Texas XXI

Anthony Rives from Texas was kind enough to send along these photos from the Community Center in Whitehouse. Whitehouse is about 20 minutes southeast of Tyler and less than two hours from Dallas.

 

 

This memorial was a Eagle Scout project of Joseph Mohr, as are a few others around the country. One in Jacksonville, Illinois pops to mind as I write this. You can read about that one here.

 

This memorial, like so many others in small towns, remembers and honors those who served in several wars.

Plaques on the sides honor specific service men or women.  

Predictably and sadly, much space as been allotted for future names.

So, I will end today with a special thanks to Tony Rives and all the others who have forwarded me remembrances from places I have never been. You all make this a better site and I am forever grateful. When this project started it was important to me to actually stand in front of and take every picture that is featured here. I still have some of those feelings but realize that more vets will benefit from the contributions of others.

And that has always been the point of A Means to Heal: to let other vets, especially 'Nam vets, know that people everywhere care. For many of us that was always in doubt, hopefully those fears have been allayed by these and other memorial across the country.

Next time, on the 1st, we will make a very quick stop in Vermont to see a memorial that I hope one of you will be able to help me identify. As in the past, I have lost track of its specific location and like in the past I hope you will be able to help.

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

I will ask, as I do at the end of nearly every post now, for anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not seen here to please send them to me. I will give you full photo credit for the pic and any information about it you may know. Check your state, or anywhere you may have visited, from the list at the left, or any place else. Please send them to the email at the left or directly to me at Ldddad@comcast.net.

South Dakota XXIII

So, today I am here to make a correction.

A short time ago I posted about a memorial that I said was from North Dakota, even though at the time I said that there was some confusion (only on my part) about that.

The pictures had been sent to me by Molly Macdonald and I misinterpreted something she said in her note.

These pictures which I am re-posting here, where they belong, are actually from South Dakota.

Taken in Belle Fourche, they honor those who served in Vietnam

                                                     Photo by: Molly Macdonald

                                                    Photo by: Molly Macdonald

An interesting note about this particular memorial is that well over $1,000 was raised by Middle School students collecting pennies to help fund it.

Also, Belle Fourche happens to be the geological center of the United States and there is a beautiful memorial noting that here, too, among several other memorials in Memorial Park.

Geographic Center of the U.S. Photo by: Molly Macdonald

So, with apologies to my readers and Molly, I will say that I finally got this right. It has always been important to me to be as accurate as possible when "placing" memorials so that if anyone is ever interested they might visit them in person. I have commented in the past about how much misinformation there is out there about these memorials, so I want you to be able to locate them more easily that I have on occasion.

Next time, on the 27th, we will return to Texas where yet another reader has recently sent me some photos. Join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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

I will ask, as I do at the end of nearly every post now, for anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not seen here to please send them to me. I will give you full photo credit for the pic and any information about it you may know. Check your state, or anywhere you may have visited, from the list at the left, or any place else. Please send them to the email at the left or directly to me at Ldddad@comcast.net. 

Several of you have followed through in the recent weeks and helped me to continue spreading info about how we honor our brothers and sisters who served in 'Nam, thank you again, and please to everyone else, keep writing!

Pennsylvania XLI

Awhile back I posted from Pottstown, Pennsylvania and commented that there was much to see here and that I would return. You can check out that post here.

Running throughout the memorial are what seem to be a constantly increasing number of bricks and pavers honoring vets who were lost or served. 

Called the All Veterans Walk of Honor, the following are just a small sampling of the
hundreds that are here.

If you return to the first picture, you can see the row of bricks crossing in front of the gazebo. It runs throughout the site and broadens into the large area in the third picture. In addition the next two show a couple of the many personal tributes.

Find a moment to visit this wonderful site if ever in the Pottstown area.

It is located on Manatawny Street just north of Beech Street.

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

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

I will ask, as I do at the end of nearly every post now, for anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not seen here to please send them to me. I will give you full photo credit for the pic and any information about it you may know. Check your state, or anywhere you may have visited, from the list at the left, or any place else. Please send them to the email at the left or directly to me at Ldddad@comcast.net. Thanks.

North Dakota

I am pleased today to feature some pics from a new contributor. In response to my frequent requests for sites you may have seen, Molly Macdonald sent along this memorial from North Dakota.

I think!

Hey pics seem to indicate that the memorial is in North Dakota but then she mentions Belle Fourche which is actually in South Dakota. I will get this straightened out and update you in the near future.

In the meantime, let me simply share the memorial with you. It is elegant in its simplicity. No names are listed, just a tribute to those who served.

                                                   Photo by Molly Macdonald

                                                     Photo by Molly Macdonald

So, let me end for now, until I get this figured out. I will try to contact Molly to see where the confusion (only on my part, I am sure) comes from and as promised I will update you then.

Next time, on the 17th, we will check back on Pennsylvania, so meet me there as always at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials from North Dakota (or south!) or any other state, please click on the state name on the left side of this page.

I will ask, as I do at the end of nearly every post now, for anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not seen here to please send them to me. I will give you full photo credit for the pic and any information about it you may know. Check your state, or anywhere you may have visited, from the list at the left, or any place else. Please send them to the email at the left or directly to me at Ldddad@comcast.net. Thanks.

New York XXIX

Once more I am turning to photos sent by a reader, Mike Minnick. Mike has sent me pics from a couple of different places and today we are back in New York.

Mt Morris is the site of a magnificent tribute to all veterans and this stone honors several.

                                                                         Photo by Michael Minnick

When I first saw this stone, I thought it was to honor LCPL Yencer, but came to discover that he was actually honoring the men from his unit in 'Nam who were lost.

                                     Photo by Michael Minnick

Tex, Bell, Doc, and Sparks may well have been the only names known by Yencer. It was common in "Nam and I guess other wars as well, to not get too close. Often, purposely not learning last names or full names. to avoid the trauma of loss.

                                                                              Photo by Michael Minnick

Roger Yencer was a local hero who loved his comrades, his town, and his country and was well known to aide his community in any way he could. He died in 2020 and today, I honor him.

Next time, on the 12th, we will visit North Dakota, so join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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

So, as this request has garnered some response lately, I will ask, as I do at the end of nearly every post now, for anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not seen here to please send them to me. I will give you full photo credit for the pic and any information about it you may know. Check your state, or anywhere you may have visited, from the list at the left, or any place else. Please send them to the email at the left or directly to me at Ldddad@comcast.net. Thanks.

New Mexico XXV

I have not been to New Mexico recently, so, I was looking through pictures to see if there might be something I missed that would be of interest here.

I was pleased to come across a few from Truth or Consequences* where a great memorial is located. This is another of the oft mentioned "small towns" that do a remarkable job remembering and honoring vets.

I wrote about some of what is here in the past and you can see that post here.

Today, just a couple more from this amazing site.

 

 

Many are remembered and honored with bricks laid throughout the park. this one stands out. No matter what one might have thought of his politics, no one can take away his bravery and loyalty to his fellow prisoners. I  have no doubt that many of us wonder if we might have been so courageous.

This familiar icon is on the wall of the adjacent museum. I will take you inside in a later post.

It is just a little unusual to see a POW/MIA flag all on its own. As a Federal flag it is flown along side the U.S. flag and below no other. The exception is that on a single staff it flies below the US flag and above state flags, although you often see this done incorrectly.

The Park and Museum may be reached at; 996 S. Broadway Truth or Consequences, NM 87901 Phone: (575) 894-7640 Email: TheWall@windstream.net.  

It is 154 miles south of Albuquerque on Rte. 25. 

Not bad for a town of just over 6,000.

*The town gets its name from a radio show of the same name (later a popular TV show, too.) that ran a contest offering to publicize any town that would adopt the name. Hot Springs,New Mexico accepted the challenge and the Fiesta around the new name continues 'til this day since March 1950!

Next time, on the 7th, we will return to New York, so, meet me there, as usual, at 9:00am.

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