Connecticut XX

There is an interesting story about how the Connecticut Vietnam memorial came to be. One woman's determination eventually led to the honor of many. Take a moment and read about it here.

Connecticut Vietnam memorial, Coventry

Today, I will honor a few from Connecticut: 

Gerald Lee Bourdeau

PFC Gerald Bourdeau was lost in Tay Ninh Province on November 6th, 1966, to "small arms fire." He was on a Search and Destroy mission when unseen enemy opened up with machine gun fire. It was so dark that night that it was nearly impossible to return fire as the solders could not determine exactly where the enemy was located. Six others were lost on this mission.

Robert Jonh Leska

SGT Robert Leska was lost on May 5, 1968, in Binh Dinh Province to "burns" received from a surprise rocket attack. He was awarded a bronze Star for "Meritorious Service."

Stephen Grady Peck

SP4 Stephen Peck was lost on March 6, 1967, in the Binh Dinh Province to "small arms fire." He was a Forward Observer, an extremely dangerous job, and was lost on a mission as were so many FOs. Several others were also lost on this mission on this day

These three were all from Trumball, Connecticut.

Next time, on August 21st, we will return to Delaware, so join me, as always, at 9 am.

If you have been 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 (now three times!) 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 from where you have traveled. I even got one from Ireland!

These generous submissions have help to expand the knowledge of how we remember and honor the men and women who served in or were lost in Vietnam.

If YOU have any such photos or knowledge about these memorials and sites not already here, I would love to know of them. Please send them along to the email address on the left side of this page and I will gladly share them here.

I hope seeing all these listed here will encourage YOU to send along photos and join the group! 

Connecticut XIX

I have told the story of the Connecticut Vietnam memorial in Coventry and the local Coventry memorial before. You can see those posts here and here,

Today, as I have been doing so often lately, I want to feature the names from the local Coventry memorial.

  

Roger William Heinz

Maj. Roger William Heinz was a Chaplain and a passenger on a chopper when it crashed. All but one were killed in the Quang Ngai Province on December 9, 1969. Maj Heinz is one of the thirteen Chaplains killed in Vietnam. he is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

 

Michael Allen Machie

 LCPL Michael Machie was killed in battle on May 31, 1968 in the Quang Tri Province. the following, I took from a tribute on the Wall of Faces, left by a friend

"...That was the last time I saw him. I carried one of the wounded to a chopper and he told me Mike was killed. I broke down and cried. My squad leader asked me what was wrong. I told him about Mike and said that's what you get for having friends. God bless you Michael!!!..." 

Also listed on this memorial are Robert Nothrick who was an "Era" vet who died while in service in 1967. I could not find details about his death except that he was 20 years old and died in Minnesota.

In addition:

Sp4 Lawrence Archambault is listed. I can find nothing at all about him.

If you know anything about either of these two lost soldiers, both listed on the Coventry Vietnam memorial I would love to hear from you.

Next time on the 29th we will return to Delaware, 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.

 

Connecticut XVIII

I found this small memorial on my way to Stamford, simply located at the side of a road in a small Veterans Park. Mounted upon a rock is a plaque. I have seen many like it in my travels and in my efforts to continue to find things to post that honor our brothers and sisters who served, I decided to see if I could pull out these "portraits" to add to the Faces of Remembrance series that I occasionally write about here. You notice, if you are one of those that follow along on this journey, that I am posting ever more of these as I comb through my files for new subjects.

Cropping photos out of larger one seems easy enough, but my software, far too often, just refuses to cooperate. I worked on pulling these faces out for far longer than I would have expected and while the results are usable, they are less that I had hoped for.

Regardless, they represent and honor those who served and/or were lost.

I think I see resignation on this face and perhaps just a little fear.

While this one seems a bit bemused, perhaps.

The plaque which you can find in a post elsewhere on this site has the following written on it.

Vietnam War 

The Trumbull Beautification Commission Dedicates This Park As A Living Memorial To The Men And Women Of Trumbull Who Served Their Country During The Vietnam War. 

 “Your Sacrifice Is Not Forgotten”. 

Nearby is an individual stone dedicated to David Rhodes who was killed in 1968, three days past his 21st birthday.

 Rest in Peace  

The park is located on White Plains Road just a little north of Brock Street in Trumbull.

I would ask that any reader who might have pics of Vietnam memorials not found on this site to send them to me. I will be happy to include them here and give the sender full credit. I would like to make this site as comprehensive as possible and my ability to travel to every site out there is limited, so, let me know what you have. You can contact me at the email on the left.  

Note: I had some issues getting this most recent post up and running and these threw off the timing of posts. So, the timing will be adjusted and I will make every effort to return to the every five days at 9:00am. schedule. 

Sorry for the confusion!

Next time, on the 13th, we will return to Delaware for a new "Faces of Remembrance," post, so meet me there at 9:00am.

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

Connecticut XVII

I wrote sometime back about happening on to a Veterans Day event in Norwich, Connecticut: you can check out that post elsewhere on the site.

Today, I thought we might return to see just a few more details from that visit.

The dual flags greeted me upon arrival. You may not know that the POW/MIA flag is considered a federal flag and is the only other flag allowed to fly over the White House and the Capitol building. When flying on a separate pole it hangs at equal height to the American flag and always above any state flag though it seems many do not know this as it is often flown below a state flag.

As I have mentioned previously that while the POW/MIA flag as come to represent all those lost and missing from al wars, it was in fact created by the wife of a POW in 'Nam.

Near by the reviewing stand was the POW/MIA table to honor those fellow soldiers.

"POW-MIA Table Setting

    The Missing Man Table, also known as the Fallen Comrade Table, is a semi-official place of honor in some dining facilities of the US armed forces in memory of fallen, missing in action, or prisoner of war military service-members.  The table serves as the focal point of ceremonial remembrance, originally growing out of US concern of the Vietnam War POW/MIAs.

   Beyond permanent displays in dining facilities, the missing man table is traditionally part of military dining-in ceremonies and service balls.  When presented in a dining-in or service ball, a narration given to the audience explains the symbolism of each item.  The practice of the missing man table has evolved over time and is not currently governed by any US Department of Defense or service-specific guidance.

THE CHAIR IS EMPTY -- THEY ARE NOT HERE

    The small table is set for one, representing the frailty of one prisoner, alone against his or her suppressors.  The table is usually set close to, or within sight of, the entrance to the dining room.

• The table is round showing our everlasting concern for our POW/MIA's.

• The cloth is white symbolizing the purity of their intentions to respond to their country's call to arms.

• The single red rose signifying the blood they may have shed in sacrifice to ensure the freedom of our beloved United States of American. This rose, reminding us of the family and friends of our missing comrades who keep the faith, while awaiting their return.

• The yellow ribbon stands for the yellow ribbons worn on the lapels of the thousands who demand with unyielding determination a proper accounting of our comrades who are not among us tonight.

• A slice of lemon reminding us of the bitter fate of those missing, captured and held as prisoners in foreign lands.

• A pinch of salt denoting the tears of our missing and their families who long for answers after decades of uncertainty.

• The Holy Bible represents the strength gained through faith in our country, founded as one nation under God, to sustain those lost from our midst.

• The lighted candle reflects the light of hope which lives in our hearts to illuminate their way home, away from their captors, to the open arms of a grateful nation.

• The glass is inverted symbolizing their inability to share the evening's toast.

Let us remember and never forget their sacrifices.  May God forever watch over them and protect them and their families."

 

The above was copied verbatim from The American Legion, my thanks to them.

Note that ion the pic of the Field Cross under the table that the helmet seems to be from the Vietnam era.

And finally, here is a pic of just a few of the troops on hand for this event.

 Next time, on the 11th, we will return to Maryland, so join me there at 9:00am.

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

 

Connecticut XVI

As I wonder around states seeking new memorials I also try to find a intersection, or a place that states the name of the town, or something to help me remember exactly where I was when I found the site.

This usually works flawlessly, but once in a while I forget or there is nothing obvious to photograph. Such is the case as I happened into what I now know is Sprague, Connecticut.

Situated on a corner is this really interesting site. I took a bunch of pics and even some of some route signs etc., only to find that when I wanted to post, the signs meant nothing. I could not remember where it was. I knew it was in Connecticut, but I could not, for the life of me, remember the specific place. So, I gave up and just decided I would never get to use these photos.

Being one who has difficulty taking no for an answer, I kept returning to the batch of pics, just to try again and actually found one that revealed where it was.

So, welcome to Sprague.

The site as you can see has a number of remembrances. the plaque on the right side of the stone "wall" towards the rear lists many who fought in the Civil War. Interestingly, as I have mentioned before, the Field Cross seen here dates back to the civil War.

The plaque on the left side remembers many from the 20th Century wars. Oddly, this plaque lists 44 who served in Vietnam.

The plaque on a separate pedestal, here, lists 110 who served in 'Nam. why the discrepancy, I cannot say, but I guess it has to do with what was know at the time of the placement of the various plaques.

I can find no dates on the plaques, so one hopes the differences are just the result of on-going efforts to be accurate and to remember and honor all who served. Next time, on the 28th, we will return to Delaware, so join me there as usual, at 9:00am.

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

Connecticut XV

Once again I have been caught not being able to keep up with my responsibilities.

I have not posted for a while as I have been up to my neck in another, exciting, project. I hope to be able to tell you about it very soon.

For today, however, I will take you back to Connecticut.

Brooklyn is among a few sites I have seen where no one was actually lost in Vietnam. I can't really say how many places build a memorial solely to those who served, but in my travels I have not seen very many, it always pleases me when I do come across one.

This one sits adjacent to the Solders and Sailors Memorial on Route 169 near the intersection of Highway 6.

I know I repeat myself when I say that I am often taken aback by what small towns do for their own. with fewer resources than larger places they still seem to honor their sons and daughters.

I thought the symbol/insignia at the top of the stone was interesting. I have not seen it before and wonder if it is not unique to this memorial.

Next time, on the 8th (I hope!) we will venture to Georgia, so join me there at 9;00am.

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

Connecticut XIII

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.

Connecticut XII

Windsor Locks, Connecticut is one of those very few towns that builds memorials even if they have not lost anyone in the war.

This memorial, dedicated to those that served, sits at Memorial Hall on the corner of Ct 140 and Ct 159 in Windsor Locks, among several others that do list the names of their lost.

Just recently, however, I ran across a name not, as I said, listed, so I feel it is appropriate to list it here.

SMAJ John R. Hubbard

Oddly, as I read the names of those that served on the plaque, I did not find SMAJ Hubbard's name. These things happen as I have mentioned in other posts. I have rarely, if ever, seen a memorial that has not been updated after its completion. I mentioned a few posts back that three more names were added to The Wall this past May (2017) bringing the total to 58,318. the Wall was dedicated in 1982, so we have been correcting it ever since, 37 years and we do not know if these last three will be the last, probably not.

Next time, on the 23rd, I will have just returned from Georgia and Alabama so I hope to have some new pictures for you. So, join me then, on the 23rd at 9:00am to see if I found anything new.

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

Connecticut XI

We happened to roll in to Norwich on Memorial Day a couple of years back and we were pleased to find crowds on Veteran's Green having a memorial ceremony.

A stage had been constructed and there were a number of people in uniform and the remnants of a band nearby. we arrived just as things were winding up, but it was still great to see a town celebrating, honoring and remembering her vets.

The Green consists of a number of memorials to vets from various wars, but I thought it just a little unusual to find a 'Nam and a POW/MIA of equal size, right next to each other.

Throughout the Green are these other memorials, not specific, but just as meaningful.

In addition to the larger, probably newer one, this is dedicated to all POW/MIA's. Again, it does not mention a particular war, but the soldier named died in 1973. When I see these memorials dedicated to those who were lost in 73 or beyond, I always think of John Kerry's question when testifying before congress, paraphrased here to "who will be the last to die?"

Next time, on the 14th, we will return to Florida, so join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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

Connecticut X

This small, yet elegant, memorial to the five from Bloomfield who were lost sits on the village green. It shares the space with memorials to other heroes and other wars and can be found on Jerome Avenue.

The dedication on the back speaks to the honor of those who served.

In keeping, I suppose, with the, sometimes, insular nature of small towns, not too much information is available about this site. I invite you, as I always do, to get in touch if you can supply more information. Many of you have done this in the past and I always enjoy learning more or being corrected when I err.

All that served all honored here as well they should be.

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

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

Connecticut IX

On the way to Stamford for a relatives wedding, we came upon this small park in Trumbull. It is located on White Plains Road near Brock street in the area of the local Post Office. Trumbull is about 27 mikes northeast of Stamford.

It is not very large but is marked and quite beautiful.

The memorial lists no names but I have been able to identify 3 from Trumbull that were lost and there is even a small marker to one of them on site.

I read, just today, that the site was vandalized in December but that a local citizen was cleaning it up. No other details were given. I have seen, or read about, so many defaced and vandalized memorials it just makes me ill. What kind of idiot does that?

 I have seen this same plaque a number of places. It says;

Vietnam War
The Trumbull Beautification Commission
Dedicates This Park As A Living Memorial To The Men And Women
Of Trumbull Who Served Their Country During The Vietnam War.
“Your Sacrifice Is Not Forgotten”.

Next time, on the 31st, I hope to have a VERY special post ready to go. Something very different and I am honored and privileged to have been part of it and to have been given permission to post it here. So, check in on the 31st, as always, at 9:00am. 

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

Connecticut VIII

612 were lost from Connecticut and 39 of them were from Hartford.

 This memorial sits in a triangle created by New Britain, and Fairfield Avenues and Summit street.

Boy Scout Troop 129 was the driving force behind the memorial along with the support of the citizens of Hartford.

It was dedicated in 1989.

As is too often the case, I was unable to find too much information on this memorial. As always, if yo know anything I would love to hear from you.

Next time, on the 19th, join me , once again, in Florida, as always at 9:00am.

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