Maryland XXXIII

I have posted from Harve de Grace before and you can find that one elsewhere on this site, but I had read about a new memorial in the historic town but could not quite remember what it was about.

So, on a recent day trip to find new memorials for this site, I decided to take a chance and check it out.

After a little bungling around the beautiful town, visiting the original memorial, I finally had to ask someone. A very nice lady having her lunch along the river walk directed me to the new memorial.

It, too, is along the river walk and can be reached from Concord Street.

 

 

Since initial installation, better walking access and lighting have been added to the site.

 

The various panels all have specific meaning as you will see in the final picture.

Obverse

 

 

 

I realize that is not specifically a Vietnam memorial, but there were about 58,279 Gold Star Families from that effort so I choose to honor them with this post. My own family qualifies from WWII and the GWOT.

Next time, on November 1st, we will visit that memorial in Massachusetts I teased about in the post before this one, so meet 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.

Louisiana X

Just a quick look back at Gonzales, Louisiana. I have posted from here before, but found a couple more pictures that I like.

I previously posted a picture of this eagle from the front which you can find elsewhere on this site, but really liked the detail on the view from the back.

I have often stated that I have a weakness for flags and this one blowing in the wind with the sun shining through it caught my eye.

 

So, I guess that is it for this quick post. I will be on the road for a bit, but hope to post some pics from Massachusetts taken by my friend Jay Korff when I return.

So, join me on the 27th for pics from Maryland first, join me at 9:00am.

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

Idaho XI

While searching through my many photos for something new to post I began looking in folders that i thought were complete.

I came across those from my visit to Mountain Home AFB in Idaho and decided to take one more look at what was there. I found just a couple that I liked and decided to share them with you today.

I am always attracted to flags and this one from under the wing of an aircraft with the beautiful autumn colors still somewhat on the trees just appealed to me. You might be surprised about how difficult it is to get three flags unfurled like this in a photo!

This F-111is the last of the several I photographed here. As you can see from the adjacent plaque it flew over 'Nam, Cambodia, and participated in the Mayaguez incident. This display plane is honored with the tail numbers of the first F-111 to be lost in 'Nam.

 

 

Again a flag shot that I like. the plane featured in this and the opening shot on the page can be found featured in an earlier posting from Idaho. Check it out by clicking on Idaho on the left side of this page and scrolling through 'til you find it.

Next time, on the 22nd, we will revisit Louisiana, so join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

 

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

Delaware XIX

I have traveled to Delaware on a couple of occasions to find and photograph this memorial. One time, I just could not run down exactly where it was, the next time having resolved that issue, I found that the common area was closed to all due to some kind of construction. This time, more determined than ever, I followed my GPS instructions to the letter only to find, once again, the way blocked by tarp covered fencing.

 

 

After driving around trying to find access to the area I was about to throw in the towel once again. But, I pulled back into the closed area and noticed a door open to the maintenance facility. I wondered in and this really nice guy explained where it was and even took me through some buildings to show me how to get to it. He said he would not chance just leaving my car where it was as it might be ticketed or towed.

I drove around some more with a better feeling for what I was looking for and found some metered parking. I left the car and headed out and before too very long I had found the Memorial Hall. I knew I was in the right area and wandered around to the north side of the building and, finally located the stone and metal marker.

 

 

It is quite small but is unique in its wording as you will see.

 

I have never seen the use of the words "Asian conflicts" on any other memorial. I am not quite sure that the Persian Gulf qualifies as an Asian conflict, but...

 

I traveled on in Delaware to find other sites but was just plain out of luck. The last on was on Dover AFB but was closed by the time I arrived, so another time I'll venture back.

Next time, on the 17th, we will return to Idaho, so join me there at 9:00am.

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

California XXXVII

California as demonstrated here as many, many memorials to those who served in the Vietnam war. with a population of roughly 40 million people, perhaps this should not be a surprise. While searching out sites, I ended up in Westlake Village which is in Los Angeles County, but practically on the border with Ventura County.

A relatively small area with a population of under 10,000, it is quite wealthy and a number of very wealthy and well known individuals call it home.

I could find no specific Vietnam memorial but ran across this beautiful cemetery and decided to check it out.

 

 

The POW/MIA flag caught my attention and I thought that perhaps there was a memorial here.

This turned out to not be the case but I did come across a number of grave sites for some of our comrades.

 

 

The arches in the center of the many sites have an eternal flame which sadly you cannot actually see in this pic.

 

As I was preparing to leave, I ran across this marker and while not quite a memorial it stills feels powerful.

 

So, the visit turned out to be quite moving. the name of the cemetery is The Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park and can be found at 5600 Liydero Canyon Road in Westlake village.

 

Next time, on the 12th, I hope to have been back to Delaware, so join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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

Virginia XXIV

Spotsylvania, Virginia Courthouse is located at 9101 Courthouse Road. I place this first on this post because I had such a hard time locating this memorial. The GPS, without the actual street address, drove me around and around and around the area before actually locating the site.

 

 

The memorial is dedicated to many and was placed by the American Legion in 1969. This would have made it a rather early memorial if Vietnam had been included at the time.

 

 

Added at some time later, these heroes seem almost an afterthought. Perhaps they were waiting to see what the actual count would end up being. That does not seem unreasonable to me, but one would think that they might have been added in the same manner as the others here. Virginia is steeped in history and while trying to find information, any information, on this site, I came across hundreds of memorials to the Civil War and those lost, but virtually none to these. Maybe it takes a hundred years.

 

 

Next time, on the 7th, we will return to California, so join me there at 9:00am.

 

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