Maryland XXV

I've been reading for a few years now about a new memorial in Friendsville, Maryland to the six from the town who were lost in Vietnam.

As recently as this week I discovered that ground has been broken and that the project is finally underway.

However, I wonder if you know that Friendsville has an older memorial to her six heroes that was erected in 1975.

It lies, seemingly, on the grounds of Friendsville Elementary School, located at 1st and Park.

The quote seen on the memorial a paraphrase of a line from John Donne (d.1631,) and is probably associated most with Hemingway's novel. As a one-time English teacher, I like to to see this.

The six men here, two of whom seem to be related, are from a town of 600 people at the time of their deaths and this small town is diligently trying to honor them in a grander way with the new memorial.

Next time, on the 28th, we will once again take a trip to Massachusetts, so join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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

Indiana X

Today just a quick post and a plea for help from the "hive" as my cousin calls it.

These two pics were taken in some kind of a government facility, maybe a city hall or something, I just cannot remember!

They honor the seven from the area, Posey County, I think, who were sacrificed in 'Nam. Both Posey County and Mount Vernon are mentioned on the lower plaque, but that is no guarantee!

The last two seem to have been added at a later time as the lettering is somewhat different from the first five.

This last pic, I am sure I took to remind me of where I was, but, again, I am not sure, I am guessing this is actually Mount Vernon as it is near Evansville, and Evansville is the next set of pictures in my catalogue.

So if you recognize the plaque or this sign, please tell me if I am right or wrong. If I hear from anyone, and I am shocked at how often I do, I will up date you here.

Next time, on the 23rd we will revisit Maryland, so meet me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall~recount

Anyone who knows me, or reads these pages, knows that I rail against those whose sole raison d'etre is to sell you stuff. That, I suppose, in and of itself is what it is, but I really get ticked when they don't have the desire or integrity, or common decency to at least get the numbers correct. They will sell you hats, pins, and other crap with the wrong number of our lost brothers and sisters emblazoned upon them. I have commented and notified them on dozens of occasions as to what the correct numbers actually are as verified by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial foundation, (VVMF) the people who built The Wall, and they continue to ignore their errors and sell you the same old incorrect crap.  I call the VVMF each May to see if any additional names have been identified and added to The Wall so that my numbers are correct.

As I have written numerous times, that number as of May 2017 is 58,318 after several names were added that year. No names have been added since.

Well, it seems that I too was wrong.

 The VVMF and the Department of Defense (DOD) have recently (May 2019) completed a four year audit of the names on The Wall and official DOD records to, at last, get to the truth.


Some very interesting information came out of the audit.

The actual number of names on The Wall is 58,390!

When you allow of mistakes, duplications etc the number is reduced somewhat dramatically.

If you subtract the 69 names that were re-inscribed as corrections you now have 58,321

 Allowing for duplicates, you subtract 13 leaving 58,308


Considering the those who are actually alive, but listed, then you subtract 32 giving you and grand and now correct total of 58,276.

The final document is seven pages long and I will include a link to it at the end of this post. It is really pretty interesting.

All of this side, what will the money changers, I mean crap sellers do now?

Truth be told, I expect that they will do nothing, just keep on selling this junk, this disrespectful crap, this blatant slap in the face to all vets and even more sadly....


...too many will go right on buying it.

To read the full report, go here: www.VVMF.org

Oh, and by the way have a good Veterans Day, if you are not a Vet, thank one!

Next time on the 16th, we will travel back to Indiana, so join me there at 9:00am.

To see Vietnam memorials from any state in the union, please click on a state name on the left side of this page.

Georgia XV

The previous post from Georgia was from Griffin in Spaulding County. The park there has a number of memorials and two of them, at least, mention Vietnam.

In this first picture you see much of this beautiful spot, both memorials and the eternal flame in front of the memorial on the left.

This memorial honors the lost from both the Korean and Vietnam wars so one assumes that it was here first and the other added later.

Set just under a beautiful tree the memorial lists names form each conflict.

 These are the heroes honored here for all time.

To see the post about the other memorial here, please click on Georgia on the left side of this page and scroll back one post.

Next time, on the 11th, look for a special post about new findings about The Wall. Join me there at 11 minutes after 11am.

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

Connecticut XV

Once again I have been caught not being able to keep up with my responsibilities.

I have not posted for a while as I have been up to my neck in another, exciting, project. I hope to be able to tell you about it very soon.

For today, however, I will take you back to Connecticut.

Brooklyn is among a few sites I have seen where no one was actually lost in Vietnam. I can't really say how many places build a memorial solely to those who served, but in my travels I have not seen very many, it always pleases me when I do come across one.

This one sits adjacent to the Solders and Sailors Memorial on Route 169 near the intersection of Highway 6.

I know I repeat myself when I say that I am often taken aback by what small towns do for their own. with fewer resources than larger places they still seem to honor their sons and daughters.

I thought the symbol/insignia at the top of the stone was interesting. I have not seen it before and wonder if it is not unique to this memorial.

Next time, on the 8th (I hope!) we will venture to Georgia, so join me there at 9;00am.

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