Colorado XXXI

While just driving around Colorado near Denver I passed a military cemetery.

 

Sometimes these have wonderful memorials like at Arlington, Va or Riverside, California, so I took a chance and stopped in to see if I might find something.

 

Military cemeteries are always beautiful, well kept, orderly, dignified and that is what I found here.

 

Oddly, I parked in an area where there was no sign, no name, no identification at all: just endless headstones. I was able to track down the name: Fort Logan National Cemetery.

These are a few of the memorials here among the many.

I was able to find a few markers that honor those who served or were lost in Vietnam.

It is interesting to me that the only marker that can be read in the above photo is of someone who served in several wars including Vietnam.

 

 

A beautiful place indeed to lie among your 96,000 brothers and sisters.

R.I.P.

Next time, on the 24th, we will revisit Delaware, so join me there at 9:00am.

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

Virginia XVII

Arlington National Cemetery is in Virginia and is the final resting place for more that 270,000 who have defended or served their country.

Space is growing more limited with each passing day, even as the ANC works to find additional sacred ground.

Today, I want to share with you some smaller scale memorials. Not the ones we see in various places to the hundreds, or thousands from a particular state but those dedicated to honor the memory of small groups who died together, no matter where they were from.

These brave five were in an Air Force Helicopter shot down in 1970.

U. S. Army, four Americans and seven unknown Vietnamese.

These two were lost in Laos, where for many years we claimed we never were. Note the two different crosses on this one. I have asked ANC for an explanation but they have not yet responded. If they do, I will update this post. If any of you know, please get in touch. I have been heartened over the years by how many times I have made a similar request and someone has responded.

Next time, on the 8th, we will venture back to Alabama, so as always, join me there at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials, big and small, from Virginia or elsewhere, please click on a state name on the left side of this page.

Christmas 2019

I had really hoped to be able to get down to The Wall to photograph this year's tree, but it was not to be.

So, here is a a pic from trees past, this one from 2016.

As you can see from the pic, Wreaths Across America not only honors each marker in Arlington National Cemetery (253,000,) as well as other cemeteries across the land, they also honor The Wall and many other memorials.

 

I did not take this pic of Arlington National Cemetery but I found it on the Wreaths Across America page.

I encourage you to look into this organization and help them if you can.

This year they placed 253,000 wreaths at ANC and thousand more across the nation. they are always in need of donations, people to help place the wreaths and even more to help clean up later in January.

So, if you can...

https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/

Next time, on the 28th, as promised previously, I'll share some of the outstanding balloons from Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. So meet me there at 9:00am, as always.

To see additional memorials from around the country, please click on any state name on the left side of this page.

Virginia IX

Just across the Potomac River from The Wall is Arlington, Virginia, one of the most historic cities in our nation. It is the home of the National Cemetery and many other historic buildings and places.

Nestled on a corner, at Wilson and Irving, is this memorial to many from the area who gave all for a number of causes.

The main dedication plaque tells us that the stones are from the original Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and that the memorial was placed in 1931.

Someone had recently placed a wreath to honor those here. I can't say if it was to all, the Korean lost listed here, too, or our brothers and sisters from Nam, but I choose to think that it honors us, as I was here shortly after Vietnam Remembrance Day.

Next time, on the 14th, we will return to Washington, so join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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

New York X

North Tonawanda lies 15 to 20 miles north of buffalo, depending on what route you take.

 Brauer Park sits outside City Hall and is home to these memorials.

The Vietnam memorial honoring the 11 who were lost sits just in front of the older memorial to those who served in WWII.

These individual markers are placed to honor many from many wars. These are often seen as pavers located on a plaza, so this is a little different.

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I found this interesting. It may be the only such marked to JFK I have ever run across. If you didn't know that he is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, you might think he actually rested here.

This part of the state has a number of interesting memorials some of which I have posted previously and a few are yet to come.

Next time, on the 21st, we travel back to North Carolina, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00am.

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

New York VIII

Here is yet another example of a really nice memorial about which I cannot find a single word.

Located on the grounds of the Allegany County Court House in Belmont, New York, it is clear that much thought and planning went into its creation.

 11 are listed here as having made the ultimate sacrifice.
 and 15 others who, presumably, served.

And, one was MIA. His remains were recovered and are at rest in Arlington National Cemetery.

This is the art from the front, the inscription on the bottom says:

Last moment for friends

As is always the case, I would love to hear any information that any of you may have regarding this site. I am frequently surprised by those I hear from that enable me to update this site, so get in touch.

Next time, on the 24th, we will take a trip south to North Carolina, once again. So, as always, join me there at 9:00am.

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

Arlington National Cemetery

I know that I promised to post from Nebraska this time, but I had the opportunity to visit Arlington National Cemetery this week and thought that I would  extend the Memorial Day posting. I will get back on track with Nebraska, next time.

While wandering through Arlington, I came across these next two scenes and, simply, liked them. The peace and beauty of this place can be beyond description.

This is the Air force Memorial. It is a depiction of the Missing Man Formation which famously honors flyers who have been lost.

This view is nearby and struck me because the rows and rows of markers are so often in straight, military lines. the curves of these seemed particularly beautiful.

I  had hoped to find every stone honored with a flag. These are placed every year in honor of Memorial Day. However, even though I was there with in a day or two, they were completely gone. Except of this one, I don't know if it was missed in the pick-up or was placed after the pick-up by a loved one.

The surprise of the day (there always is one) was finding, standing among individual markers from WWI and WWII, these markers. They honor the crews of lost aircraft from the Vietnam War. In general they contain the remains of those who were lost but were unable to be individually identified. There are exceptions, we found at least one grave marked to one of the individuals listed in the group. This seems completely appropriate. If one can be identified then they should be entombed in their own site, but also honored on the larger marked with their lost comrades.

I think the war is often thought of being fought primarily by the Army and the Marines and it is good to remember that all the services participated and lost members. The two above markers are to Navy and Air  Force flyers. Just by chance both of these were lost in Laos, a place that for many years, we denied being.

So, that will do it for Memorial Day for this year, as promised last time, we will move on to Nebraska on the 4th of June, as usual at 9:00am. Join me then.

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

Wreaths Across America: Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia

Those of you who have been following along now for these many years know that at the holiday season, whichever one you celebrate, I do not write about specific states or memorials. In the past, I have posted about other completely unrelated things. One year, I wrote about trains and another about custom cars. Well, this year I thought I would do something a little different.

You may be familiar with Wreaths Across America, it is an effort begun some years ago to lay a wreath at the headstones of those in National Cemeteries. It has grown by leaps and bounds over the years and now volunteer participants lay wreaths at some 850 sites across the nation.

It is a huge undertaking, wreaths have to be made, shipped and distributed to name just a few of the logistical requirements.

This year, 2014, for the first time there were enough wreaths to honor every one of the markers at Arlington National Cemetery. Over 50,000 volunteers showed up to distribute more than 200,000 wreaths on Saturday the 13th of December. I read that they were thousands short but at the last moments someone stepped up and provided the needed wreaths. That person deserves our respect and gratitude.

I visited a few days after the fact and thought that this year I would honor all those at ANC, including, above, those from 911 at the Pentagon, and post this series of pictures for you.

I particularly liked these markers beneath this large Holly tree, it too, seams appropriately seasonal.

While walking among the thousands of markers and wreaths, I noticed what appeared to be a "challenge coin" resting on top of one. Upon further investigation, I discoved that it was,indeed, a coin, but that it commeorates the WAA effort.

I hope that pictures of a cemetery do not seem out of place during this season. I think it is a cause for great celebration that this happens every year and that this year, no one was left out.

Next time, on the 27th, I will feature a few pics from The Wall, decorated for the season. So, join me at 9:00am, as always,

This is a special time of the year and as diverse as we are in this country, I probably cannot name all the ways in which we celebrate, so rather than leave someone out, I will just say happiest of holidays to you and yours. Remember that the season can also be difficult for many, so reach out to someone you know is alone, or lonely.

To see Vietnam memorials from any state in the Union, click on the states name on the left side of this page.