Maryland XXIX

In the northeastern tip of Maryland, practically touching Delaware is the town of Elkton. I had read that there was a memorial there and while returning from a trip to Wilmington in the adjacent state decided to stop and see if I could locate it.

The Cecil County Administrative Building is located at 200 Chesapeake Boulevard and it was here, in the lobby, that I found the memorial.

 

The wreath was presented to Cecil County by the Traveling Memorial Wall organization after a visit here and it, and the plaque, were placed in the lobby so that all who entered might be reminded of the sacrifice of the nine men from the county who gave everything in Vietnam.

The nine men commemorated here are:

SP5 David Nelson Clayton, Perryville

LCPL Gregory Scott Copenhaver, Port Deposit

PFC Marshall Franklin Freng, Elkton

PFC Donald C. McAllister, Jr., Elkton

CPL Michael Duane Rolfe, Rising Sun

W01 Ray Levi Reynolds, Rising Sun

SP5 George Robinson, Elkton

PFC Thomas Valentine Ruff, Jr., Elkton

SP4 Marion Neal Tapp, Port Deposit

The lobby is normally open to visitors during regular business hours but due to the pandemic is, now, only open to those with appointments until further notice.

Next time, on March 2nd, we will revisit Nebraska, so meet me there at 9:00am.

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

Georgia XX

Those of you who have followed this site for any length of time know that I have a soft spot for dogs, especially those who stood by us in Nam.

This memorial in Alphretta, Georgia honors several from the area who gave their all in Nam, but also, honors our noble companions and friends.

But first, as you enter, you are greeted by this guy.

Before you even get to the memorial for our comrades you come upon this fellow still keeping sentry.

I may have told you before of the fate of these magnificent animals, but if not, I'll tell it again as I may never get over my anger.

When the end of the war came the powers that be decided that they were merely equipment and were left behind, abandoned, deserted. It is estimated that about 4,000 dogs were just estimated to be not worth our time. Some 200 are said to have made it home through one means or another.

I had a dog in Nam. She was not an Army dog, just a dog that belonged to my unit. From the first day I joined the group it become clear that she was mine. She would be with me in every situation that was possible. While she was not a trained sentry dog of any kind, you might find some night runners and CQs that might argue that after trying to rouse me for whatever reason.

I had planned to bring her home. I saved the two months pay it was going to cost, took her to animal husbandry in Saigon to get her cleared but it was not to be. About 10 days before I was to leave she had ten pups. I couldn't bring them all home and I could not take her away from them as they were too young to survive on their own. 

It nearly broke my heart but I passed her on to another guy in the unit and have trusted ever since that she was OK.

Click on the link below to read more about what happened to the dogs the brass decided were not worth the effort. Just another of their many screw ups in my opinion.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/03/opinion/the-dogs-of-the-vietnam-war.html 

Next time, on the 25th, we will return to Maryland, 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 visiting the newer veterans memorials in Deland, which may be found elsewhere on this site, I ventured up to the old hospital which is now a museum. Veterans are remembered here, too. Several rooms in the old historic building have been turned into memorials to those who served.

 

Outside, along the left side of the building is the Veterans memorial wall.

 

Simple in its approach, it honors those 20th century heroes that gave their all.

There is a simple plaque to several including this one to those lost in Vietnam.

No names are listed here but since visiting, now several years ago, I have read that the town has created what might be called a section of The Wall. The same granite that was used in DC has been etched with the names of the 45 from the county who gave their lives. I have not had the opportunity to return to Florida, or anywhere else for nearly a year, but when I can travel once again, I hope to go to see it. If I make it, you may be sure that it will end up here.

Next time, on the 20th, we will revisit Georgia, so, as always, meet me there at 9:00am.

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

Delaware XVI

I returned to Brandywine Park in Delaware on my most recent trip to the state. I was drawn by the statue of the African American Medal of Honor recipients just a short walk from the Vietnam memorial in the same park.

The memorial to the MOH awardees is located on the corner of Baynard Avenue and 18th Street.

 There are two soldiers depicted by the statues, one, William H. Carvey was the first African American ever awarded the MOH in 1863. 

The other, Milton L. Olive was the first African American awardee in Vietnam.

Olive, at the time just 18 years old, grabbed a grenade thrown at his group and fell upon it, saving the lives of all his comrades.

The memorial constructed in 1998 has a number of plaques around its base listing all the African American recipients of the nation's highest honor, here are just a few.

Next time, on the 15th, we will return to Florida, so join me there at 9:00am.

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

Colorado XXIX

So, as promised last time, I was able to root through many, many files and find something from Colorado.

The larger memorial here, in the Colorado Memorial Park, is dedicated to all whom were lost in all of our wars with the five pillars representing and honoring the five services. It was dedicated on November 11th, 1968, so certainly we were on someones mind.

Over the ensuing years a number of memorials have been added, encircling the larger one and I have posted some of them elsewhere on this site.

Today, I am able to share an additional one dedicated, specifically, to the Marine Corps.

While it, too, is not specifically dedicated to those lost in Vietnam, we are listed among the many.

I was quite interested to note some of the engagements listed hereon. I was unfamiliar with at least a couple. I am sure my Marine buddies can fill me in on these.

Colorado Memorial Park is located on 1605 E. Pikes Peak Avenue in Colorado Springs.

Next time, on the 10th, we will return to Delaware, so join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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