Nevada VII

This small Vietnam memorial was found among a group of others on Pyramid Way in Sparks.

The Sparks Memorial Park, near the Sparks Historical Museum is home to a number of memorials including not only Vets, but Law Enforcement and firefighters, too.

The plaque on the pedestal lists those from various wars that were lost. Eight of these were from Vietnam.

 This bench is the only component dedicated solely to Vietnam.

All of this is slated to change in the relatively near future. A brand new memorial park is gearing up to open. You can rad more about it here: http://nevadaveteransmemorial.org/ So, next time on the 1st of October, we will take a trip back to New Hampshire, so, join me there at 9:00am. To see other memorials from Nevada, or any other state, click the state name on the left side of this page.

Nebraska XI

Fremont lies in Dodge County, Nebraska. At 16th and Luther is Clemmons Park and it is home to a memorial to the 14 from the area that were lost in 'Nam.

In front of the flagpole, outside of the Gazebo is this plaque honoring the 14 lost.

The Gazebo houses another tribute, perhaps an earlier one.

This one paraphrases the founding principle of Vietnam Veterans of America.

The first plaque comments on the fact that a tree was planted for each of the 12 lost and one more for the POW/MIAs. However, there are 14 names listed. I called the local newspaper to see if I could find out any more information. It is very common for memorials to be updated with new names over time. I would be willing to bet that every memorial I have ever visited has been updated.

The reporter who wrote the story I had seen no longer works at the paper, so I was put in touch with the editor who, very kindly, gave me the name and number of a local, highly involved, Vietnam vet. He was sure that this guy could help me. So, I called only to discover that both of the vets phone numbers are out of service. I called the paper back, but they were gone for the day.

So, as I so often do, I will turn to you to see of you have any information. If so, you can contact me here through the comments section or there is an email on the left side of the page that is private.

Next time, on the 26th, we will revisit Nevada, so join me, as always, at 9:00am.

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

Missouri IX

On a corner,in Kirkwood, Mo., among many trees are several memorials to various wars.

This one, to our Fathers and Grandfathers, caught my attention, first.

Further exploration discovered this one to our fellow soldiers. The delineations are interesting here. You rarely see such groupings as these.

Just wandering around turned up this, presumably, older memorial to those lost. It seems to be exactly the same as the newer, larger one. They both remember and honor the 10 from the area that were lost.

 Kirkwood is about 13 miles southwest of St. Louis and the memorial is located between city Hall and the RR tracks. near the intersection of S. Kirkwood road and Argonne Drive.

Again, very little available info. about this site. as always, let me know, if you know.

Next time, on the 21st, we will take another look at Nebraska, so, join me there,as always, at 9:00am.

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

9/11, 2016, The Pentagon

15 years ago today, I was teaching a class on computer maintenance and repair to a group of students at my school. This was a three hour class. so "breaks" were built into the schedule. Just before one of them my colleague walked in and whispered in my ear that the World Trade Center had been hit by an airplane and that it was thought to be terrorism.

I actually thought, "Oh, that's crazy, that can't be true."

Well, the scheduled break came and I walked across the hall to a classroom that had a TV on, just in time to see the second plane hit the building.

As you might imagine, or perhaps remember, the rest of the day was chaos. Rumors abounded. We heard that the Capital was on fire, we heard that Camp David was ablaze. and on and on and on. Later, as the truth became clear we knew that a plane had gone down in Shanksville, Pa., and that another one had flown into the Pentagon.

My sister's friend was killed in the Pentagon, my wife's boss had just walked away from an office that was hit. This was personal.

I am not completely sure why, but I had not visited the memorial at the Pentagon until now. It seems to me that the 15th anniversary is a good time to so so.

So, on a day much like the  one in 2001, sunny, bright blue sky, warm, I ventured down.

I guess because it is, after all, the Pentagon, they don't make it easy. You can only drop off or pick up people near the memorial, not park. I drove around and around and found nothing but restricted parking. I finally asked some guys in uniform and they said you had to park at a local Macy's. Well, I had no idea where that was or how I might get back to the site, so I continued to just keep driving around. I finally came to a guard shack and  went over to ask. Nobody in the guard shack. I was getting pretty frustrated. Finally, a guy walked up, no uniform, and asked if he could help me. He was wearing some kind of Pentagon badges, so when he told me a could park nearby, if I was going to be an hour or less, I took his word for it.

It turned out the parking area was right near the entrance to the memorial but was not marked as visitor parking, I parked anyway.

I walked in and the site is quite beautiful and serene.

The first thing you see is this black stone marker announcing the site.

All of those lost are listed on this adjacent marker. The numbers, to the left of each name, are the year in which each was born.

At the entrance is this inscription which is on a salvaged piece of stone from the Pentagon, itself.

Inside the memorial are 185 stone "benches" one for each of the lost. they are arranged chronologically be age. the youngest (3 years old) to the oldest (71 years old) On the wall surrounding the area dates are specified so that one might, more easily, find a particular persson's bench.

The "benches" are placed along the flight path of the plane and each one is engraved with a name.

 If you look carefully, you will see that there is a name on the end of this bench, but look into the water below and you will see that there are others there. this is all one family that was lost together.

If you are facing the Pentagon as you read the name, that means that the person named was in the Pentagon. If you are facing away from the Pentagon, it means that the person named was on the plane.

The site is planted with 85 white Crape Myrtle trees, very beautiful, but I have been unable to determine if that number is significant in any way.

There is a wall the encloses the space, nearly two acres, that  reminds us of the ages of those lost. It begins at 3 inches for the youngest child and rises to 71 inches for the eldest victim.


I am making plans to travel to Shanksville, Pa, and New York City to honor those memorials as well. More on them in the future.

Next time, on the 16th, we will be back on track with Vietnam memorials. Join me in Kirkwood, Missouri, as usual, at 9:00am.

To see other 9/11 memorials or Vietnam memorials from any state, just click the names, or dates,  on the left side of this page.

Massachusetts IX

Medford is just a couple of miles north and slightly west of Boston.

This beautiful park is called Honor Roll Park and is home to this Wall like memorial to all those who served in Vietnam. I have often commented that I am really pleased to find memorials that are able to list all that sacrificed in this war. Some places, obviously, are just too big to be able to do this, but when I find one, I like to point it out.

According to a site I checked today, 17 from the town made the ultimate sacrifice.

I called Medford to get some info regarding the two separate memorials, but could not get through to anyone who could help me. so, as I so often do, I will ask you to let me know if you have any information about this.  You have come through many times in the past and I hope you will do so this time, too.

This memorial has been added and one assumes that it lists the names of those who may have been inadvertently omitted from the original. I promise you,  that this happens all the time. I cannot think of a memorial that I have visited that has not had additions made over the years. The Wall in DC is updated every May and just this past may, several more names were, in fact, added. the total number, now is 58, 315.

These are the names from Vietnam that are included on the smaller, additional wall. At first, I thought they might be the lost, but if the site I checked today is in fact correct, this cannot be so as there are many more that 17 names here.

So, next time, I will have a special 9/11 photo and story. Join me at 9:00 on the 11th.

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

Maryland XII

Route 68 to Cumberland was once called the National Road, the "road that built a nation."

Later, it was dedicated to those who fought in or were lost in the Vietnam War. I have seen many roads across the Nation dedicated to 'Nam vets as well as others. This is the first time, however,  I have found an actual marker, or memorial, usually there is just a roadside sign.

This particular spot is called Sideling Hill and there is a rest stop located here.

The memorial would be easy to miss, but once you find it, and it's remarkable view, you won't forget it.

There are markers telling the story of the road and the difficulties of getting it built, or "taming" it as it is reported.

The site was  dedicated by Vietnam Veterans of America, Post 172, from Cumberland, Maryland.

Our next stop will be in Massachusetts, so meet me there at 9:00am on the 8th.

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