Arkansas VIII

Nick Bacon was the son of share croppers in Arkansas and determined to rise above this life. He lived in several places over the course of his life and served his community and country in every one of them. He is noted as saying that his time in uniform was the proudest in his life.

Perhaps his proudest moment in uniform was when being awarded the Medal of Honor by President Nixon for his service in Vietnam. 

His likeness is preserved at a MoH memorial in Little Rock, across the green from the Vietnam memorial featured here. 

"The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed forces' highest Military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians, and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. The medal is normally awarded by the president of the United States, but as it is presented "in the name of the United States Congress" it is sometimes referred to as the "Congressional Medal of Honor". The Secretary of the Army, on behalf of DoD, has testified to Congress that the term "Congressional Medal of Honor" is "incorrect", and that "it seems inappropriate to modify the name of the medal with the word 'Congressional' as each award is made in the name of the Congress."

The above is taken directly from Wikipedia, read the whole article here: 

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

Next time, on the 3rd, we will return to California, meet me there, as always, at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials from Arkansas,  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.

 

Puerto Rico I

Completely new territory today, figuratively as well as actually.

Tim Macdonald sent me these pics from the rotunda of the capitol building in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

This soldier, one of 48,000 others from the island that served in 'Nam: one of the 340 who were lost, one of five who was a recipient of the Medal of Honor.

His name is Hector Santiago, he was killed in Quang Tri in 1968. the following is his citation:

"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. Santiago-Colon distinguished himself at the cost of his life while serving as a gunner in the mortar platoon of Company B. While serving as a perimeter sentry, Sp4c. Santiago-Colon heard distinct movement in the heavily wooded area to his front and flanks. Immediately he alerted his fellow sentries in the area to move to their foxholes and remain alert for any enemy probing forces. From the wooded area around his position heavy enemy automatic-weapons and small-arms fire suddenly broke out, but extreme darkness rendered difficult the precise location and identification of the hostile force. Only the muzzle flashes from the enemy weapons indicated their positions. Sp4c. Santiago-Colon and the other members of his platoon immediately began to repel the attackers, utilizing hand grenades, antipersonnel mines and small-arms fire. Due to the heavy volume of enemy fire and exploding grenades around them, a North Vietnamese soldier was able to crawl, undetected, to their position. Suddenly, the enemy soldier lobbed a hand grenade into Sp4c. Santiago-Colon's foxhole. Realizing that there was no time to throw the grenade out of his position, Sp4c. Santiago-Colon retrieved the grenade, tucked it into his stomach and, turning away from his comrades, absorbed the full impact of the blast. His heroic self-sacrifice saved the lives of those who occupied the foxhole with him, and provided them with the inspiration to continue fighting until they had forced the enemy to retreat from the perimeter. By his gallantry at the cost of his life and in the highest traditions of the military service, Sp4c. Santiago-Colon has reflected great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army." 

Why he is the only one honored in the rotunda I do not know. 

So, it seems a little odd to me that there are five portraits here and that five soldiers were the recipients of the Medal of Honor. I am told that the only one of these from 'Nam is Hector Santiago. If I am wrong, I would love to know. 

You know you can reach me at the email to the left of this page.

Next time, on the 23rd, we will revisit Tennessee, so meet me there, as always at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials any 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!

Colorado XXXIV

Drew Dix is an American hero. One of the 248 who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Vietnam.

His statue is among other awardees, from other wars, in Pueblo, Colorado and I have tried, here, to add his face to the ongoing series I call Faces of Remembrance. These pictures were taken before I envisioned this effort, so are taken from lager photos, hence the quality suffers some. 

His deeds, however, are crystal clear and speak for themselves.

Below is the official citation of his bravery, gallantry, and just plain decency in aiding those in need.

"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. SSG. Dix distinguished himself by exceptional heroism while serving as a unit adviser. Two heavily armed Viet Cong battalions attacked the Province capital city of Chau Phu resulting in the complete breakdown and fragmentation of the defenses of the city. SSG. Dix, with a patrol of Vietnamese soldiers, was recalled to assist in the defense of Chau Phu. Learning that a nurse was trapped in a house near the center of the city, SSG. Dix organized a relief force, successfully rescued the nurse, and returned her to the safety of the Tactical Operations Center. Being informed of other trapped civilians within the city, SSG. Dix voluntarily led another force to rescue eight civilian employees located in a building which was under heavy mortar and small-arms fire. SSG. Dix then returned to the center of the city. Upon approaching a building, he was subjected to intense automatic rifle and machine gun fire from an unknown number of Viet Cong. He personally assaulted the building, killing six Viet Cong, and rescuing two Filipinos. The following day SSG. Dix, still on his own volition, assembled a 20-man force and though under intense enemy fire cleared the Viet Cong out of the hotel, theater, and other adjacent buildings within the city. During this portion of the attack, Army Republic of Vietnam soldiers inspired by the heroism and success of SSG. Dix, rallied and commenced firing upon the Viet Cong. SSG. Dix captured 20 prisoners, including a high ranking Viet Cong official. He then attacked enemy troops who had entered the residence of the Deputy Province Chief and was successful in rescuing the official's wife and children. SSG. Dix's personal heroic actions resulted in 14 confirmed Viet Cong killed in action and possibly 25 more, the capture of 20 prisoners, 15 weapons, and the rescue of the 14 United States and free world civilians. The heroism of SSG. Dix was in the highest tradition and reflects great credit upon the U.S. Army.^"

^{As I have traveled the country I have found that several states, four I think, actually claim Mr. Dix as their own. He was born in New York, but was raised in Pueblo and I am not sure of the connection to other states.}

^{He attempted to join the Special Forces upon enlisting at 18 years old but was considered too young. Three later he was accepted to this elite force.}

^{He was later given a promotion to officer status and retired years later as a Major.}

^{Mr. Dix was the first Special Forces member to be a recipient of the Medal of Honor.}

^{Next time, I hope to have found something new in Delaware. Check back on the 18th, as always, at 9:00am, to see how that worked out.}

^{To see additional memorials from Colorado, 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.

Massachusetts XXI

Natick, Massachusetts is a suburb of Boston, about 25 minutes west and a little south.

The town has made it a priority to ensure that those lost in Vietnam will be honored and remembered forever.

Known at the Natick 11 they are remembered here on this memorial but also by the naming of town squares for each of them.

The Natick 11 include, and honor, Dennis M. Poteat who was actually from North Carolina but, he was posted here and considered to be a member of the group.

This is not unheard of at all. I have written about one soldier, a Medal of Honor recipient, that I have found in at least three, maybe four memorials around the country. This gladdens me, that after the way many of us were treated upon coming home, that now so many are honored in so many places.

Next time I write about Massachusetts I will include the several other interesting components of this site.

These and the future postings from Natick are pictures taken by my friend Jay Korff. Jay is reporter with WJLA, an ABC affiliate in Washington DC. He did a story about this effort a few years ago which won 2 Emmys, 2 Edward R. Morrow Awards, and a Top Prize from the Associated Press Awards. All of this thrilling to me as you might guess, but the best thing is that we have stayed in touch, he has maintained an interest in this project and I consider him a friend.

Thank you Jay for your ongoing support and these pics!

These pictures are opening another chapter of A Means to Heal. In the very near future I will be posting additional photos by other people. Hopefully this will expand the range of memorials available to post, direct attention to others doing similar work and help compensate for my inability to travel during the pandemic.

I invite any reader who has photos of memorials not found on this site to get in touch. If I use your photos I will certainly give you a photo credit. There is an email on the left side of the page.

Next time, on the 6th, we will return to New York, so meet me there at 9:00am.

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

Pennsylvania XXXV

I have posted from Bedford before and you can find that post elsewhere on this site. I returned because I learned that an addition was made to the existing memorial.

The addition is a tribute to Robert Hartsock. He was a dog handler who in an act of unimaginable courage and love threw himself on a satchel bomb to protect others. He survived the blast and lay down additional fire to protect his comrades. He died while still firing his weapon. His dog, Duke, died along side him.

 

 

This, alone is quite a story, but as I started reading up on him, it became even more interesting.

It seems West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania all claim he is a native son.. It does seem that he went to Everette High School near Bedford, at least according to the local newspaper. I have been unable to determine where he was actually born.

 

 

The statue sits in the Bedford Veterans Grove directly across from the courthouse, on Julianna Street, in Bedford.

 

 

One of the reasons it was placed where it was is that the town realized that many visitors walked up to the existing memorial and then walked on, they never looked at the back where many names are listed.

One of the more interesting features of the monument is the circular impressions on its base. Vietnam veterans from the area were asked to come and put their thumbprints in the design. I have never seen anything quite like this in a memorial before.

A film was made about Bob Hartsock called Forgotten Heroes: The Robert Hartsock Story (2019) - IMDb , that you can find several places on the internet, including obviously IMDb above.

Robert Hartsock was awarded the Medal of Honor, the only dog handler to ever receive the nation's highest military honor.

Next time, on the 1st of October, we will return to Virginia. Meet me there, as usual, 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.

New Mexico XX

I wondered in to the New Mexico State House one evening and found this display of all those from the state to have been recipients of the Medal of Honor.

While, of course it honors all, as it should, I noted that five of the fourteen listed were so awarded for their actions while in Vietnam.

The lighting was particularly horrible and added flash just made things worse, so I thought I might add the individual plaques here, poor lighting not withstanding.

SSG. Dix is interesting to me as I have found him claimed in several other states.  In addition to the MOH, he was awarded a Purple heart and a Cross of Gallantry. Read more about him here:

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

SSG. Miller did 6 tours in Nam, was awarded the Purple Heart six times along with a silver Star and other awards.

You can read more of his story here:

https://sofrep.com/specialoperations/franklin-d-miller-mac-v-sog-awarded-medal-honor-january-5-1970/

W.O II Rocco saved several men from a burning chopper and was awarded several other honors.

Read about his interesting life here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_R._Rocco

LCPL Worley saved several of his comrades by throwing himself on a grenade.

His story is here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_L._Worley

And, finally, Spec 4 Fernandez who also sacrificed himself for his brothers by falling on a grenade.

His story follows here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_D._Fernandez

So, with Memorial Day fast approaching keep the reason for it in mind and remember these and so many others who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country,

Next time, on the 30th I will go off script a little from Vietnam memorials to memorials to those we honor at this time of year. So, join me then at 9:00am to see memorials from other places to our brothers and sisters from all wars.

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

New York XXII

I have written about Eisenhower Park, on Long Island, in the past and while going through some pictures I found a few odds and ends that I thought I might post.

As I have mentioned previously this park is really quite spectacular and if you ever have the opportunity be sure to visit.

Every once in a while I find a memorial to those lost to Agent Orange. I once heard of a movement to get a National Memorial built to AO on The Mall in DC., but it seems to have become part of VVMF's In Memory Project which honors all who have died from any related cause since the end of the war. So, finding one specific to these terrible plague is always meaningful. 

A tribute to a Medal of Honor recipient, apparently from the area.

A loving, lasting memory. If this site is like others around the country these tributes are collected each day, so this one may have just been left.

And, finally, as I always say, I love when our hero dogs are remembered. I don't know why but it seems to humanize the war just a little for me.

Next time, a little early, on the fourth, I hope to have something up. Check back at 9:00am to see if I got it done!

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

Massachusetts XVII

We have visited Middleboro before, but in looking through some files I saw some additional pics that I hope you you might find interesting.

There are two Blue Spruce trees planted here, one for a WWI soldier and one for a Vietnam brother. His name was Wayne Caron and he was wounded three times while trying to save other soldiers, before he was finally killed.  They are both Meal of Honor recipients and each has a tree dedicated to him.

Dedication plaque for Corpsman Caron.

A little beyond the spruce is this marker for era vets. The following pic is a bit unusual as it calls itself an "Era" memorial but lists the names and sites where several were lost.

Detail from above, note the names and locations.

 

 

 

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

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

California XXVII

Those of us of a certain age may have fond memories of Johnny Carson often referring to "Beautiful downtown Burbank!" Well, who knew, in some ways it actually is! Especially when it comes to honoring and remembering her Vietnam veterans.

This beautiful little park, on the corner of San Fernando Blvd. and Amherst Dr. brings that strikingly home.

The flag poles and eternal flame atop the monument make the park and the memorial easy to locate.

On the monument and throughout the site are remembrances and testimonials to our fallen comrades including a Medal of Honor recipient from Burbank..

Located here, too, is only the second memorial I have seen to Bob Hope. This surprises me a bit given his years long service to Servicemen and women throughout the years. Fitting I guess that this one is in Burbank home to so much of the entertainment industry.

Notice that he is being awarded the First Honorary Veteran status by an act of Congress.

 Here is just a different view of the area, quite beautiful.

Next time on the 8th, we will return to Colorado, so join me there at 9:00am.

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

Washington XIV

It would be very easy to miss this small memorial as Steve and I nearly did. after circling around a bit we were finally able to find it.

Located in a lovely spot on the side of the road, it was very nice on a sunny day.

The weather had been raining off and on all day, but when we arrived it stopped and the clouds began to break up some.

Someone had recently left a few flowers.

The simple plaque commemorates and honors a local Medal of Honor recipient.

These small, intimate, touching memorials are always special to me and one hopes they bring some sense of peace to those who loved those so remembered.

Next time, on the 9th, we trek back to Wisconsin, so join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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

Virginia XI

Alexandria is a suburb of Washington D.C. and is rich with it's own history since before the American Revolution. Its taverns and pubs, some of which are still in operation today were often the meeting places and idea generators that led to our own independence.

Many will see the connection, then, between this famous city and the desire for and movement towards independence of South Vietnam.

The memorial, here, honors those from Alexandria who died in the pursuit of that dream: 67, in all.

Prominent, here, is a statue of Humbert Roque "Rocky" Versace, a Green Beret Captain captured two weeks before he rotated home.

While in captivity, he went out of his way to be uncooperative and scornful of his captors. He refused to answer questions and insulted them at every opportunity. One can well imagine how well that went over and how his treatment deteriorated and the price he paid. In addition, with three untreated bullet wounds, he tried to escape 3 times.

He was, eventually, separated from all other prisoners and the last time anyone heard from him, he was signing God Bless America at the top of is lungs. For all of this, he was executed on September 26th, 1965, after nearly two years in captivity. His body has never been located, he lies somewhere, known only to God, in the jungles of Vietnam.

His friends and comrades remembered him and his bravery and told the stories that, eventually, led to his being awarded a Medal of Honor quite some years later. The MOH and all of his awards are on display in the foyer of the community center. I will feature some of those in a future post.

He spoke of leaving the military upon his return home, entering the seminary to become a Maryknoll priest and returning to work with orphans in Vietnam. He was well known for his  efforts in behalf of the children in 'Nam.

He is the only POW to receive a n MOH for his efforts as a POW.
 
Next time, on the 24th, we will revisit Arizona . So, join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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

Arizona VII

I do not usually write about individual soldiers that were lost in Vietnam, but I completed a journey on this trip to Tucson that started several years ago, in fact it was late October of 2009. I was visiting a local museum to see the exhibition of artist’s interpretation of Del Dia los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. You have probably seen the brightly dressed skeletons celebrating the feast. They are often depicted dancing, playing musical instruments, drinking as this is a day of celebration and remembrance in the Mexican and Southwestern culture.

The museum, located at Tohono Chul Park, was just full of these marvelous representations, but then I came across one the likes of which I had never seen.

A skeleton, like all the rest, except that he was dressed in Army Class A’s, the green dress uniform worn on special occasions was staring back at me.  Around his neck was the Medal of Honor. A small note identified the artist and told the story that the artist had created this to honor his brother, lost in Vietnam.

I had never seen anything like this and was quite stricken by it. I stood and looked at it for quite some time wanting desperately to know more. There was a sign in the museum saying “No photography” and I always respect the wishes of these places or the artists involved. However, this time I was just overcome. I knew I would not be back, I knew that the exhibit would soon end; I knew I only had this one chance. So, I surreptitiously snapped a photo.

To prove that the universe is indeed just, when I got to look at the photo, it was lousy, completely unusable. Point taken.

I returned home haunted by this art work. I decided to see if I could locate the artist and maybe arrange to get his permission to photograph the piece.

I search the internet and found nothing. This went on for months, then a year, then nearly two years and finally I came across a group of which he was a member.  My hopes which had been dashed repeatedly, soared. Only to be dashed again, there was no contact info for him on the site. I tried repeatedly to contact the group with no luck, either.  Then I tried to contact other group members that did have contact info. And finally found someone who pointed me in the right direction.

I contacted the artist, Rhod (Rod) Lauffer and he was kind enough to tell me that the next time I was in Tucson we could get together and I could photograph his work.

A couple more years passed before I made it back, but I did and Rhod welcomed me into his home and shared the work with me. He, also, showed me his brothers Medal of Honor, Citations, Purple Heart and other artifacts.

Rhod and his tribute to billy

He, also, told me the story of how his brother, Billy Lane Lauffer, feared that he would not make it back from ‘Nam and how Rhod had chided him for thinking like that. Billy went off to ‘Nam; five days later he was gone.

Note the pin (red) to the right across from about his chin

Rhod did not tell me the details of Billy's loss or of his heroism. When I returned home, I was able to track down the story of this remarkable, brave, young man. 

Billy’s patrol came under fire, a couple were killed and others were wounded. They were pinned down and Billy realized that his buddies would not make it to safety unless something changed. He stood up and single handedly attacked two enemy machine gun placements, killing four and wounding many others. The wounds inflicted upon him cost him his life, but he is credited with saving many of his fellow soldiers.

Rhod made this to honor his brother.  Every single piece of this, except the pin marking where Billy was killed on the map of Vietnam, is made of paper. It is truly a remarkable piece and a stunning tribute.

Rhod told me that the Tucson Unified School District named a Middle School after Billy in 2005. Billy Lauffer is the only resident of Tucson to ever be awarded the Medal of Honor. I went to the school and was granted permission to photograph the school and was shown the display case where all the schools achievement trophies and awards surround Billy’s picture and story. The lady who escorted me said, “We try to base our excellence upon his excellence.”  I will write more about the school at a later time.

I want to thank Rhod, and his wife Diane, for allowing me in to their home, their memories and their lives. It cannot have been pleasant to bring all this back up and I want them to know that it is greatly appreciated and based on what I hear from Vets, all over the country,  I know Billy's story will be another that adds greatly to the healing of many.

I have been waiting to tell this story for almost 6 years. I hope you feel, as I do, that it was worth the wait.

Next time, on the 11th, we will be back in California, join me then, as always, at 9:00am.

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

New York V

While traveling through western New York, we came upon a memorial to the Navy's Sea Bees. I had never seen one just like this so we stopped. The term Sea Bees, as you may know, comes from Construction Battalions (CBs) and in one form or another these CBs have a long and storied history. I was surprised to find that the first U.S. intervention in Vietnam took place in 1845 when The Constitution was in Danang harbor and heard of an imprisoned Bishop. The Captain sent marines and Sea Bees to rescue him. To make a long story shorter, he was eventually freed.

The memorial is in North Tonawanda, New York in Fisherman's Park and is really impressive.

 

A Medal of Honor awardee from the Vietnam War is honored here.

An artist vision of a Sea Bee.

A whole wall of Sea Bees lost in Vietnam.

I have written before about the fact that nearly 9 out of every 10 guys in 'Nam was doing something other than direct combat and these numbers show that they paid the price, too.

North Carolina is next; meet me there on the 12th, as always, 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.