Hawai'i VIII

Long before the beautiful new memorial to those who were served in the Vietnam war, another seemingly lesser known memorial listed their names.

Along these ascending steps are what are known as The Court of the Lost.

Many from previous wars are honored here and have been for some time, but in 1980, those lost from duty in Vietnam were added to these walls.

While wandering the site I found this name blackened in by someone. There is no explanation that I have been able to find, so as I have in the past, I'll ask you to let me know if you have any information about this. I have been so pleased at how often someone reads these pages and gets in touch to fill me in when I ask for your help.

Later, I found another of these darkened names and was surprised to find that it was the name of guy from Arlington, Virginia whom I have written about before on this site.

The name is a little hard to see in the pic. He is Humbert Versace and you can find his story by clicking on Virginia on the left side of this page and scrolling back to it.

Next time, on the 2nd of September, we will revisit Kansas, so join me there at 9:00am.

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

Georgia XVIII

I have posted about the dignity Wall that stands outside the museum at Ft. Benning, Georgia previously on this site and you can find it elsewhere by clicking on Georgia on the left side of this page and then scrolling back. It is quite something.

It sits in an are called Vietnam Veterans Plaza.

In addition to the huge replica of The Wall here there are also a couple of other interesting markers. They are along the walkway to The Wall and today, I will share them with you.

The first of these is a tribute to all who served.

The next one attempts to tell the history of the war. there are things on here that contradict what others say, but, this is common.

 Again, additional history. this call the first two killed as having died in 1979, I always like to point out that the first soldier who died in 'Nam was killed in 1956, still others date the war to 1945 when an American official was killed by the Viet Minh. So it goes with history.

I think for the foreseeable future this will be the last post from Ft. Benning, I have exhausted  my pictures for now. Perhaps when the pandemic has passed I can get back.

Next time, on the 28th, we'll return to Hawai'i', so, meet me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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

Florida XXII

While  riding around Florida my buddy Steve and I came across this site at a VFW on Route 1.

It has the look of those memorials that I say were designed and built by veterans themselves, rather than the often larger, more elaborate (expensive) ones created by "the state." I love then all, but these hold a special place in my heart.

The sun was just blistering on this particular day and as my luck would have it shining directly on the mirrored surface of the main memorial making it impossible to get just the shot I would have liked.

I have worked on the pics to make them as easy to see as possible.

Nestled among some trees rests the memorial.

There are two inscriptions on the plaque:

"IF WE BELIEVE IN OUR WAY OF LIFE 

THEN THE VOICES OF ALL FREE MEN 

WILL RESOUND ACROSS THE NATION 

AND MEN WILL LISTEN"

And,

To the men of our 

Armed Forces 

who served their country 

with honor 

in Vietnam 

At the foot of the memorial is the oft quoted passage:

 "For those who 

have fought for it, 

freedom has a flavor 

that the protected 

will never know"

Nearby are these two remembrances for two men from the area who were lost.

So, this small memorial on Route 1 in Melbourne, Florida actually has more components than are first obvious.

Next time, on the 23rd, we will return to Georgia, so join me there at 9:00am.

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

California XXXI

Just a quick one tonight.

I wandered into Redondo Beach on my way home from my last visit to California. I figured a town of its size must have a memorial, it is only a few miles from the airport and I was pretty early for my flight so I took a chance, I was not disappointed.

This beautiful park, Veterans Park sits very near the Redondo Beach Pier.

These pics come from a cluster along the wall just at the edge of the park.

The cluster remembers many and has plaques thanking various contributors etc.

Twenty from the area are listed here and honored forever.

After this memorial was created it was decided that something more elaborate and fitting should be here, too.

At a future time, I will share the results of that decision. It took quite a while from the initial idea to fruition but I think you will agree that it was worth the wait. So, keep checking back to see this and many other memorials from around the country.

Next time, in the 18th, we will return to Florida, so join me there, 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 XXVII

Today I will take you into the Faces of Remembrance subgroup of this effort.

The Arizona memorial sits in Wesley Bolin Park opposite the Capitol building in Phoenix. The park is just filled with memorials to many people and efforts. I have spoken before of my encounters within the park and you can find those posts elsewhere on this site. For those who may be new to this site, if you click on a state name on the left side of this page all the posts about that state will appear from the most recent to the oldest.

The site depicting brothers aiding brothers, also, list the hundreds of names of those who served and a tableau telling the history of the conflict.

 

Seen on the right is just one of ten panels listing names.

As always, the eyes tell the story.

The faces are forever here, telling the story, our story, for any who wish to hear or know.

I've heard it said that 'Nam vets can always pick each other out of a crowd: there must be a connection between these things, the eyes and the recognition even these many years later.

Next time, on the 13th, we will return to California, so meet me there at 9:00am.

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

Alaska VII

Alaska, the last frontier, and a place of infinite beauty is always on my list of places to go. Due to the kindness of my long time friend, John Spitzberg, I was able to take my Son, Sean, to this glorious place.

I have visited Alaska a couple of times in the summer but never in the cold. The Iditerod dog race was approaching in March and my son's 50th birthday in May. so with Johns help and hospitality we decided to make the trip.

John arranged for us to actually work the Iditerod as "Trail Guards." This was an amazing adventure and I, and I am sure Sean, will never forget the four foot snow, the hundreds and hundreds of dogs, and the many mushers who greeted us along their way.

In my last post from Alaska, I shared some pics from the totally renovated and expanded memorial on Park Strip in Anchorage.

Today, I will share a few more from the same site.

This panel is called the South Panel and is one of two on this new site.

I took the following from the sites information page. The pictures are mine.

"South Panel entitled “O’er Land and Sea a Beacon Bright“ shows an abstracted ocean vista constructed of granite slabs with linear cliff forms on the mesh. In the center, the beckoning Big Dipper stars, the Honor Guard Bugler and the Presentation Flag provide realistic touchstones to this monumental artwork. The symbolic elements in the sculpture include:

Folded Presentation Flag for the Fallen Warrior

Bugler plays the 24 notes of TAPS

Eight stars of Gold for the Big Dipper in the Alaska Flag and the Gold Stars Moms

North Star is the guiding light that brings the fallen back home

Mesh is the strong fabric of the military in our state and country and is a place to leave reminders for family and comrades.

The Alaska State flag flies over this sculptural panel."

This lone Field Cross stands a silent sentry.

Sometime in the future I will share the other panel and the other memorials I revisited and one I saw for the first time.

Next time, on the 8th, we will take a trip back to Arizona, so meet me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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