West Virginia XII

This memorial surely qualities as America's newest. It is so new that it will not even be dedicated until September 18th. (at 2pm should you be in the area)

I have been in contact with the folks behind it for at least a couple of years and recently they informed me of the upcoming ceremony. I hope to be there.

However, I was in the Berkeley Springs area a week or two back and decided to check it out before the crowds show up.

It sits on a median strip to the right of the Morgan County Courthouse with other war memorials.

On the from panel are listed the seven who perished along with those who served.

On the left side of the memorial are listed those who served during the Vietnam Era.

 

On the right side are listed those who moved to Morgan County after serving.

On the obverse is a poem by Mr. Hampe. The Hampes were instrumental in getting the memorial built, a project of nearly ten years.

Next time, on the 2nd of September, we will return to California, so meet me there at 9:00am.

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

Virginia XXIII

It is always a point of interest for me to see just what places do to honor their war dead. I have commented many time, here, about being just blown away by what some small towns do in this area.

Fairfax Virginia is legendary for its role in the founding of our Nation. Mount Vernon and Gadsby's Tavern, just to name two, are located here among literally dozens if not hundreds of other significant sites.

I visited the historic Fairfax County Courthouse to see the memorial to those lost in 'Nam.

One of several plaques, those who lost their lives in Vietnam are remembered here.

The count as best as I can see is 106.

 

 

It nice that even though this memorial is small that they got the years pretty close. As I have commented repeatedly here the first soldier was killed in 1956, but many places start their count with the year their first citizen was lost.

 

Next time, on the 28th, we will visit a memorial , brand new in fact, in West Virginia. So, meet me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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

Pennsylvania XXXIV

Memorialized forever at the Luzerne County Courthouse are the 11,000 from the county who served and the 85 who perished or are MIA.

 The memorial is in Wilkes-Barre on the beautiful courthouse grounds. 

 

 

Called "the Valiant Veteran, here is the information from the dedication plaque on the base of the statue:

"This Monument of the Vietnam War Memorial for Luzerne County is a depiction of a heavy gauge bronze sculpture with a natural sulfide bronehantite patina set atop a slate base. The base is 10' long, 6' 10" wide, 2' high. The sculpture atop measures 10' high, for a total of 12' from the ground. The figure of the valiant veteran is 8' 5" tall from toe to head, or 1.43 times life size.
The warrior, wearing combat fatigue pants and boots holds a broken K-Bar Knife and stands atop the shield - the Keystone of Pennsylvania, an allegory to the return of the spartan soldier to the intonation "with it or on it." In the figure's left hand is a crown of stars symbolizing the branches of the Armed Services taken from the brow - his head turned in grief.
Behind the figure stands the symbols of Vietnam, which is pierced by pungee sticks, a barbaric guerrilla warfare weapon utilized in Southeast Asia. There is one spear for each 3 years of our involvement in this war. These symbolize the enslavement of Vietnam in the Bamboo Curtain of Communism, the misery of this country at its loss of liberty,
our sons and brothers whose blood was spilled on her soil, the Prisoners of War and the Missing In Action, the imprisoned and those who have never returned. The spaces between the pungee sticks symbolize the IV Corps of Action in Vietnam.
The slate base is set at 17 degrees to the ground, the parallel of the latitude of the partition between North and South Vietnam on our entrance to the war. Upon the base of this monumental sculpture are the names of our native sons who gave their lives in the Action. 

Gerhard Francis Baut, B.F.A.
Am di Venezia

Dedicated February 21st, 1988" 

The names of the 85 lost are inscribed upon the base.

 

 

The stars and the ends of the pungee stakes are seen here.

Some photographs of the lost.

This somewhat unusual depiction of the service and sacrifice of those who served is not without some controversy. I have read unflattering and ignorant remarks about the style, but to each his own, I guess. I think it is quite striking and well worth a moment of your time should you find your self in Wilkes-Barre.

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

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

Maryland XXXI

Ocean Pines as mentioned in a recent post is a community adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean resort town of Ocean City, Maryland.

While there to visit The Wall That Heals recently, I was happy to discover that the Worcester County Veterans Memorial was on the same site.

Dedicated to many, it of course honors those from the county who served in or were lost in Vietnam.

The flags, not counting the POW/MIA flag, were new to me and I was glad to find this explanation posted nearby.

 

 

One of the several placards speaks to the service and sacrifice of those who served in 'Nam.

 

Another nice touch is the inclusion of the POW/MIA chair.

 

The text in the photo is a bit hard to read. It says:

 

"Since World War II more than 82,000

American soldiers are unaccounted for.

This unoccupied seat is dedicated to

the memory of these brave men 

and women and to the sacrifices each 

made in serving our country.

God Bless You  God Bless America"

Similar chairs are found throughout the nation.

Next time, on the 18th, we will return to Pennsylvania, so join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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

Kansas X

Washburn University is in Topeka, Kansas. It is a small University with in the neighborhood of 7,000 students today. One wonders what that number might have been in 1968? I was unable to track down that information.

Founded just after the Civil War it has undergone name changes over the years and was nearly closed during especially difficult financial times, but it survived.

Ten Vietnam veterans and a professor, Lee Dodson, decided that the members of the student body that were lost in Vietnam needed to be remembered and honored.

It turns out that these numbered 47. I am not sure, but for such a small school that seems like a lot.

 

The Washburn University Vietnam memorial sits near 18th and College, near Morgan Hall.

 

It honors all who served...

 

...and is dedicated to the 47 lost.

Next time, the 13th, we will revisit Maryland, so join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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

Indiana XI

As I have mentioned often, because of the pandemic I have not traveled, except for a couple of relatively local day trips, since March of 2020. On that trip to Alaska I was able to take some shots of memorials in several places. All of those have been posted and may be found elsewhere on this site.

The point is that I am spending all of my time, now, searching files from past trips looking for something to share with all of you.

I am surprised on occasion to find memorials from states where I thought I had exhausted all possibilities.

Today is one of those times. Just perusing files I found this memorial from Brazil, Indiana.

Located on the grounds of the Clay County Courthouse is the memorial to those from the county lost in "Nam."

The jet, by the way, is an F-86 "Sabre Jet" although I could find no documentation that these ever flew in Vietnam.

The two panels list the names of the ten lost.

The memorial is found at the Courthouse on the corner of East national avenue and south Alabama street.

Next time, on the 8th, we will take another look at Kansas, so join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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