Arizona XVII

While driving through Arizona, I found myself crossing the Tohono O'odham Reservation. In Sells, I stopped to get a drink and noticed that there was vet office near the store and a bunch of guys were hanging around. I walked over and it was some kind of a craft, gathering, where people were selling stuff and cooking food on open fires. I started talking to some of the guys and when I told them what I was doing, someone said (as they always do) "Have you seen ours?"

Well he directed me down the street over to an unfinished site that had high fences all around. I walked around and around looking for an unlocked gate and there was none The fence went right up and touched a building, so I went in asked about the memorial but the folks there were not connected.

Before I eventually found a gap in the fence I could get through and gained access to the memorial I shot this pic from the road side, over the fence.

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Once inside, it was easy to see that the site is not too very far from being completed. It currently honors WWII vets on this plaque.

Vietnam and Korean vets who made the ultimate sacrifice are honored on this plaque.

This plaque will be replaced in time. It might interested you to know that no group of Americans is more highly represented than Native Americans in the Vietnam war.

Near the fence, out by the road are what is left of an old memorial.

Next time I write about Arizona, I will tell you about my encounter with the American Legion in the town where the very nice woman working there showed me artist conceptions and a mock up of what the memorial will look like when completed.

Next time here, on the February 3rd, we will revisit California, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00am.

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

Alabama XIII

After leaving Georgia for the time being, Steve and I ended up in a town called Clayton in Chilton County, Alabama.

We found this memorial and another just yards away at the Court House. I will feature the other, older, memorial in the near future.

Dedicated to those from the county that served and died, it features a beautiful eagle landing on a branch.

The names of the 13 local heroes are honored here, forever.

After we finished up, we asked the guard in the Court House where we find something to eat?

He directed us to a cafe just down the street where we had a very nice lunch.

On the way out the cashier, knowing we were not local, asked what brought us to Clayton? I explained our journey and she got really excited and wanted to know if we had been down the road to the Confederate Cemetery? I told her that we had not been there and that I was really only photographing Vietnam memorials. "Oh," she insisted, "there is a Vietnam memorial there, you have to check it out!"

So, we were headed in that direction anyway, we decided to stop and check it out. I have commented on this site a number of times that I often hear of some site from local folks and always try to check them out. Sometimes it pays off, other times, not so much.

Well, we drove the few miles to this beautiful, wooded, cemetery, full of memorials and eventually came to a visitors center. We stopped, went in, and I asked the very nice lady behind the counter where I might find the Vietnam memorial? 

She could not have looked at me more strangely if I had had two heads!

She said, "This is a Confederate Cemetery, dedicated to those who died in the Civil War!"

I explained that I had been directed here by a local and we both had a good laugh over it. I guess this was one of the times that local help was not so helpful. But, I am grateful for the cashier's interest and her attempt to help.

The court House is located at 502 Second Avenue N.

Next time around, we will venture back to Arizona, so join me there at 9:00am. on the 29th.

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

Washington XIII

North of Bellingham, in Ferndale, is a park called Hovander Homestead Park. I had read that there was a Vietnam memorial there, but when Steve and I arrived the park seemed to be closed. We could not find anyone anywhere, although the chain was down at the entrance.

We wondered around and around with no idea where the memorial might be located.

Not too surprisingly for the area, everything was wet and somewhat marsh-y (should such a word exist) but we squished on and on and to our surprise and delight located the memorial.

It rests along a path with no announcement signs or markings, we really just stumbled upon it.

 Two benches are provided for those who visit.

Notice that the plaque has a image recalling The Wall.

28 are honored here and I noticed that it they are the fallen from Whatcom County, elsewhere on this site you can find another memorial to Whatcom's lost and you may notice that this memorial includes two that are not listed on the previously posted site in Bellingham.

Hovander Homestead Park is located at 5299 Nielson Avenue

Next time, on the 24th we will revisit Alabama, so join me there at 9:00am.

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

New York XV

This small memorial outside a Funeral Home is what brought me to Oyster Bay. While talking to the people inside about it one of them asked if we (my 'Nam buddy John was with me) knew about the one down the street at the Middle School (seen elsewhere on this site) As so often happens, I was able to locate and capture one I knew nothing about until I talked with locals.

This one, however, sits just outside the door to the establishment and is different because it is dedicated to those who were impacted by Agent Orange and other service connected deaths.

Inside there is a plaque listing many veterans from the area. Presumably these are those cared for by this particular home.

No designations of any kind are listed here, only the names of those that served.

So, our next visit will be back to Washington, so, join me there at 9:00am on the 19th.

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

New Mexico XV

Vado lies a short distance from Las Cruces where I went to see the fantastic memorial that was incomplete the last time I visited several years ago, and I promise to tell you more about that in a future post.

Vado is nearly as opposite as it could be from Las Cruces.

It is small, hand built by two guys, and sits on the side of the road.  You might easily say that it is more intimate than its mach lager neighbor less than 20 miles to the North.

The two plaques list those who served in the Era with no designations as to whom may have been in-country, or might have been lost. They are listed by Service with the whole left plaque and part of the right one dedicated to the Army. The other Services are listed on the right panel, too.

POW/MIAs are listed on a separate, smaller plaque and again on a stone nearby.

This journey began as an effort to capture the 50 state memorials and as I have mentioned before it grew into a much larger project and I have been surprised by how much these smaller, perhaps more personal memorials have come to mean to me. This one is no exception, I just love it. Thank you, Vado.

The memorial may be found at 9350 Hwy 478.

Next time, on the 14th, we 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.

Maryland XVII

Today, New Years Eve 2017, it seems appropriate to me to be writing from and about my home state, Maryland.

Even though you will be reading this on January 3rd, or after, it just feels right on this cold, final, night of the year to be remembering those from home.

What does not feel right is that I chose to write about a small memorial in Calvert County, at the Prince Frederick Court House, and I cannot find one single word about it on line, anywhere. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Certainly not the only time I have had this problem, but it still upsets me that no one, other than the folks from the county, seems to have taken notice.

So, I can only show you what I have.

Reverse

Detail

A number of wars and losses of the brave are honored here at the Court House, including five from Vietnam.

The Court House and the memorial may be found at 765 Prince Street.

As I so often do, I will ask any reader who has info on this site to contact me, so I can update this with more information. Many of you have responded in the past and I hope someone will, today, too.

Happy New Year to all and I hope that 2018 will be better for each of you!

Next time on January 8th, check out a new post from New Mexico. Join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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