Michigan XVIII

Sorry about today's post time delay, sometimes things just don't go as planned. Hope to better next time!

Michigan, as previously mentioned, is one of several states with, at least, two major "Official" memorials. One is located in Ann Arbor near the Capitol and the other is in Mt. Pleasant. Each is worthy of a visit. 

You can preview them here, here, and here.

Today, however, I am going to highlight some of Michigan's heroes from a smaller site: Freedom Hill County Park in Macomb County.

Leonard Michael Ackerman

EO3 Ackerman was transporting Marines between sites in Quang Nam Province when the truck he was driving hit a 100lb land mine. He was lost on March 20, 1970, and all 13 of his passengers were wounded.

 

 

Charles Leroy Baldwin

Capt. Baldwin was lost on August 27, 1969 at Phouc Long. His loss is attributed to "Hostile small arms fire." Once again, I decry the lack of information available about these men and women who gave their lives to this war. They deserve more and the lack of information just seems disrespectful to me. Just for one example, I have spent a couple of hours today trying to track down this story and you see above everything I have found.

 

Robert Charles Benoit

 

SGT Benoit was lost in the Binh Long Province on September 7, 1969. He was lost to"explosive device" as is all too often the case this is all I can find about ANOTHER who gave all for very little remembrance.

 

And, while I am whining about this stuff, what is with so many of the photos? Many are not good. Don't I remember the Army marching us all over for "Official" photos ? Surely, they are available.

 

Next time, on February 10th, we will return to Minnesota to honor a few who were lost from the state, so join me there, as usual at 9:00 am. 

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, Molly from Florida, Colleen from Pennsylvania, Elli from Maryland, and Peg and Ray 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 and/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.

I hope all those listed here will encourage you to send along photos and join the group.