New Mexico X

Truth or Consequences may be best know for the TV game show of the same name, but it, also, should be known for the great Veterans Memorial Park and the Hamilton Museum that are located in the town on the same site.

This park has much to offer as it is more of a multi-war park that attempts to tell our history as one walks its paths.

Vietnam is prominent here, with a half scale replica of The Wall. It is one of the retired Traveling Walls that found its final home on the site.

 These markers are along the walkways and speak to our wars and the people who served in them.

This guy is called the Guardian of the Park.

There is just too much here to include in one post, so I will return at some time in the future to share more of what is in the park and what is in the museum.

The Park and Museum may be reached at;

996 S. Broadway
Truth or Consequences, NM 87901
Phone: (575) 894-7640
Email: TheWall@windstream.net

It is 154 miles south of Albuquerque on Rte. 25.

Next time, on the 2nd of February will will return to New York, so join me there, as always, at 9:00am.


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

New Jersey VIII

As I wonder the country I often happen upon memorials that I did not know existed and where not on my agenda. These are always special, a surprise in my travels. A problem, however is that I can usually not find information about the memorial. Those who are responsible for its building are often gone or unreachable. It is one of the reasons I write this blog, to have a record, to leave something for those who may want information later.

I posted a while back about a memorial in Berlin Borough and questioned the difference between the Borough and the township near by. A very nice lady, a vet , contacted me and explained the differences to me.

This is the memorial from the Berlin Township. I have no information about it so, I hope that once again someone will fill me in on the details.

I did find one casualty from Berlin, NJ., but it was not made clear if it was the Borough or the Township.

Next time, on the 28th, we will revisit New Mexico, so as always I invite you to join me there at 9:00am.

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

Nevada VI

About 40 miles east of Reno is the Northern Nevada Veterans Cemetery. By comparison to some it feels somehow smaller and more intimate.

There is a cluster of memorials to those who were lost in 'Nam, including one to the Nurses lost while caring for the wounded.

POW/MIAs are remembered at least twice. Once with  the nurses and again here at the entrance to the Cemetery.

Vietnam's heroes are as always individually noted, but there are at least two other sites honoring them.  There was actually one more, but the light was so very bright that even in post processing I was unable to reduce the reflection and glare to an acceptable level.

Note  the dates on this marker

Veterans families may choose the kind of interment desired. there are many "Pillow stone" traditional sites as well as these mausoleum type sites. I do not know if this is due to a space issue or just providing a choice.

So, we depart Nevada for now and move on to New Jersey, so join me there on the 23rd at 9:00am.

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

Massachusetts VII

The memorial in South Boston was created by friends for friends. It rest upon a slight rise overlooking the rest of the park. six friends served together, three returned and these three wanted to honor their buddies

It began as a remembrance for 3 from the neighborhood and grew to include 25 "local heroes,"

Placed in a park I have heard called the M Street Park and also Medal of Honor Park, it is a beautiful setting and offers much to the community. Located at M Street and Broadway it has easy parking and paved walkways, some of which are named after local heroes.

Completed and dedicated in 1981, the area still refers to it as one of the first memorials in the Country. readers of this blog know that they were quite a few dedicated starting as far back as the late sixties, but it does predate many, including The Wall in D.C.

All of those listed had played in the park as kids, and this year, the 34th anniversary of the dedication, the community turned out to honor and remember, ensuring that these soldiers will not be forgotten.

Next time on the 18th, we will revisit , so join me ther ,as always, at 9:00am.

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

Maryland X

Allegheny County is in the western part of Maryland. While driving through, I ran across this memorial in the town of Lonaconing. The town lies about 16 miles south west of Cumberland on rte 36.

It was sponsored by a VFW that now seems to be defunct.

In 2013 the town which has less than one half of  square mile in size had a population of 1163 people, prompting me to comment, once again, on what small towns often do for their veterans.

I have been unsuccessful in gathering any additional information about the site. Calls to local vet organizations and a area newspaper went unreturned. So, as I so often ask, and you so often respond to, let me know if you have any information and I will update it here.

I did discover that no one from this town was lost in 'Nam. It is very unusual to find a memorial in a town that suffered no losses. It amazes me that I can find places who have had loses but no memorials, I can't quite understand this, but to find a place with no losses and a memorial, well that's just very unusual. The names listed above are those who contributed to the building of the memorial.

Next time on the 13th, we will return to Massachusetts, so join me there at 9:00am.

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

Louisiana X

 

The area is called Arcadiana and is made up of several Parishes (Counties), the first non native settlers came from Arcadia in Canada and we have come to know them as Cajuns.

This memorial lies in Lafayette, west of New Orleans, about 150 miles, in a Veterans Park that has several other memorials to others that served.

According to some official literature I read, it honors the 141 men from the area who were lost in "Nam. I have seen other literature that claims 82, another that lists 21, so I went back to my pics, blew them up and counted, three times, 125. I guess it varies with time, who is doing the counting, and what areas they are including in the count.

Nearby, a single marker.

Next time, on the 8th, we will return to Maryland, so meet me there at 9:00am

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