Massachusetts XXXVII

The last time I posted from Massachusetts, I featured a memorial in Boston that I had spent many years trying to track down, only to discover that my nephew lived directly across the street from the park in which it stands. Less than a five-minute walk from his home. You can see that post here.

Today, I return there to honor just a couple of the many who are honored here.

Frederick V. Arens

FN Frederick Arens was lost on May 24th, 1968 in Go Cong Province. He was considered MIA and was suspected of having drowned. His body was recovered.

Linwood L. Baker

SSGT Baker was killed by small arms fire. His record says "accidental homicide" with no further information. He was lost on July 26, 1971 after being injured several days previous and is listed as a "Ground casualty." He was lost in Vinh Long Province.

Thomas Evans Bennett

WO Bennett was about to land his chopper, about 20 feet off the ground, when a small explosion was heard and the chopper dropped straight down. All seven on board were lost. The reason seems to have never been determined. He and the crew were lost on February 24, 1971 in the Binh Long Province.

These men are among the many from Boston listed on this and various other memorial throughout the area.

Next time, on February 5th, we will return to Michigan 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.

Massachusetts XXXVI

The last time I wrote about this site in Back Bay Fens in Boston I promised to share more from the site. You can check that post out here.

These pictures include two from the reverse of the memorial and one from the front plaza.

This is the full reverse of the memorial. I learned, many years ago, to always walk behind these memorials. More often than not, there is nothing to see, but every once in a while there is a surprise, as I discovered here.

It annoys me when I come across something like this. Here, this well known quote is attributed to anonymous. A few seconds on-line would have informed the makers of this memorial that the quote is from John S. Mill, a British politician from the 1800s. OK, so actually, in addition, it is a misquote and perhaps that is why it is not correctly attributed.

One might easily argue that it is a small thing and not worth commenting on, but I wonder if this is sloppy planning or what. I have served on committees that have built Vietnam memorials and we broke our butts trying to be accurate, to get it right. It just makes me wonder.

This map of 'Nam is on the front plaza of the site. What is hard to see are the various markings of specific places but there are several.

Next time, on the 29th of January, we will return to Michigan. So, as always, join me there at 9:00 am. 

To see Vietnam memorials from any state and Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico click on the individual names on the left side of this page.

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, Colleen from Pennsylvania, and Elli from Maryland, 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.

Massachusetts XXXV

While in Boston last fall, I had my first encounter with Uber. For all the hype and my high (yet, untested expectations,) it did not go well.

First, the driver could not seem to negotiate the access road to the building I was in front of. He missed the entrance more than once, but eventually figured it out.

So, OK, I told him where I was going and off we went. So far, so good.

I gave very specific instructions as to where I needed to go, so when he pulled into a parking area and said, pointed ahead of the car and said " I don't know exactly where it is, but it is in there, a local park.

Well, fine. I started to walk around the park, looking for signs or any indication of where the memorial might be. Nothing. I started asking strangers if they knew of the memorial and to a person they did not.

Finally, a very nice couple walking their dogs pulled out phones and spent quite some time trying to help. We got a rough estimation of the location and off I went. I was (and am) very grateful.

The distance was well over a mile away from where this guy dropped me off. I had walked a half a mile or so in the wrong direction, looking and was PO'd to say the least, but figured I could walk it. 

Big mistake. I have some mobility issues and should not have pushed my luck. I was so mad at Uber and this clown that I (stupidly and stubbornly) refused to call them again. 

Lesson learned and I must say that the next few experiences with the service were flawless.

So, enough whining, here is the memorial that I ultimately found.

The East Boston Vietnam Memorial is located in a small park ( a different one!) on Liverpool Street and resembles the Wall in D.C., as so many do.

Entrance from Liverpool Street

Ten men are honored here from among the 58,281* lost or missing from our efforts in Vietnam.

Next time, on the 11th, we will revisit New Mexico. Join me there, as always, at 9:00 am.

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

I will ask, as I do at the end of nearly every post now, for anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials, not seen here, to please send them to me. I will give you full photo credit for the pic and any information about it you may know. Check your state, or anywhere you may have visited, from the list at the left, or any place else for that matter. Please send them to the email at the left or directly to me at Ldddad@comcast.net. Thanks.

*These numbers have increased, once again, to 58,284. I always wonder if we will ever fully account for our brothers and sisters.

Massachusetts XXXIV

In the years I have been writing these posts I have visited Boston a number of times. My intent has always been to visit and photograph a memorial in a place called Back Bay Fens. For a variety of reasons, it never happened.

On a recent trip to visit relatives who now live in Boston, I determined that this was the time. I told all my family that I was going to leave early on the day we visited, take the pics and then join them wherever they might be.

We went to my nephews apartment and it turns out that he lives, quite literally, across the street from BBF. We walked maybe 5 minutes and I was standing in front of the elusive memorial. Another example, of which there have been quite a few, supporting my wife's belief that this project was "meant to be!"

The Fens and therefore, the memorial, sit quite literally in the shadow of Fenway Park.

The memorial site is the location of several other memorials and is overlooked by a large, imposing statue of an Angel, part of the much larger WWII memorial.

The dates here ascribe the years of the war from 1962 to 1975. any one who is a regular here knows that this is one of my pet peeves as the first soldier was actually killed in 1956. I am never quite sure if this another example of revisionist history or some kind of an error.

 

In the not too distant future, I will add more from this site, so keep checking back to see these and many other memorials from around the country.

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

To see Vietnam memorials from any state please click on the state name on the left side of this page.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. 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.

Massachusetts XXXIII

It is interesting to me how the faces of our soldiers are depicted in memorials. As you know, if you have followed this site at all, I have spent considerable time sharing some of these with you.

Today, I have one, from Massachusetts, that is located in Dedham. The memorial, if memory serves me, is located in a cemetery and you can see the original post here.

These depictions, as we have seen, range from the most lifelike to the most simple, caricatures, if you will, that represent all as opposed to those that seem to be, but usually are not, actual people.

It is striking, even in these less human-like forms, how the artist is still able to capture the reality of how so many felt. In what is little more than a line drawing we can still feel the sadness, fatigue and resignation in this soldiers face.

We rarely see women depicted in our memorials except as nurses rendering aid to a fallen solder, next time, on the 23rd, we will see something just a little different, so join me then, as always, at 9:00 am.

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

I will ask, as I do at the end of nearly every post now, for anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not seen here to please send them to me. I will give you full photo credit for the pic and any information about it you may know. Check your state, or anywhere you may have visited, from the list at the left.

Massachusetts XXII

In my last posting from Massachusetts, I shared some pics from my friend Jay Korff and promised to share more in the future and so today it is time to do just that.

Jay, as mentioned in the last post from Natick, is a reporter with the local ABC affiliate in Washington, DC and over the course of years has become a friend. He visited Natick, MA and sent me these photos.

I love it when others send me information, or corrections or photos and am always open to these contributions.

 

 

The Natick site has a couple of other features.

One is dedicated to the POW/MIAs of our nation, those that should never be forgotten.

You may know that the US and Vietnam have been engaged in a multi-year project to identify and bring home the remaining MIAs from that war. The number has been greatly reduced over the years, but, there is still much work to be done. Currently, there are still hundreds of our comrades unaccounted for as the work continues. One must only wonder if the job will ever be completed.

Detail from above

There are nearly 1250 still unaccounted for as of September. I checked my own state and there are still 23. You can check your own state here:

https://www.dpaa.mil/Our-Missing/Vietnam-War/Vietnam-War-POW-MIA-List/

Nearby is this interesting take on the Vietnam Service Medal.

So, this ends my photos that Jay so kindly sent me, but it gives me the opportunity, once again, to invite anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not found on this site to join Jay, and Mike Minnick, and others and send them to me. I will happily give you a photo credit and all the gratitude you can stand!

Next time, in keeping with my yearly tradition, I will post about things unrelated to 'Nam to try to keep some Joy in the Season. So join me on the 20th, at 9:00am, to see whats up!

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

Massachusetts XXI

Natick, Massachusetts is a suburb of Boston, about 25 minutes west and a little south.

The town has made it a priority to ensure that those lost in Vietnam will be honored and remembered forever.

Known at the Natick 11 they are remembered here on this memorial but also by the naming of town squares for each of them.

The Natick 11 include, and honor, Dennis M. Poteat who was actually from North Carolina but, he was posted here and considered to be a member of the group.

This is not unheard of at all. I have written about one soldier, a Medal of Honor recipient, that I have found in at least three, maybe four memorials around the country. This gladdens me, that after the way many of us were treated upon coming home, that now so many are honored in so many places.

Next time I write about Massachusetts I will include the several other interesting components of this site.

These and the future postings from Natick are pictures taken by my friend Jay Korff. Jay is reporter with WJLA, an ABC affiliate in Washington DC. He did a story about this effort a few years ago which won 2 Emmys, 2 Edward R. Morrow Awards, and a Top Prize from the Associated Press Awards. All of this thrilling to me as you might guess, but the best thing is that we have stayed in touch, he has maintained an interest in this project and I consider him a friend.

Thank you Jay for your ongoing support and these pics!

These pictures are opening another chapter of A Means to Heal. In the very near future I will be posting additional photos by other people. Hopefully this will expand the range of memorials available to post, direct attention to others doing similar work and help compensate for my inability to travel during the pandemic.

I invite any reader who has photos of memorials not found on this site to get in touch. If I use your photos I will certainly give you a photo credit. There is an email on the left side of the page.

Next time, on the 6th, we will return to New York, so meet me there at 9:00am.

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

Massachusetts XX

I have whined repeatedly about not being on the road for more than a year now and, therefore, having to search high and low for something to write about.

I found just a couple of pics from Middleboro, Massachusetts and thought I would share them.

Middleboro has quite a nice Veterans memorial and I have shared the appropriate parts of it with you in the past. You can find those posts elsewhere on this site. If you are new to A Means to Heal, simply click on a state name on the left side of this page and all the posts about that state will line up in reverse chronological order.

The site is covered in dedication bricks but it is a bit unusual to find one to a Vietnamese soldier, let alone a POW. 

 

 

The next pic is the final one, I think, from this site. It seems to have been overlooked previously so I am glad that I came across it in my search as it clearly honors generations of service to our country.

Next time, on the 16th, we will return to Nebraska, so, meet me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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

Massachusetts XIX

This site is one of the most perplexing I have seen. It sits in a fairly open area but there are no signs or other identifying components. I can't even say where it is except that it is in Massachusetts.

 

I was simply traveling around the state when I came across it.

I have searched through my resources and can find nothing.

 

The plaques around the pedestal are the seals of the separate Armed Services but give no additional information.

So, as I have so often in the past, I will turn to you and ask if you know anything about this place? You'd be surprised, I think, to know just how often this plea for help has worked in the past, so I am hopeful I will hear from someone. I will update here If I do.

Next time, on December 6th, we will return to New Jersey, so join me there at 9:00am.

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

Massachusetts XVII

We have visited Middleboro before, but in looking through some files I saw some additional pics that I hope you you might find interesting.

There are two Blue Spruce trees planted here, one for a WWI soldier and one for a Vietnam brother. His name was Wayne Caron and he was wounded three times while trying to save other soldiers, before he was finally killed.  They are both Meal of Honor recipients and each has a tree dedicated to him.

Dedication plaque for Corpsman Caron.

A little beyond the spruce is this marker for era vets. The following pic is a bit unusual as it calls itself an "Era" memorial but lists the names and sites where several were lost.

Detail from above, note the names and locations.

 

 

 

Next time, on the 24th, we will revisit New Jersey, so join me there at 9:00am.

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

Massachusetts XVI

Somehow this never got posted on Thanksgiving Day, so here, a bit late, it is. Not sure what happened but...


It seems fitting that I be writing about a memorial in Massachusetts today, Thanksgiving 2019. It is possibly the most often thought about state at this time of year. Many of us believe that it was here that the first Thanksgiving was held. This is not accurate historically, but it is still our long held belief and somehow just makes posting from Southbridge a bit more meaningful even if the first Thanksgiving as we know it was actually in Virginia.

The memorial here sits in a small area created by Main Street as it enters and exits a circle.

Many names are listed here of those who served in Vietnam, the lost are grouped together in a place of honor and where you will not miss them.

I am always pleased when I see these small markers at these sites.

However, I have never seen one of these before. I do not know what the French population in Massachusetts is, but when I returned from 'Nam the first girl I dated was from the state and she was of French heritage. I am sure she never knew, but she played a huge role in my readjustment and I will always be grateful to her.

 

Next time, on the 8th, we will visit New Hampshire, so join me there as usual at 9:00am.

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

Massachusetts XV

I love Massachusetts. Beautiful towns, great scenery and remarkable memorials to their veterans. The state memorial in Worcester is one of the first I saw on this journey and one of my very favorites. You can find it elsewhere on this site.

Northbridge lies about 40 or so miles west and a little south of Boston and they have a beautiful Vietnam memorial.

It sits across the street from the Town Commons on Main Street near the intersection of Hill and Linden Streets.

The two adjacent panels list the name of the more than 400 from the area who served in 'Nam.

The granite used is meant to honor The Wall in DC and the top of the center piece is "rocked" to resemble the state memorial.

In the plaza surrounding the memorial there are pavers honoring many of those who served. these pavers are often sold as fundraisers to help with the cost of memorials and frequently they are available to buy long after the memorial is complete.

Also, I have seen the town referred to as Whitinsville so take note if following Google or AAA, etc.

The memorial was dedicated at 11:00am on the 11/11/11.

Next time, on the 7th, we will make a return trip to New Jersey, so meet me there at 9:00am.

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

Massachusetts XIV

I stumbled upon Bridgewater, Massachusetts' Central Square and found this multi-war memorial.

The memorial honors WWI, Korea, and the Global War On Terror in addition to the seven lost in Vietnam.

Guarded by this eagle it also reminds us that freedom is not free.

It is finding these unexpected memorials that so often makes this journey so interesting and one of the reasons I continue to chase down any memorials I can find. As I write this I am just back from a trip to Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island where I found a number of "new" memorials that I will include on these pages as a later date.

Next time, on the ninth, we will head on down the east coast to New Jersey, so as always, meet me there at 9:00am.

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

Massachusetts XIII

While driving along some back roads in Massachusetts, I came across this somewhat unusual memorial.

There are only two honored here, one of whom is a hero lost in Vietnam.

We are reminded of the sacrifice of so many whose names are listed nowhere.

The memorial has no signs of any kind, it simply stands on the corner of US 44 and Danforth Road. The only other sign nearby was for this church, which, in fact actually made it possible to track down where I was. This small, dignified memorial really is along a wooded rural road so the church sign ended up being a great help in gathering any information about this spot.

I  just liked this flag shot, so, enjoy.

Next time, on March 5th, we will revisit New Jersey, so join me there at 9:00am.

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

Massachusetts XII

In keeping with my on-going efforts to honor those lost in Vietnam I began a smaller project called Faces of Remembrance, where I present portrait like photos gathered from memorials around the country.

It has somewhat startled me to discover of the approximately 700 memorials I have visited how very few actually have likenesses of those lost. So, let me use this post as an endorsement of the Wall of Faces project underway at the Education Center coming to The Wall in DC. The center is attempting to collect photographs of every name on The Wall, all 58,318, I encourage you to participate.

Many states have already completed the process but more pictures are needed. So if you have one, send it to them.

Go here for info about how to submit a photograph:

http://www.vvmf.org/how-to-submit  

  

These photos are a little different as they are not from memorial statues, as are most, but from the plaques on the Charlestown section of greater Boston's Wall. As I was not planning this particular subset of pictures when I traveled in that area, these pics are pulled from the larger photos and therefore are a bit skewed to the eye. Lessons learned, lessons learned.

Next time, on the 21st we will see another face from Michigan. Join me there at 9:00am, as always.

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