Colorado XLII

I get to go to Colorado every year or two and it is every bit as awesome and beautiful as you have heard. Sadly, I have not been back as recently as I would like. At one time, I thought it just might be the state with the most Vietnam memorials as I had found so many.

Truthfully, I don't know which state holds that honor, in fact, no one seems to know how many there are throughout the country. Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) tried to collect and catalogue them all but finally had to throw up their hands and give up. The number was a moving target at all times. As recently as this past June, Nebraska dedicated a brand new site in Papillion. I hope to get there some time.

I return today to  Fountain Valley and their Wall of Honor. Among the hundreds of names from several wars are many of our comrades from Vietnam.

The following are just a few more of those who gave all or were wounded in action.

This is actually the first time I have seen this designation on a memorial.

Having worked on the memorial in my town, I know just how hard it is to get all the names and everything correct. So, I appreciate the work done here to salute the brave souls listed, honored, and remembered.

Next time, on September 20th, we will revisit Delaware, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Colorado, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

California LXVII

Not in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I would visit the Nixon Library in California. However, I heard somehow about a display about his role in the Vietnam war and couldn't resist going to see it.

It is quite extensive and spends much time on bringing POWs home.

These are a few of the pics I took (in very poor light with no flash allowed)

Nixon assured us he had a "Secret Plan" to end the war and did in fact bring home the POWs in 1973. I was a little surprised that the there were 591 POWs held: 325 Air Force, 77 Army, 138 Navy, and 26 Marines along with 25 Civilians.

This rather simplistic demonstration of what was said would happen if we did not prevail in 'Nam. Called the Domino Theory, it turned out to be incorrect like so much of what we were told.

This medal laden boot was part of a larger display, but there was no specific information about it, I just found it interesting.

I will post further features of the site from the museum at a later time. there are several themes that I hope you will find interesting and perhaps a little informative, especially if you are younger than those of us who served.

Depending on which route you take, you will find the Library in Yorba Linda about 30 to 40 minutes southeast of Los Angeles

Next time, on September 15th, we will revisit Colorado, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from California, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Arizona XXXVIII

Arizona is, as you know, a frequent stop on this journey. Business takes me there at least a time or two a year, thus providing me many opportunities to check out memorials and tributes on nearly every trip.

Over the years I began to notice and feature the faces found on various statues and other memorials along the way that I began calling Faces of Remembrance. There are quite a few of them on this site now, That led to discovering some, actually a very few, that actually presented the faces of some of those lost or missing.

These became a priority.

Today we once again return to San Manuel, AZ to honor a few more.

This somewhat unique memorial is much like a billboard listing names on one side and photos on the other.

These two share a name and their heroism. I could find no indication that they might be related and, after all, Garcia is an extremely common last name inn the American southwest.

Regardless, we honor them.

Next time, on September 10th, we will cross back over in to California, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Arizona, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.