Virginia XXXV

 The Virginia Vietnam memorial is located in Newport News and gas an interesting story.  Read about it here.

More than 1300 Virginians made the ultimate sacrifice in 'nam: today three of them.

Aubrey Allen Bryan

SFC Aubrey Bryan was aboard a 'Chopper headed to a site on the border between Vietnam and Laos. His mission was to prepare for additional troops to arrive, the next day, to initiate a mission. His chopper was seen to crash by those on a fellow ship. The second chopper landed to render aide. The pilot and co-pilot of the downed ship were found alive and reported being "shot down." Bryan and all others were lost. The incident was changed to "non-hostile" status by those in charge. The suspicion is that it was an attempt to manipulate reported losses. The spring of 1968 is noted as a period of the heaviest losses in the war. The incident took place on April 10, 1968, in the Quang Tri Province.

Edward Garry Rankin

PFC Edward Rankin was lost to "hostile... small arms fire..." at Binh Duong Province on September 16, 1966, during Operation Atlantic City.

DAVID wAYNE sMITH

The following was taken from the remembrances pages attached to Davids Wall of Faces page at the VVMF's site.

"LOST IN THE FIRE ON THE USS FORRESTAL ON 29 JULY 1967

AOAN (Airman) DAVID WAYNE SMITH was lost in the fire on the USS FORRESTAL on 29 July 1967.

YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

NOR SHALL YOU EVER BE

25 JULY 2002

29 JULY 1967

USS FORRESTAL FIRE

THE WORST ACCIDENT ABOARD A
UNITED STATES NAVY SURFACE
VESSEL SINCE WORLD WAR II

On 29 July 1967 the USS FORRESTAL was operating on Yankee Station off the coast of North Vietnam conducting combat operations.

This was the fifth such day of operations and at 10:52am the crew was starting the second launch cycle of the day, when suddenly a Zuni rocket accidentally fired from an F-4 PHANTOM into a parked and armed A-4 SKYHAWK.

The accidental launch and subsequent impact caused the belly fuel tank and a 1,000-pound bomb on the Skyhawk to fall off; the tank broke open spilling JP5 (jet fuel) onto the flight deck and ignited a fire.

Within a minute and a half, the bomb was the first to cook-off and explode, this caused a massive chain reaction of explosions that engulfed half the airwings aircraft and blew huge holes in the steel flight deck.

Fed by fuel and bombs from other aircraft that were armed and ready for the coming strike, the fire spread quickly, many pilots and support personnel were trapped and burned alive.

Fuel and bombs spilled into the holes in the flight deck igniting fires on decks further into the bowels of the ship.

Berthing spaces immediately below the flight deck became death traps for fifty men, while other crewmen were blown overboard by the explosion.

Nearby ships hastened to the FORRESTAL's aid.

The ORISKANY (CV 34), herself a victim of a tragic fire in October 1966, stood by to offer fire-fighting and medical aid to the larger carrier.

Nearby escort vessels sprayed water on the burning FORRESTAL and within an hour the fire on the flight deck was under control.

The crew heroically fought the fire and carried armed bombs to the side of the ship to throw them overboard for 13 hours.

Secondary fires below deck took another 12 hours to contain.

Once the fires were under control, the extent of the devastation was apparent.

Most tragic was the loss to the crew, 134 had lost their lives, while an additional 64* were injured, this was and still remains the single worst loss of life on a United States Navy vessel since the USS FRANKLIN (CV 13) was bombed in WW II.

The ship proceeded to Cubi Point in the Philippines for temporary repairs. In only eight days enough repairs were made that she could start the long trip back to her home port of Norfolk, Virginia for permanent repairs. On her way home she was capable of operating aircraft if needed.

FORRESTAL would spend seven months in the yards being repaired, she was re-built from the hanger up and forward to aircraft elevator number four, this accounts for about 1/5 the ships length and 5 decks.

On 8 April 1968 FORRESTAL was once again ready to take her place in the fleet, however she was never to return to Vietnam.

With over a dozen major detonations from 1,000 and 500 lb. bombs and numerous missile, fuel tank, and aircraft explosions no ship has ever survived the pounding FORRESTAL underwent that day, before or since. She and her crew proved the toughness and dangers associated with the

operation of super-carriers, this is one of her greatest legacies.

The USS FORRESTAL would go on to serve the United States for another 26 years during the height of the Cold War and see it through to its demise. She and her crew were always ready to go into battle again, the call never came, she served in war for 4 1/2 days but served to ensure peace for over 13,860.

FORRESTAL had truly served her purpose as 'First in Defense'."

*Other reports quote 161 injured.

Next time, on June 27th, we will return to Washington, so join me, as always, at 9 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 (now three) 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.

Virginia XXXIV

I posted earlier about a memorial deep within Luray Caverns in Virginia. If you can't travel to the caverns, and you should if you can, here is that original post.

 

In the mean time here are some of the heroes honored on this unique memorial.

 

Norman C. Brubaker

SSGT Brubaker was lost at Ninh Thuan on May 15,1968 to hostile small arms fire. it saddens me that so little information seems to be available not only for SSGT Brubaker, but for the vast majority of those I try to honor here. 

Emmett Dougans

SP4 Dougans was lost when a convoy, on the Minh Thuan Road, was ambushed by the V.C. on July 9, 1966. He was born in Washington, DC but lived and is buried in Page County, Virginia.

Thomas A. fox

PFC Thomas Fox was killed in a VC ambush on May 6, 1968. the following was taken from the Find a Grave site. Written by another soldier and sent to Thomas' cousin who was actively seeking information about him.

 "...each man carried a box of machine him ammo to distribute the weight. It was noisy and we were on a heavy firefight. I was calling for ammo and here comes 'ol T-Fox low crawling toward me with his can of ammo dragging beside him. He reaches out to hand the can and I reach out to grab it. Our hands are touching and he is hit in the head. I yell for the medic, Doc, Doc, Fox is hit. Doc crawls over, checks him, and says he's gone. That's exactly how it happened. I think about him all the time. Hope this helps. He fought well..."

It is odd that I just complained about lack of information and I run across one that actually tells a story. 

Next time, on September 4th, we will return to Washington, to honor others so worthy of our admiration and never ending respect. Join me there, at 9:00 am., as always.

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!  

Virginia XXXIII

Last time I promised that we would next visit Wisconsin, but, Colleen from Pennsylvania visited Luray, Virginia and sent me these pics of a memorial found deep within the world famous Caverns found there.

Located in the Cathedral Room the memorial was originally established to honor those from Page County lost in WW I. Placed by the American Legion, over the years additional tributes have been added to the site. Until 1928 no such plaques, etc., were allowed within the cavern site.

Five from Page County were lost in 'Nam and they like their comrades from earlier wars are memorialized here.

This was a tiny, tiny pic probably from a cell phone so it is especially hard to see here. 

It says, Veterans from Page county who lost their lives in Vietnam

The name of the five lost heroes from Page County are:

Norman Brubaker

Emmett Dougans

Thomas Fox

Leroy Phillips

Samuel Tharpe

R.I.P. brothers, may you always be honored and remembered. I have written here before that it is said that as long as someone says your name, you will always be. Even many feet into a marvelous cavern, these are remembered.

There is much interesting about the caverns themselves and you may check them out here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luray_Caverns

Next time, on October 25th, we will return to Wisconsin, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Virginia, 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, Colleen from Pennsylvania and Molly from Florida, and very soon 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.

Virginia XXXII

Last September I wrote about my visit to VFW Post 9274 in Falls Church, VA. ( you can see that post here.)

While there I was surprised to find this small tribute to a single guy. I wondered who he was.

It is shocking to me just how little information I found about David Strickler. He was an Army Corporal and was lost in a mortar/rocket attack at Kontum in April 1968. That is about it.

The plaque is seen on the base of the flag pole

 

 

That, I guess, is why these memorials are important. Without them, we would just be forgotten. I guess over enough time, that is just what happens, but, for now, I will continue to catalogue, honor, and remember. When we are all gone, I hope this site will last, Lest we forget.

Next time, on the 7th, we will venture back to West Virginia, so, meet me there, as always, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Virginia, 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.

Virginia XXXI

Falls Church, Virginia is a near-in suburb of Washington D.C., so in an area so steeped in our history it came as no surprise that I would find a memorial to our service in Vietnam. In fact, I found three, but more on that in future posts.

The VFW here (Post 9274) has honored its members by painting a mural on one side of its building.

 

Along with the VFW insignia, Vietnam, GWOT, and Desert Storm, are honored. 

Next time, on the 11th, we will revisit West Virginia, so meet me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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

If you follow along here you know that I always ask readers to send me any memorials, that I have not featured here, that they may have seen. I promise to give photo credits (which might only matter to professionals) and hope that some might do so. A number of you have honored me and our fellow vets by doing just that and I hope this will encourage more of you to get in touch.

If you have photos, please send them to the address at the right side of this page.

Virginia XXX

Last March we visited Stafford County, Virginia and the beautiful memorial there. I promised to return and today is the day. You can see the original post here.

Stafford lies about 40 miles south of Washington, DC.

The memorial honors those who served in the Armed forces from the Revolutionary war through GWOT.

Each war is etched upon a solid black granite "Wall."

It pleases me that someone took the time to get the years correct. I can't count the number of memorials that get it wrong. Nice job Stafford!

At the top of the site is a large globe. It appears that it may be designed to move as water runs beneath it, but I can't be sure as it was not working the day I visited. and, oddly enough, I can not find a word on-line about the Stafford county Armed Forces Memorial. Go figure.

Finally, the very "center" of the memorial is this tribute Wall depicting participants in our various engagements.

The sun glare was awful on this day and it, as you know if you follow this site, is a problem with so many of our memorials. the beautiful black granite used in so many is just very reflective and difficult,at least for me, to get just right. I have used lens filters etc,, to try to deal with it but to no particular avail. The timing of the photo seems to be the only good way to deal with it, and sometimes it is just not possible to be at a site at that particular time, So, we carry on.

Next time, on the 13th, we will return to West Virginia, hope you will join me, as always, at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials from Virginia, or any other state, please click 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, or any place else. Please send them to the email at the left or directly to me at Ldddad@comcast.net. Thanks.

Virginia XXIX

This beautiful memorial in Stafford, Virginia was dedicated in 2017 making it one of the newer memorials I've visited.

It, as so many do, commemorates and honors those from many wars, here, the Revolutionary War through the GWOT.

While some of the borders of the site are edged with stones honoring many, the initial corner, guarded by a gold eagle, is reserved for those who gave all.

Several of our comrades are included among the lost.

I did not choose this man for any particular reason, he was just the first of the few I came across.

This final shot, for today, is of the larger memorial and I promise to return to tell you more in a future post.

Next time, on the 10th, we will revisit Washington, so join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials from Virginia, or any other state, please click 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, or any place else. Please send them to the email at the left or directly to me at Ldddad@comcast.net. Thanks!

Virginia XXVIII

 I was surprised on my several trips to, and research about Roanoke, Virginia that I could find no memorial to Vietnam. It seemed odd that a town of this size would not have anything at all.

It was not until quite sometime later that I discovered that Vinton and Roanoke counties has joined forces to remember and honor all of their lost heroes.

This beautiful memorial does exactly that.

Actually located on a knoll in Vintner, it, appropriately, is called the High ground. All vets will know just what that means. It is at least the second memorial that I have visited with that designation. The other is in Neillsville, Wisconsin and can be seen here and here.

The gazebo like memorial was unveiled in 2011 and honors all who have been lost and all who serve.

The memorial sits on the grounds of a event facility on 11.5 acres

The High Ground designation. for those who may not know, it is said that "a soldier always looks for the high ground" as it is safer.

These are just a couple of views of the memorial and in the not too distant future I will post more with the specifics of those of our lost comrades honored here. The central flag is bronze and I think it is just beautiful.

The memorial may be located at 814 E Washington Ave, Vinton, VA 24179

Next time, on the 6th, we will revisit West Virginia, so meet me there, as always, at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials from Virginia, 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, or any place else. Please send them to the email at the left or directly to me at Ldddad@comcast.net. Thanks!

Virginia XXVII

Mathews, in Mathews County lies about 70 miles due East of Richmond. My friend and fellow photographer, Mike Minnick, visited and found this memorial and as always, graciously, sent it on to me.

It was originally a WWII memorial but was rededicated in 2003 to include what have become known as The 20th Century Wars. It does, however, not include anything beyond Vietnam. Perhaps it will be updated once again.\ in the future.

I have found little information about it and as always, I invite anyone with additional knowledge to get in touch. You will find an email address to the left.

The original 40 WWII lost have been joined by their brothers from other wars.

Our three lost brothers are here. 

Note the dates of the war. I am never sure, as I have stated often here, whether these numbers are intentional revisionist history or something else. Facts demonstrate that the first solder lost in Vietnam was TSGT Fitzgibbons who was killed in 1956, the year following our first entry into Vietnam. (The first American was killed in 1945 in what turned out to be an accidental shooting. The Vietminh were aiming at the guy next to him!)

Next time, on the 9th, we will revisit Washington, so meet me at 9:00am.

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

I will ask, at the end of 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 from the list at the left.

Virginia XXVI

The day was dank and rainy, evening was fast approaching and I thought I might never find this memorial. I knew it was on the campus of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, but no idea as to its exact location.

We, my wife was with me this time,  drove around and around and finally gave up figuring I'd have to return at some other time.

And, there it was. No idea how or why we stumbled upon it.

With literally just minutes of light left I was able to get these pics.

A memorial to many that were lost from the area over the course of several wars and many years, those honored here are members of the Harrisonburg community.

The large plaque, removed from an older memorial, was first placed in 1949 to honor the 138 lost in WWII.

 

 

Along the sides are remembered those from our other more recent conflicts.

 

 

Ten of our brothers from Vietnam are remembered among the many others.

 

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

 

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

Virginia XXV

Traveling recently in southeast Virginia I was staggered by the beauty of the Autumn foliage. There at, seemingly, exactly the right time just added to my pleasure and fortune of finding a couple of Vietnam memorials, too.

Along the Pigg River at the foot of the Peter Saunders Bridge is this moving tribute to all who have served and those who have fallen in our wars. 

Rocky Mount, Va is located in Franklin County.

Listed here on the main memorial are the names of those lost in wars and the 1525 names honored on the pavers that make up the plaza honor vets from the area.

Our brothers, six of them, are remembered and honored here, too.

 

 

I always take the opportunity to point out the dates listed upon our many memorials. They are many and varied. I have seen beginning dates too numerous to list and ending dates as late as 1978.

Sometimes the beginning dates represent when the first casualty from the area took place or sometimes from the Gulf of Tonkin incident. Other times, sadly, it seems to be an attempt to rewrite history. For those who have not followed along on this journey, the first soldier killed in Vietnam was Tech. Sgt. Fitzgibbons who was lost in 1956. It took a number of years to have his name added to The Wall as his death fell outside the more accepted 1959 to 1975 span of the war. This was eventually corrected and he is now honored among the more than 58,000 others listed there.

Next time, on the 10th, we will revisit California, so join me there at 9:00am.

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

Virginia XXIV

Spotsylvania, Virginia Courthouse is located at 9101 Courthouse Road. I place this first on this post because I had such a hard time locating this memorial. The GPS, without the actual street address, drove me around and around and around the area before actually locating the site.

 

 

The memorial is dedicated to many and was placed by the American Legion in 1969. This would have made it a rather early memorial if Vietnam had been included at the time.

 

 

Added at some time later, these heroes seem almost an afterthought. Perhaps they were waiting to see what the actual count would end up being. That does not seem unreasonable to me, but one would think that they might have been added in the same manner as the others here. Virginia is steeped in history and while trying to find information, any information, on this site, I came across hundreds of memorials to the Civil War and those lost, but virtually none to these. Maybe it takes a hundred years.

 

 

Next time, on the 7th, we will return to California, so join me there at 9:00am.

 

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

Virginia XXIII

It is always a point of interest for me to see just what places do to honor their war dead. I have commented many time, here, about being just blown away by what some small towns do in this area.

Fairfax Virginia is legendary for its role in the founding of our Nation. Mount Vernon and Gadsby's Tavern, just to name two, are located here among literally dozens if not hundreds of other significant sites.

I visited the historic Fairfax County Courthouse to see the memorial to those lost in 'Nam.

One of several plaques, those who lost their lives in Vietnam are remembered here.

The count as best as I can see is 106.

 

 

It nice that even though this memorial is small that they got the years pretty close. As I have commented repeatedly here the first soldier was killed in 1956, but many places start their count with the year their first citizen was lost.

 

Next time, on the 28th, we will visit a memorial , brand new in fact, in West Virginia. So, meet me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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

Virginia XXII

A bit more than an hour south of Washington D.C., straight down I-95, is Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Located in a small park formed by the crossing of Liberty, Barton, and George Streets is the Fredericksburg Area War Memorial.

Consisting of six vertical slabs and a topping stone it forms a slight semi-circle dedicated to the fallen from several military involvements.

The names of those who sacrificed all are inscribed on the inside faces of stone. As you can see, there is plenty of empty space for future heroes.

We, 21 in all, are not forgotten, our brothers are listed here among the over 400 inscribed and honored upon these walls.

We will return to this are in the future as I have found several more memorials in my latest journeys, but next time, on the 4th of July, we will spend a moment thinking about all that has brought us to the present.

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