Florida XVIII

I found a story about this memorial in Cape Coral that referred to it as a Vietnam memorial. So, on my last visit to Florida I traveled to the Gulf Coast to check it out.

From a distance it looks like a fairly common theme for coastal, maritime memorials, a mast and yardarm, flags and various dedications and embellishments.

Closer inspection found a marker to Jewish War Veterans, Disabled Veterans and Prisoners of War.

 Nowhere could I find any reference to Vietnam, so I wondered why it had been listed as such. In looking through my pictures in preparation for this post, I noticed the plaque to Col. Finlay and decided to look him up.

And there it was.

Col. Finlay was shot down over Vietnam on April 28, 1968 and held in the "Hanoi Hilton" until all POWs were released in 1973. I write these words on April 24th, 2019, four days short of the 51st anniversary of  his capture.

Veterans Park is located on Coronado Parkway just west of Del Prado Blvd.


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

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