Delaware XIV

One more time I want to take you to Fire Base Floyd in Delaware.

There are so many things here, big and small, that I think it deserves another look.

In a small strip like display many are honored and there is a special spot for nurses and as nurses are in the news so much today, I would like to honor them, too.

The panels above the picture are a little hard to read, but the one the left simply lists some of the groups of women who served in Vietnam.

The picture on the right lists the eight nurse killed in Vietnam.

The picture in the middle, the hardest to read says:

Lord, help me bring comfort where 

there is pain, courage where there is fear, 

hope where there is despair

Acceptance when the end is near

and a touch gentle with tenderness, patience and

love to dry away the tears

Nearby is this small additional tribute, note the differences in the coins left here by those who have passed by.

As mentioned in other posts Fire Base Lloyd is on Flemmings Landing Road near Townsend, Delaware.

Next time on May third we will head back to Florida, so join me there, as always at 9:00am.

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

California XXX

As you enter the park from one direction the first memorial you see is called The Weeping Wall, it lists no names but honors all who have served in peace and war. I was struck for some reason by the oranges floating in the basin. the veterans memorial is to the rear, left.

Coming in from the opposite direction you come upon this sign and the memorial to its right.

This memorial honors the 260 Sierra Madre residents who have served in action from the Civil War to the war in Iraq.

Photographs of many are here along with name tags, presumably for those whose pictures are not available.

There are a number of our comrades from 'Nam listed and
honored here. Here are just a few.

Sierra Madre is a little over 20 miles east of Los Angeles and the memorial park may be found at S. Hermosa Avenue and West Sierra Madre Boulevard.

Join me next time on the 28th when we return to Delaware, as usual at 9:00am.

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

Arizona XXVI

While visiting the high school in Bisbee, the Principal told me about one of their graduates who had been a sports star at the school. He went on to explain that they had a memorial of sorts to him over in the gym area.

He was killed in Vietnam.

His name was Leonard Carabeo and was a track star. In fact, his team won the New Mexico State Championship in 1967, not too long before he shipped off to Vietnam.

The memorial, just outside the gym, has his letter jacket and some medals.

A picture of the team, that's him holding the trophy

It also has this picture of him, perhaps in 'Nam.

I found a letter on the Wall of Faces tribute page. It was written be a guy he was in training with in the Marine Corps.

Here is an excerpt:

"Leonard loved to run. He would smile from ear to ear while we were making 3 mile runs with rifles and full combat gear. He told me he could have attended college on a track scholarship, be he decided to enlist to help support his family. Our Drill instructors hated to see anyone smiling. Smiling meant you were enjoying something and that was forbidden in Boot Camp. At the end of one of our daily runs, everyone in the platoon was sweating and trying to catch our breath. Everyone except Leonard, he was standing at the back of the formation just looking around and smiling. One of the Drill Instructors saw Leonard smiling and decided to teach him a lesson. He told Leonard "If you enjoyed that little trip, we can make sure you have more fun". He got another Drill instructor and told him to run with Leonard around the entire perimeter of the San Diego Recruit Depot. A while later Leonard came trotting in to the platoon area with a smile on his face and a puffing and panting Drill Instructor following behind. The Senior Drill instructor went berserk. He got another DI to run Leonard around the perimeter again. It wasn't long and Leonard was standing back in our area with a smile on his face. Now, the Senior DI decided to take charge. He changed into his utility pants and t-shirt, put on his Smokey the Bear hat and took off running around the perimeter with Leonard following behind. Soon, Leonard was back, but the Senior DI wasn't even in sight. Leonard stood around for a while and finally one of the other DIs just told him to get back to his squad. After that episode, the DIs didn't mess with Leonard when he smiled."

Sounds like quite a guy. Semper Fi, Marine.

Join me next time, on the 23rd, when we revisit California. Join me there at 9:00am, as always.

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

Alaska VI

Just before the virus hit the fan I traveled back to Alaska. My son and I went to visit my friend John who had arranged for us to work on the Iditerod dog sled race. The race is held each year to commemorate the attempt to get medicine to Nome during an epidemic in the early 1900's.

While there I decided to check out the Vietnam memorials in Anchorage and Wasilla. I had read that these had been renewed and or rebuilt since I first photographed them years ago.

Boy did that turn out to be a good decision. Each is greatly improved.

Today, I will begin to share with you the first one I ever saw in Alaska. It sits on Park Strip in Anchorage, as before, but it is much more elaborate, well planned and even more special.

As you can see the snow was quite deep but the path had been cleared to ease access. One thing the Alaskans know how to handle is snow!

This guy is still there, standing guard, but I must say he was not so elaborately decorated previously. Maybe a new take on being a decorated soldier.

Originally there were two plaques listing the 57 from Alaska who were lost. As you can see here, new memorials have been added as was the intent of the judge who allowed that memorials could be placed along the Delaney Park Strip. This was an interesting and complicated story that you can read about elsewhere on this site.

The original two plaques have been revised in to just this one. I was pleased to see that no new names have been added in the passing years. Frankly, this is a bit unusual, I rarely see sites these days where names that were missed the first time have not been added at a later date.

There is a lot more here on this updated site and I will write more about it in the near future.

In the mean time, plan to join me in Arizona, when we revisit on the 18th, as always at 9:00am.

To see other memorials from Alaska, or any other site, please click the state name ion the left side of this page

Virginia XVII

Arlington National Cemetery is in Virginia and is the final resting place for more that 270,000 who have defended or served their country.

Space is growing more limited with each passing day, even as the ANC works to find additional sacred ground.

Today, I want to share with you some smaller scale memorials. Not the ones we see in various places to the hundreds, or thousands from a particular state but those dedicated to honor the memory of small groups who died together, no matter where they were from.

These brave five were in an Air Force Helicopter shot down in 1970.

U. S. Army, four Americans and seven unknown Vietnamese.

These two were lost in Laos, where for many years we claimed we never were. Note the two different crosses on this one. I have asked ANC for an explanation but they have not yet responded. If they do, I will update this post. If any of you know, please get in touch. I have been heartened over the years by how many times I have made a similar request and someone has responded.

Next time, on the 8th, we will venture back to Alabama, so as always, join me there at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials, big and small, from Virginia or elsewhere, please click on a state name on the left side of this page.