Mississippi VIII

If you have followed along with this effort you may know that the very first memorial I visited was in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. I have told the story and featured various post about that trip a number of times over the years. You can find those posts here, here, and here.

I return today as it is such an important site to me. As I have said in other posts, it speaks to the resilience of vets and the respect of those who created it.

These are three more of the faces from the site for my ongoing Faces of Remembrance series. As long as I can find faces, I will honor them here.

It saddens me, now, that when I took these pictures, I had no idea how this site would look. If I had I would have been more careful about recording the names and other information about these lost heroes.

It is said that "as long as someone says your name, you will never be gone." These photos will have to do. But, if you ever visit Ocean Springs, stop and see this memorial. 

 

And, say their names.

When I visited these many years ago, I noted that several of the names listed on the memorial did not have a photo on display. The creators of the site had posted a request for anyone who might know of a photo to send it to them. I called today to see if all the names had been matched with a photo or how many were still incomplete. If I hear from those in charge, I will update this post with the information.

Next time, on May 1st, we will return to New Mexico, so meet me there, as always, at 9:00 am.

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

As is now my custom,  I will ask anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not shown here, to send then to me and I will include them (giving you full credit.) Any number of you have added knowledge and honor to this site by doing just that. It is always appreciated and makes this effort better, more completed. Thanks to those who have contributed and to anyone who will do so now or in the future.

Michigan XIV

I keep getting drawn back to the memorial in Mt. Pleasant. I have visited here before and you can check out those posts here, and here.

One of the two main attractions here is the statue of one solder comforting another: called War Cry it is seen below.

As with most memorials there are other features as well and, today, here are a few of them.

First, I will note that like so many other memorials to Vietnam, this one includes remembrances of veterans from other times remembering our goal:  "never again will one generation of veterans abandon another." This one seems to have a GWOT helmet upon what is known as a Field Cross.

Reminders throughout the site recall our efforts and sacrifices and ask others to never forget.

So, if ever in Mt. Pleasant take some time to check out this site. If you check the posts from here, you can see that there is much to visit. It is located in Island Park.

Next time, on the 26th, we will return to Mississippi to honor a few more faces, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Michigan, or any other state, please click on a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list as I have found memorials in these places, too.

As is now my custom,  I will ask anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not shown here, to send then to me and I will include them (giving you full credit.) Any number of you have added knowledge and honor to this site by doing just that. It is always appreciated and makes this effort better, more completed. Thanks to those who have contributed and to anyone who will do so now or in the future.

Maryland XLI

Berlin is on the eastern shore of Maryland, practically in the Atlantic ocean and not far from the resort town of Ocean City. While visiting the beach area I stopped by to see this memorial right in the middle of town.

 

Located at the intersection of West and Baker Streets it is on prominent display.

Dedicated in 1995 by the Boggs D. Sharoon American Legion Auxiliary Unit 123, it honors a number from several wars.

These eight are listed for eternal honor.

LCPL. Frederick Wood, Jr., Marines, 1967
PFC. Alphonso Lee Harmon, Marines, 1967
SP4. Freddie Marshall, Jr., Army, 1967
PFC. Lewis Morrison Hayward, Army, 1968
SP4. Charles Lilleton Briddell, Army, 1969
SGT. Michael Edward Gordy, Marines, 1969
PFC. Barry Howard Berger, Army, 1971

MAJ. Nutter Jerome Wimbrow, III, Air Force, 1972

 

 In 1970 the population of Berlin was under 2,000. As is so often the case small towns were hit hard by the war.

Next time, on the 18th, we will revisit Michigan. Join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

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

As is now my custom,  I will ask anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not shown here, to send then to me and I will include them (giving you full credit.) Any number of you have added knowledge and honor to this site by doing just that. It is always appreciated and makes this effort better, more completed. Thanks to those who have contributed and to anyone who will do so now or in the future.

Delaware XXV

I returned to Delaware this week to see something I have not seen before: a memorial specifically to M.I.A.s. I have, of course, seen POW/MIA memorials all around the country, but never before one specifically to MIAs.

A 15 foot tall obelisk honors those from all wars but the names listed are only from Korea and Vietnam. 

 

Those from .Nam:

LEONARD A. BIRD - 1LT U.S. MARINE CORPS
GENE K. HESS - SSGT U.S. AIR FORCE
LARRY F. POTTS - CPT U.S. MARINE CORPS
EDWARD A. WILLING - CPL U.S. MARINE CORPS
JOHN M. MARTIN - LTCOL U.S. AIR FORCE
WILLIAM L. NELLANS - MAJ U.S. AIR FORCE

 

 

It is located in Dover at the corner of Loockerman Street and legislative Avenue near the City Hall.

Next time, on the 16th, we will return to Maryland, so meet me there, as always, at 9:00 am.

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

As is now my custom,  I will ask anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not shown here, to send then to me and I will include them (giving you full credit.) Any number of you have added knowledge and honor to this site by doing just that. It is always appreciated and makes this effort better, more completed. Thanks to those who have contributed and to anyone who will do so now or in the future.

Colorado XL

My last post from Colorado was of the memorial dedicated by the Vietnamese community of Denver. As I explained then it was a very difficult shoot for me. You can review all that here. That being said, I want to try to give you some feeling for the faces, as I so often do, of those who fought and of some who were lost.

These particular likenesses were quite high above the ground so suffer, some, from not being able to capture them straight on.

Anyway, we owe them honor.

 

 

 

The statues are well worn but still...

I wish the circumstances had been better and that I had been able to do them greater justice.

Next time, on the 11th, we will make a return visit to Delaware, so check back to see if I made it and join me there, as always, at 9:00 am.

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

Once more I will ask anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not shown here, to send then to me and I will include them (giving you full credit.) Any number of you have added knowledge and honor to this site by doing just that. It is always appreciated and makes this effort better, more completed. Thanks to those who have contributed and to anyone who will do so in the future.

Canada II

 As some of you know, I found myself in Canada last fall. While there I sought out memorials to the brave Canadians who joined our forces in Vietnam. 

134 were lost of the 30,000 who fought at our sides.

I read that there was a memorials in Sydney, Nova Scotia so I managed to get there and after a extremely difficult time completing the last mile or two of my journey, which might be a story for another time, I finally found the memorial.

Except that I can find no indication that it is in fact a memorial to those lost in 'Nam. I was able to learn that Michael Francis Campbell, from Sydney, was lost. I could find no mention of him on this memorial which seems to be solely WWII. I am posting it today in the hopes that someone who can help me straighten this out will contact me.

As I said, I had been assured that this memorial, also, honored Vietnam dead. 

I know from the history of this site that it is read often in Canada, so, help me out as readers have done so often in the past. Tell me the story.

Next time, on the 6th, we will revisit Colorado, so meet me there, as always, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Canada or any of our 50 states, please click on a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

Once more I will ask anyone who has pictures of Vietnam memorials not shown here, to send then to me and I will include them (giving you full credit.) Any number of you have added knowledge and honor to this site by doing just that. It is always appreciated and makes this effort better, more completed. Thanks to those who have contributed and to anyone who will do so now or in the future.