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.