Wisconsin XXI

As I write this today, I wonder if Joan, or any of the other contributors to this effort, knows just how much they have added and how much it is appreciated by me and by the many readers of this post who have gained knowledge and perhaps some understanding due to their generosity?

Once more to Joan and all the others, I thank you. I have just recently received a group of pictures from another contributor that I will be posting in the not too distant future.

However, today, a few more faces of the heroes from Wisconsin.

This post falls into my sub group that I call Faces of Remembrance. You can see all of the faces collected by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund's The Wall of Faces here, ( https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/) Most, if not all, states have pictures of all who were lost or are missing from their state.

Next time, on October 30th, we will return to Arizona, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Wisconsin, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, and very soon Elli from Maryland, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed. 

I have tried, unsuccessfully, to contact Joan. I hope she is well.

Virginia XXXIII

Last time I promised that we would next visit Wisconsin, but, Colleen from Pennsylvania visited Luray, Virginia and sent me these pics of a memorial found deep within the world famous Caverns found there.

Located in the Cathedral Room the memorial was originally established to honor those from Page County lost in WW I. Placed by the American Legion, over the years additional tributes have been added to the site. Until 1928 no such plaques, etc., were allowed within the cavern site.

Five from Page County were lost in 'Nam and they like their comrades from earlier wars are memorialized here.

This was a tiny, tiny pic probably from a cell phone so it is especially hard to see here. 

It says, Veterans from Page county who lost their lives in Vietnam

The name of the five lost heroes from Page County are:

Norman Brubaker

Emmett Dougans

Thomas Fox

Leroy Phillips

Samuel Tharpe

R.I.P. brothers, may you always be honored and remembered. I have written here before that it is said that as long as someone says your name, you will always be. Even many feet into a marvelous cavern, these are remembered.

There is much interesting about the caverns themselves and you may check them out here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luray_Caverns

Next time, on October 25th, we will return to Wisconsin, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Virginia, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia, Colleen from Pennsylvania and Molly from Florida, and very soon Elli from Maryland, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Pennsylvania XLVI

So, I am back after an unexpected, unscheduled, and unwanted week or so off due to health issues. Seemingly, mostly, resolved now I hope to get back to my regular posting schedule.

Today, as previously promised we return to Pennsylvania.

Reading and Pottstown are only about half an hour apart and yet I am fascinated by the different approaches the artist who created the separate memorials took to creating the their equally remarkable tributes.

Here is a repeat picture of the larger memorial in Reading.

In Reading, the statue of the soldier is stark and somewhat harrowing. I find it almost hard to look at, almost skeletal, haunting. Amazing for so very little detail.

I have found little to explain this approach but one article said the eyes and face of the solitary soldier are covered so that the viewer can see the face that they need to see. Interesting, I'll take it.

In Pottstown, the complete opposite approach. Yet, just as haunting.

The soldier here follows a more recognizable approach: fear, anguish, the 1000 yard stare, beautifully done.

I guess, like so many other things in life, that there are as many interpretations as their are designers or for that matter, viewers. I love them both.

Next time, on October 20th, we will revisit Wisconsin to see a few more pictures from Joan, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Pennsylvania, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

North Carolina XXVI

Today, we take another look at the incredible Triad Park in Colfax, North Carolina.

We have, in fact, visited here before and you can check out those visits here and here.

Just a couple of the features pertaining to Vietnam.

This beautiful obelisk can be seen from all around and is a tribute to the effort, respect and love that went into building this site.

Truer words were never spoken. As I have said in the past I still have trouble taking the support, and thank you for your service comments seriously. As long as it took to get to this point, I fear it could vanish so much quicker.

This is a name I found on one of the walkways. I am trying to track down if he was lost or not. I have made several attempts to learn something about him, to no avail.

So, as  have done in the past, I throw the challenge out to you to see who might know something about him. You have helped before, I hope you can come through once again.

Next time, on October 10th, we will revisit Pennsylvania, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from North Carolina, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

New Mexico XXX

I am headed, one more time, to New Mexico. Specifically to Lordsburg which lies along Route 10, about 2 hours west of Las Cruces.

We have visited here before and you can see those posts here and here.

Today, a few more names from the Wall that virtually surrounds this site. It honors many: soldiers from several wars, Border Patrol personnel, Policemen and other First Responders.

These name are all from those lost in 'Nam.

Too often, in my opinion, memorials are rather general. They often recall a war, but not necessarily the individuals who did the actual fighting and especially those who gave all. It may seem that I post a lot of these names and I assure you that I will continue to do so. If a city, state, or town goes to the effort to commemorate these heroes, so will I.

I've located a couple more from this site that I will feature later, but for now I will just say that:

Next time, on October 5th, we will revisit North Carolina, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from New Mexico, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Maryland XLIII

This past summer I had the occasion to visit Bel Air, Maryland. I had driven through on a number of previous occasion coming down I-95 from somewhere else, but never visited.

What a lovely place. Found perhaps one of the best Mexican restaurants this side of Santa Fe and a lovely tribute to the many who have served and were lost in various wars.

Vietnam was prominent among those honored.

It is located in a pretty little park adjacent to the Police station located at 50 E. Lee Street.

There is no designation as to whether these served or were lost, except that across the front it says: 

For God Forever Honored       For Country forever Mourned

View from the rear over wild flowers and a small pond.

Next time, on September 30th, we will revisit New Mexico, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Maryland, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Delaware XXVII

 I have written previously that my wife has often said that this project was meant to be and that I was the one meant to do it. While skeptical of any such ideas, enough things have happened that sometimes I admit that there just might be something to them.

I was recently in Delaware as I lost my older brother. During the upset and turmoil that these events always cause, I went to a restaurant with some family member on one of the very long days we tried to make arrangements and hold each other up.

Vietnam memorials were not on my mind.

We came out of the restaurant and I glanced across the parking lot to a small park in which there was clearly some kind of memorial. I walked over and it was a war memorial dedicated to all from this town who had served in our various wars. 

Three names of a local heroes, lost in 'Nam, were engraved on the memorial.

Somethings were meant to be.

 

 Next time, on September 25th, we will revisit Maryland, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Delaware, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Colorado XLII

I get to go to Colorado every year or two and it is every bit as awesome and beautiful as you have heard. Sadly, I have not been back as recently as I would like. At one time, I thought it just might be the state with the most Vietnam memorials as I had found so many.

Truthfully, I don't know which state holds that honor, in fact, no one seems to know how many there are throughout the country. Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) tried to collect and catalogue them all but finally had to throw up their hands and give up. The number was a moving target at all times. As recently as this past June, Nebraska dedicated a brand new site in Papillion. I hope to get there some time.

I return today to  Fountain Valley and their Wall of Honor. Among the hundreds of names from several wars are many of our comrades from Vietnam.

The following are just a few more of those who gave all or were wounded in action.

This is actually the first time I have seen this designation on a memorial.

Having worked on the memorial in my town, I know just how hard it is to get all the names and everything correct. So, I appreciate the work done here to salute the brave souls listed, honored, and remembered.

Next time, on September 20th, we will revisit Delaware, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Colorado, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

California LXVII

Not in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I would visit the Nixon Library in California. However, I heard somehow about a display about his role in the Vietnam war and couldn't resist going to see it.

It is quite extensive and spends much time on bringing POWs home.

These are a few of the pics I took (in very poor light with no flash allowed)

Nixon assured us he had a "Secret Plan" to end the war and did in fact bring home the POWs in 1973. I was a little surprised that the there were 591 POWs held: 325 Air Force, 77 Army, 138 Navy, and 26 Marines along with 25 Civilians.

This rather simplistic demonstration of what was said would happen if we did not prevail in 'Nam. Called the Domino Theory, it turned out to be incorrect like so much of what we were told.

This medal laden boot was part of a larger display, but there was no specific information about it, I just found it interesting.

I will post further features of the site from the museum at a later time. there are several themes that I hope you will find interesting and perhaps a little informative, especially if you are younger than those of us who served.

Depending on which route you take, you will find the Library in Yorba Linda about 30 to 40 minutes southeast of Los Angeles

Next time, on September 15th, we will revisit Colorado, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from California, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Arizona XXXVIII

Arizona is, as you know, a frequent stop on this journey. Business takes me there at least a time or two a year, thus providing me many opportunities to check out memorials and tributes on nearly every trip.

Over the years I began to notice and feature the faces found on various statues and other memorials along the way that I began calling Faces of Remembrance. There are quite a few of them on this site now, That led to discovering some, actually a very few, that actually presented the faces of some of those lost or missing.

These became a priority.

Today we once again return to San Manuel, AZ to honor a few more.

This somewhat unique memorial is much like a billboard listing names on one side and photos on the other.

These two share a name and their heroism. I could find no indication that they might be related and, after all, Garcia is an extremely common last name inn the American southwest.

Regardless, we honor them.

Next time, on September 10th, we will cross back over in to California, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Arizona, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Wisconsin XX

Again, I rely on Joan from Wisconsin to supply me (as many of you have) with today's post info. As previously stated, she sent me some pic she took of a traveling Wisconsin tribute to those from her state who were lost.

These pictures, like all the others from this grouping, have been extracted from  much larger group photo of them all. That photo can be seen here. So the quality, after having been cropped and enlarged and generally fooled around with, is not as great as I would like but, I think the point is still made: these men deserve our respect and admiration.

There is little I can say about these men, these heroes all, that has not been said by others at other times so I will just let their faces say it.

This post falls into my sub group that I call Faces of Remembrance. You can see all of the faces collected by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund's The Wall of Faces here, ( https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/) Most, if not all, states have pictures of all who were lost or are missing from their state.

Next time, on September 5th, we will return to Arizona, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Wisconsin, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

West Virginia XXI

So, this post will exhaust my faces from Morgantown High School. There are seventeen in all and these are the last two.

Each of them "gave all" for their country and represent, here, all from west Virginia. West Virginia lost the most, per capita, of any state and their efforts will always be honored by A Means to Heal and hopefully all who see these pages: and all others.

One of West Virginia's 9 Medal of Honor recipients is among these seventeen and he can be seen here in one of the several posts from this site.

 

Next time, on the 31st, we will return to Wisconsin, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

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

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Pennsylvania XLV

It is interesting to see the various ways artist represent or interpret our memories of Vietnam and our efforts there.

I have written before about how artist rarely use likenesses of actual people in their renditions of soldiers in their work. The exception to this, of course, is when they honor a specific subject like a Medal of Honor recipient for example. 

Most often they choose a variety of characteristics from different people: eyes from one person, nose from another. This helps prevent legal issues about their work down the road.

Today, I want share two faces from two different statues in Pennsylvania. The differences are quite stark and represent two different approaches to this issue.

The beautiful memorial in Reading features a lone soldier ( you can see my original post from Reading here and here.)

The artist opted to make him faceless, a face (a life?) destroyed. Perhaps a statement: unusual and gripping at any rate.

 

 

In nearby Pottstown, the artist went in the opposite direction emphasizing the pain, disillusionment, the 1000 yard stare resulting from too much seen.(Original post here.)

I, of course, am making some assumptions here as I have no first hand knowledge of just what the artist had in mind. I have seen literally hundreds of memorials in the 15 years I have been on this journey and am making an educated guess. 

I would like to hear what you think.

Next time, on the 26th, we will revisit West Virginia. Join me there, as always, at 9:00 am.

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

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

North Carolina XXV

Broadway, North Carolina has a marvelous veterans memorial. We have visited it previously and you can check out those posts here and here.

I noted in the original posts that there are a couple of different lists of those who served in 'Nam and that I did not see any explanation for the difference.

These names are all marked as KIA from Vietnam forward. This is not the case with those from previous wars listed here. I am trying to track down the correct information. I will update if I am able to do so.

Today, as promised, I will feature a few of those from Vietnam all of whom are designated as KIA. 

These are but a few of the many from various wars remembered and forever honored here.

 

   

The memorial was built with donations and is expected to be a place of gathering and celebration of our way of life. Water fountains, picnic tables park benches, and lighting are available for those wishing to honor and celebrate these heroes..

It is located at 210 South Main Street.

Next time, on the 21st, we will return to Pennsylvania, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from North Carolina, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

New York XXXI

We have visited Eisenhower Park a couple of times in the past and like so many of these larger sites I keep finding new things to share. You can see some of those past visits here, and here.

We so often speak of The Vietnam war or just 'Nam and it easy to forget, or at least, not mention Laos and Cambodia. Places that for such a long time we denied even being in. Eventually the truth won out, as it usually will, but we still don't speak too often of these involvements.

338 Americans were killed in Cambodia and 1525 were wounded, 12 MIA.

638 Vietnamese allies were killed and 3,009 wounded, 35 MIA.

 

 

American carpet bombing is estimated to have killed between 50 and 150 thousand, most believing that the number is at the higher side of this estimate.

 

728 Americans killed in Laos, mostly, but not entirely, CIA. 

I was unable to find additional information about Laos. Much information seems to be still secret.

Next time, on the 16th, we will return to North Carolina, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from New York, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

New Mexico XXIX

Returning to Lordsburg for me is easy. It is such a wonderful and inclusive site. It includes Vietnam, 9-11, First Responders and more. I will concentrate, of course, on the Vietnam components. I mention the others to encourage you to check it out if ever in the area.

The Wall here honors the many who served from the area in a variety of wars. 

The following are but a very few of the sons and daughters of Lordsburg who served in our efforts.

As I looked at the Wall I did not see any names of those lost. A check in with VVMF's Wall of Faces Identified these two from Lordsburg:

PO2 Ben G. Dugan 

LCPL Magdaleno Tarango

Rest in Peace, brothers.

And, finally for today a reminder of those whom we promise to never forget.

 

 

 

Next time, on the 11th, we will return to New York, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from New Mexico, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.