New Hampshire VII (Update)

After a little more research I have discovered that two from Franklin were lost. SP5 David B. Perraualt and SSG. Joseph Andrew Rayno. So, sadly, perhaps my original observation is correct. If no one from a particular town was lost, then no memorials are built. If you know otherwise, please let me know.

New Hampshire VII

In Franklin, we found across this small park on a corner. Located at the intersection of Central Street and Main Street, its dignity is evident and appropriate. There are no names listed here, so, one hopes that none of her sons and daughters were lost to Franklin.

I think that it is great that a town honors all who served. It does seem that if no one was lost, often there is no memorial of any kind. So, to find one like this is especially nice.

New Hampshire VI

Founded in 1735 this town was renamed Dunbarton in 1765 after the hometown of a prominent citizen. 22 of the towns slightly more that 2200 perished in Vietnam. These heroes are remembered and honored on this granite rock which sits outside the Town Hall. The grounds consist of a park like setting with tall trees and a lovely gazebo. Once again I am touched by what some small towns do to honor their own. Clearly, with more limited resources that some big place, they have tough decisions to make and they should be proud to have made this one. Dunbarton Center is not far from our last stop in New Boston.

New Hampshire V

Just a little ways down Route 13 from New Boston is this marker.

It designates a 3.3 mile section of Route 13 as the Davis Scenic Drive. I searched extensively for information about Ronald Davis and found very litlle. His father was once the Chief of Police for the town, but Ronald was just like most of us. A young man who answered his county's call and like so many others paid the ultimate price. He will be remembered here, forever.

New Hampshire IV

Our next stop after the Veteran's cemetery was New Boston. This beautiful New England town has a small park on Meetinghouse Hill road near Rte. 13. The multiwar memorial stands in the shadow of tall trees and a beautiful gazebo.

If you look closely at the "older" section of the plaque you can see the names listed and you will notice on the marker that more names have been added to the original. No one is left behind. I was notified today that 3 more Americans have been identified using DNA. This leads me to speculate that many many more of these memorial sites will be updated as time passes, as they should be!

We went into the local General Store right next to the site and the guys there directed us to the next site, just down the road.

Read about that one on the 18th of October.

New Hampshire III

While we were visiting Boscawen we noticed a guy walking in with a bugle in his hand. We got talking to him and it turns out that every night from Memorial Day to September 11th someone comes and plays Taps at the cemetery. This has become a tradition at the site and these musicians, all volunteers, sometimes travel a great distance to do their part. The gentleman we spoke to drives 50 miles each way just to play 24 notes at 7p.m.

These volunteers are young and old, male and female, vets and non vets, but all want to be part of this solemn tribute to New Hampshire's, and by extension, our nation's lost heroes. Steve and I and two other visitors were the only ones present as the instantly recognizable melody floated over this sacred and beautiful place. He told us that sometimes dozens of bulers play at the same time, some echoing the others. That must be a very emotional moment and I doubt that here is a dry eye in the place.

Interestingly, Memorial Day to 9/11 is 100 days and thus the people involved in this tribute call themselves "100 Nights of Remembrance" You can find out more about them here;

http://www.100nightsofremembrance.org/

The bench, donated by the organization, actually has the correct musical notation for Taps!

If you look in the background of the pictures, up on the hill, you can see stone pillars (for lack of a better word) in front of the mousoleums. Each of these has a photo and information about American involvement in a number of wars. The last photo is of the one that gives a little history about Vietnam. This is currently the last in the series. I do not know when, or if, they might be adding more about our more current involvements.

New Hampshire II

The memorial grove, as I call it, at Boscawen features a number of other memorials. They may not be specifically Vietnam related but they are fitting and beautiful. The following photos are of just a few of these.

The first picture is of the Navy memorial asking for remembrance of those sailors who have died in service to our country. I was recently in California and visited the magnificent Navy Vietnam Memorial in Coronado, near San Diego. It, too, is quite remarkable and I will write more about it when I begin relating my travels in the Golden State. I expect to be writing about California in the not too distant future.

The second and third photo here depict the Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial. I have never actually seen one before. It is in a serene little spot with benches for quite reflection. It was quite moving.

The next one is one of two from Rolling Thunder. Most know of their ongoing tribute and honor to vets, but I wonder how many know that their name comes from the B-52 b0ombing missions in "Nam. These were referred to as rolling thunder and could be heard and felt many miles away. The sound of dozens (or hundreds) of Harleys or other big bikes is reminiscent of this, so hence the name.

The final picture is of the Air Force memorial. It is a replica of the one in Arlington, Va. Situated on the grounds of Ft. Myer, the three spires recall soaring and one of the maneuvers of the Air Force Thunderbirds flying team. Here, as well as, in Arlington, the memorial leaves one spot open for the "missing man" as is the custom at flyovers at funerals.

You can find much more info about the Air Force Memorial here;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Memorial