Arizona XXIV

Last year I was in Arizona with my family. We attended the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI in Anthem which I wrote about previously on this site.

We traveled down to Tucson for a few days just to visit.

While not always hunting for Vietnam memorials, I do keep one eye out for any I might stumble across.

While driving along Ajo Road, my sister said, "Hey, what are all those flags over there?" We tried to gain access to the site but there was no parking anywhere. I think I have written before that it often seems that our memorials are in the worst places possible. Maybe it is because in some areas the real estate markets are depressed for any number of reasons. I have been to memorials that I wondered if I would actually get out of my car the neighborhood was so bad. I guess this makes the property easier to obtain.

Well, after a while we parked, probably illegally, and walked to the site of all the flags. They were up on a raised area and we could not see what else was actually there.

Upon creating the hill we found the really nice memorial.

It turns out to be a Korean War Memorial dedicated to the several from Pima County who were lost in that endeavor.

I was happy to see this memorial as the Korean War is often referred to as The Forgotten War, so we spent some time checking it out.

Of course, I was a bit disappointed that it was not a Vietnam memorial, but as we looked around we found some interesting components.

The first was this interior wall that is painted with a variety of pictures. Among the icons and soldiers and various medals on display is this Vietnam Service Medal.

 So even here, we are not forgotten.

I am always pleased to see our sisters-in arms remembered and honored. One of the walls here has seven medallions representing various Women's veterans groups painted upon it. As I know I have said before, my one time Mother-in-law was a Womens Army Service Pilot during WWII. She and many others served bravely and heroically and waited far too many years for recognition, so It was good to see them honored here.

Next time, on the 25th, we will venture back to California, so join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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