Colorado XIX

Before we begin today's post, I would like to take just a moment to remember Pearl Harbor. There are not too many left of those who were, perhaps, the charter members of what was to become "The Greatest Generation." We must never forget their courage and sacrifice and all the did for America and the rest of the world. We owe them our unflagging honor, respect, and gratitude.

So, today we will take a look at a few of the other things at the memorial. As you most likely know visitors often leave mementos of one kind or another at these sites. This one is no different.

At first I thought the ammo box was just that and I didn't pay too much attention to it. As I was about to leave I decided to take s quick look inside.

As you can see, many have left remembrances. Everything from rank insignias to live ammunition, it causes one to wonder what each memento meant to the person who left it here.

There were, also, two notebooks left inside. Each was filled with comments and memories from those who have visited this site. I sat for a few moments and read through some of them. Very personal and often moving. I left a few words of my own. As isolated as this site is, I was a little surprised to find that so many had taken the time to reflect and remember. the notebooks are the only explanation I can think of for all the pencils in the ammo box.

Coins are often left at burial or memorial sites. I suppose this originates with the need to pay the Ferryman to transport the lost one to the other side. I see these coins often.

The other interesting thing here today is this helicopter part and dedication to a  soldier who worked on the birds.

I feel as if I have covered this site pretty well, so I will leave it here. I would like to dispel one more of the myths surrounding the site. You may read, elsewhere, that Col. Beckley used a chopper to fly the materials in to the site. This, like the others, is not true. He was the commander of a Construction Brigade and some of his men helped him truck the stuff to the site. This must have been quite a job because if you read the first post in this series, you may recall that the Ranger from the area told me that there were very few months one could access the site without a snow machine of some type.

Some of you have noticed that I have not identified where the memorial is located or how to find it. This is not an accident. Col. Beckley specifically asked that its location not be revealed. He did not want it to become a tourist attraction, he wanted it left for vets to have a place of peace, reflection, and solitude. Some have chosen to speak of its location but I choose to honor Beckley's final wishes. Those who need to be there will find a way; I did.

This is the last post about Soldierstone. I have more pictures of a few of the remaining pillow stones and perhaps one day I will post a them, but for now, it is time to move on.

Next time, on the 12th, we will visit a new state. So, join me at 9:00am.

To see other posts from Soldierstone, Colorado, or any other state, click the state name on the left side of this page.

Colorado XV

As I said in the previous post (scroll back if you missed it) Col. Beckley was not only honoring American Vietnam vets. He took a longer, historical, view. He made it a point to honor many others who had fought and died there. I must admit, I was surprised by the various soldiers who are commemorated from so many places. I did not know so many countries had been engaged in this conflict over more years than we were.

Surrounding Soldierstone are quite a few markers, or "Pillow Stones" and these, written in the languages of those honored tell a story that I hadn't known. In the nearly 20 years since the site was completed, what once were smaller trees and shrubs have grown to maturity and may actually hide more of these flat, geometric stones. In the rock strewn fields surrounding the site, some are easy to spot, but others were under the now larger trees and plants. I think it is possible that I may have missed some. I did count 19 and will highlight a few in each of the next several posts. I have been very fortunate to have found most of the translations from the native languages. All are haunting and beautiful.

I have, also, been able to track down some of the history of some of the units whose markers rest here. Where I know it, I will try to do them justice and honor here.

One of the most unusual, to me, was in Sanskrit! It remembers an Indian unit.

The 20th Indian Division was sent to Vietnam, at the end of WWII, to send the Japanese soldiers back to Japan and repatriate the POW's and other prisoners the Japanese had been holding. Should have been a relatively easy assignment for this crack military unit. However, the Viet Minh had other ideas and attacked the Indian soldiers. It has been said that this British/Indian involvement should be called the First Vietnam War, but that aside, some 40 of these soldiers were killed over  a period of time.

The inscription on the stone is in Hindi and Urdo and is a dedication to "All who served..."

Another fierce fighting group connected with the British were the Gurkhas. These Nepalis are credited with playing a major role in suppressing the Viet Minh until additional French forces arrived in country in 1946.

The pillow stone reads, in Nepali;

It's a bullet, a bullet

Hear it ricochet by your ear

It's beckoning war...

Japanese soldiers, still in Vietnam, were used by the British to help reinstall French authority over Vietnam. Several hundred died in the effort. 

 

I read that this is a verse from a soldier's song and given a translation that says;

 " I go to a lonely grave...in a land far across the sea..." 

I am not sure if that is correct as it says;

 "A lonely grave... Died for France  Indochina 1945-46 right on the stone.

The last one for today is the one that, perhaps, surprised me the most.

 

Arabic. It makes sense when you think of the times and the influence the British had around the world, but somehow, it had just never occurred to me that all these other soldiers had fought in and died in Vietnam. This quote from the Koran is most appropriate for these soldiers who distinguished themselves in Vietnam.

Every soul will know

                the taste of death.

There are many more of these pillow stones and more about the memorial to come so keep checking in. Join me on the 11th, Veteran's Day, at 11:00am, for an new post about Veterans Day and then on the 16th we will continue these posts from Soldierstone.

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