Washington X

Directly across the parking lot from the WWI memorial, an exact, life sized, replica of Stonehenge, is this multi-war memorial to those from the Maryhill area lost in several wars. (You can find more on that memorial by clicking on Washington and scrolling back a bit.)

This memorial, too, stands high above the Columbia River and is guarded by the wind turbines higher on the hill.

Several names are listed here from the area.

As is so often the case, people have left things behind: coins, candy, parts of plants, a book, perhaps a favorite. One wonders what each of these gifts meant to the person that left it or to the person it was left for?

Our next stop will be West Virginia, so join me there at 9:00am on the 19th.

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

Virginia IX

Just across the Potomac River from The Wall is Arlington, Virginia, one of the most historic cities in our nation. It is the home of the National Cemetery and many other historic buildings and places.

Nestled on a corner, at Wilson and Irving, is this memorial to many from the area who gave all for a number of causes.

The main dedication plaque tells us that the stones are from the original Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and that the memorial was placed in 1931.

Someone had recently placed a wreath to honor those here. I can't say if it was to all, the Korean lost listed here, too, or our brothers and sisters from Nam, but I choose to think that it honors us, as I was here shortly after Vietnam Remembrance Day.

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, click the state name on the left side of this page.

Vermont VII

I was going to my nephew's wedding at the Mountain Top Inn Resort in Chittenden, Vermont and as we turned the corner on the road up to the Inn, I saw this sign.

Longtime followers of A Means to Heal know that I have visited hundreds and hundreds of memorials in the US, Canada, and Ireland, but this one was a complete surprise. Not only because I was not expecting it, but, also, because of it's simplicity. If you have followed on this journey for any length of time, you know that memorials can be very elaborate, but this one, to me, is elegant because of its simplicity.

Those lost, I am guessing, are marked with a star as are the ones on the left side, WWII. The Vietnam portion contains no stars but in my research I have found two names of local citizens now known lost.

I do not know if there are plans to update this memorial and I can find nothing about it online. so, again, I will ask you to get in touch if you are from Chittenden or the area and have any information.

The memorial is located on your left just after you turn on to Mountain Top Road from E. Pittsford/Chittenden Rd.

Next time, on the 9th, we will head south to Virginia, so check back then,as always, at 9:00am.

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

Pennsylvania XIX

While traveling through the Pennsylvania landscape, I came upon a couple of places with Bristol in the name. Bristol, Bristol Township, and Bristol Borough. I have written about a couple of these previously and you can find those posts elsewhere on this site.

Today, I want to share with you the memorial in Bristol Borough. It stands beneath an American flag along the Delaware River. Near the intersection of Radcliff and Clift streets it honers several from the area that were lost.

A simple wall, made mostly of brick honors the fallen.

Elsewhere in this same town is a larger memorial to all of the Vets, living and lost, that I will share at another time.

What is most interesting, to me, is that the area has no fewer than three memorials to or including Vietnam and an additional one to War Dogs, also see elsewhere on this site.

Click on Pennsylvania on the left to see these and other memorial from this great state.

Next time, on May 4th, we will return to Vermont, so join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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

Oregon XV

South Eugene High School lost 11 of her own in Vietnam.

In about 2005 it was decided that they should be remembered. A classmate and war vet wanted to remember his friends and place a plaque in a garden area at the front of the school. There was some concern that a memorial might glorify war, but the vet himself had joined Vietnam Veterans Against the War upon his return and wanted the memorial to not only honor his lost friends but serve, too as a constant reminder of the real costs of war.

The day I was there the weather was dismal: cold, rainy, just unpleasant, but it was the day I had, so I took some pics and hoped for the best.

As you can see, the rain made clear pics nearly impossible. This one of the problems I often encounter. Many of these memorials are designed to be reflective, to draw you in, to force you to see yourself and think. On the other hand, when it is raining, especially, the reflections actually obscure the memorial itself. I have been fighting this battle for years now and have not found a satisfactory solution.

Here are the names that are so hard to read on the plaque:

 WILLIAM R. ANDREWS
ROBERT K. COLLINS
JAMES W. CARTWRIGHT
WILLIAM G. MUIR
CARL F. LOUVRING
WILLIAM A. BECKWITH
ARTHUR A. ERWIN
KREG A. VIESTENZ
DENNIS E. MICKELSON
CARLTON COE GRAY
JAMES R. COLZ

The people at the High School were very nice, receptive and interested in my project and we visited fro quite some time. I noted that none of them were old enough to remember any of the students or, for that matter, Vietnam. Time passes making this project and journey, at least to me, even more important.

Next time, on the 29th, we will take another look at Pennsylvania, so join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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

New York XII

Once again, I find myself in wonder. I visited this fairly elaborate memorial in Hicksville, New York and yet I can find nothing about it on line. All searches take me to Hicksville, Ohio, or to East Meadows where there is a great memorial in Eisenhower Park. I have written about that one previously. I have tried to contact the local newspaper, to no avail.

I had gone to Hicksville to see a memorial that turned out to be a part of a funeral home and the man there asked if I knew the one at the local school? I had not heard about this one and he took me out back and pointed just a block or two away from where we were standing.

If memory serves me (always doubtful) it stands on the grounds of the Hicksville Middle School.

The Veterans Memorial Park is dedicated to many veterans from many wars including our comrades from Vietnam.

Next time, on the 24th, we revisit Oregon, so as always, join me there at 9:00am.

To see additional memorial from New York, or any other state, click on the state name on the left side of this page.

Nebraska XIII

While simply wandering around Nebraska, I stopped in a town hall and asked about a local memorial. while there the nice young woman I was speaking to asked if I was aware of the one in Pierce, her home town? I was not, so she gave me directions on how to find it.

It was only about 30 miles away and what a great find. Several Walls covered with names of those who served from the area.

There are literally hundreds of names that served in 'Nam and I was able to find just one who was lost.

It is extremely rare to find a memorial that has not had names added after the site was dedicated. We are working on a memorial in my town and are working very hard to have it be complete and inclusive. We will see how that works out.


Listed down the right side of the "V" are WWII, Vietnam, Grenada, and Persian Gulf.

It is hard to see in these pics, but Grenada is misspelled (Granada), this stuff happens and there are no easy solutions in stone. I saw a memorial in York, Pennsylvania where a soldiers name had been misspelled and they decided to carve it again, in a slightly different place, correctly.

Located at Brown and Court Streets this memorial is easy to find and there is plenty of parking.

Next time, on the19th, we return to New York, so meet me there at 9:00am.

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