statue to Lincoln, a Doughboy from WWII, a marker to the founders of the town among the tributes to WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.

This one featuring two grieving women speaks to the loss of war and those left behind.

The In Memoriam marker lists the more than 200 from Stamford who gave their lives in WWII, Korea, and 'Nam.  There are 26 from 'Nam, grouped by branch of service.

There are plans to erect a tribute to a local Medal of Honor recipient.

Next time, on the 23rd, we will revisit Georgia, so, join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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