Virginia X

In my recent post from San Antonio, I mentioned that the memorial there is based upon a photo taken at Khe Sanh. Recently, I went to the Marine Corp Museum in Virginia to research a memorial I was trying to find. While there, I came upon two memorials to Marine service in Vietnam that I don't think I had previously seen.

Today, I will feature one of them, a memorial to those who fought and those lost at Khe
Sanh, Hill 881.

Probably one of the best known battles of the Vietnam War, Khe Sanh was a costly battle to both sides, the Marines, however, prevailed and kept the nearby airfield open which was one of the primary goals.

Like so many of the memorials and monuments at the Museum, this one stands in its simple
elegance in lasting memory to these brave and noble soldiers.

I know guys that participated in this famous siege and all these years later, they still have difficulty talking about it. Semper Fi, brothers.

Next time, on the May 3rd, we will return to Washington, so join me there at 9:00am.

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

Texas XV Faces of Remembrance

The Faces of Remembrance series of posts hopes to convey some of the feelings of the men and women who experienced the war and efforts of the sculptors to capture these feelings.

For context

 This memorial in San Antonio, reflects a fairly common theme: comrades helping comrades.

This one, I think does a particularly good job of capturing the horror and grief of seeing your buddy injured or killed and a "devil take all" effort to help him.

This memorial is based upon a photograph taken at the battle of Khe Sanh and Hill 881, among others.

Next time, on the 29th, we will return to Virginia, so join me there at 9:00am.

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

Tennessee VIII Faces of Remembrance

Today, I would like to continue my sub category of Faces of Remembrance.

These are the faces of the three men featured in the Tennessee Vietnam Memorial located in Nashville. I have told its story elsewhere on this site and you can find it here.

These three tell the oft repeated story of comrades, men brought together by circumstance beyond their control or desire. In other pictures on this site you can find the larger statue in Nashville, that commemorates, as is so often the case, these three as "On patrol" 

While trying to find out if these guys are actual people (not often the case) I can upon a story claiming that the first guy killed in 'Nam was from Tennessee.  I read it with some interest only to be shocked that he was killed in 1961!

This article was written in 2011, so it is not an early mistake, and it just boggles the mind how people can distort history and facts. I'm not sure why this kind of thing happens, but there certainly seems to be more and more of it today.

I just went back and reread the article to make sure that I had not misread it. I did not. The article is about a TV news report on the story.  For what it is worth, they also got the number of casualties way wrong.

Anyway, sorry to go all off.

Let us remember to honor these and all others that served.

Next time, on the 24th we will return to Texas for another Faces of Remembrance post, so meet me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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

Pennsylvania XXII

On a dreary wet day, Steve and I were driving around Pennsylvania. For reasons I cannot now recall we stopped at the Altoona, James E Van Zandt Veterans Medical Center and were surprised to find a replica of The Wall.

 The half sized Wall That Heals was purchased after it visited Altoona in 1999. As so often happens after it stood for four days and was visited by thousands of people, the people wanted something permanent. This particular Wall was about to be retired so they asked to buy it. They raised $50,000 in just 38 days.

Exactly one year after its visit, it stood in its permanent new home.

A Flag Avenue that was added was in full fly the day we visited, even though everything was quite wet.

I read three different accounts of this story and they all agree except on one thing: How many are listed. One account says 58,202, the next says 58, 209 and the third says 58, 2014. I don't know which is correct or if this means it is periodically updated. The current correct number is 58,318 and it is possible that more may be added (to the Wall in DC) this May (2018) as any new names are each May. It always makes me wonder who will be the last name added, to quote Springsteen,"who will be the last to die?"

 A lone remembrance on this day for someone loved and lost.

I read that there was to be a Visitors Center and a Museum about the war, but they were not evident the day I was there. I am trying to find out if they were ever built.

The VA Medical Center is located at 2907 Pleasant Valley Blvd.

Next time, on the 19th, we will return to Tennessee, so meet me there at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials in Pennsylvania, or any other state, click the state name on the left side of this page

Oregon XVII

Well, it has finally happened. I have a set of photos and I can't identify their location.

I do know that these were taken in Oregon in 2015 and the next set of pics in my library is from Albany, so I think they may have been taken in that part of the state.

I know they were in a cemetery and as you might be able to see there are a number of other memorials around the flag pole. One of the others is a 911 memorial.

I truly hope that someone recognizes the spot and will let me know where it is. I once asked for info on another site in Oregon and the good folks from Bend came through, so here's hoping.

Next time, on the 14th, we will trek back the east coast to Pennsylvania, so join me there at 9:00am.

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

North Carolina XV

The city of Lexington is in Davidson County, North Carolina.

On the square on the grounds of the Davidson County Court House are several memorials, including one to the 28 lost in Vietnam.

Dedicated some time in the 70's, no one seems sure of exactly when, it was updated in 2011 with the name of a single soldier killed in Afghanistan, "...because there was room..." to do so.

The square is located at Main and Center Streets and the memorial is easy to find.

 Next time, on the 9th, we will venture once again to the west coast to Oregon, so join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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