Oregon VI

For a number of years I had read about an ongoing project in Oregon. I finally got to visit Canby, in the Willamette Valley, late last year.

It seems to be a good thing that it took me so long to get there, as the site is now complete, a project which took about 11 years.

Located at the south entrance to Canby, on Rte 99E, is the unmistakable and unmissable site. It stands in solemn reminder to the thousands who drive by it every day of the sacrifices made by those who served and those who were lost.

It is called a Vietnam era vet memorial as its intent is to honor all who served, no matter where.

There is much to see here and today I will concentrate upon the statue, only one of the many features of this outstanding site.

The statue  depicts two actual citizens of Oregon.

The comment below was taken directly from a website about the memorial.

“A Hero’s Prayer”  was the last piece of the memorial to be finished, and it’s a bronze statue which depicts PFC Gary W. Martini, USMC, Oregon Medal of Honor recipient who was killed in action in Vietnam, with a Vietnamese child by his side. The figure Martini is carrying is U.S. Army Spec-4 Warren E. Newton, a Canby soldier listed as missing in action in Vietnam. The statue was created by Pennsylvania sculptor Wayne Hyde.

You can read more here:

WWW. Oregon.com/attractions/canby-vietnam-memorial

The site is honoring not only all who served but the millions upon millions of Vietnamese citizens who were lost or affected by the war. The inclusion of the child, who by the way, is crying, speaks to this effort and the lasting, perhaps never ending, consequences of war.

I make an effort as I visit these site to, in addition to honoring them and capturing them photographically, to create portraits of those present if they exist. I hope someday to maybe do something different with these pics, but for now, I will include just a couple. I like then and I hope that you will, too.

Martini and Newton

The child with horror in her eyes and a tear upon her cheek

This is one of a very small number of memorials that depicts a child, the ultimate victims.

As I said earlier there is much here and I will write about some of that at a later time.

Next time, on the 18th, we will head back to the east coast. So, join me in Pennsylvania at 9:00am for a new post.

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