Delaware XVII

About 5 miles southwest of Wilmington, Delaware is Newport and I had heard or read that there was a memorial there. So, on a recent trip to the area I decided to check it out.

As luck would have it when it came to writing about it, I could find absolutely nothing. I had my pics, but no information.

Not one to give up easily, I searched and searched my various sites to gather some information. Nothing. So, I began to wonder how it was that I even knew to go see it? I could not find a trace of it in my notes etc., but the info had to be somewhere.

Happily, in stumbling around the internet I was able to discover that it was originally a Pearl Harbor Memorial.

Note that the weapon is sinking to the left.

 

Dedicated on December 7th, 2014 it includes a number of markers to a number of our Nation's wars.

 Vietnam is among them.

I found it interesting that the dates and the numbers seem to date from The Gulf of Tonkin era. This is not too uncommon although I am never sure why this happens. We had had soldiers in 'Nam for nine years by 1964, the first of which was killed in 1956 and the final total of those lost is 58, 279.

 I have written before about what sometimes seems to be an effort to rewrite history, often, it seems, to blame Kennedy or Johnson for our involvement in Vietnam. I could be very wrong but it often feels as if there is a political agenda behind these efforts. As I said, I could be wrong, I hope so.

This memorial may be found at the intersection of E. Market Street and S. Augustin Street in Newport.

Next time, on the 29th, we will return to Florida, so join me there at 9:00am.

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

Rhode Island III

A few miles up the road from Newport is Portsmouth, R.I. I was on my way to locate a memorial at a local school when I came upon this newer one. Each side of it is dedicated to a different war from WW I through Vietnam.

For those of you who read the previous post, note what this site calls the war!

Next time I will visit the memorial at the local school dedicated to Donald Sisson.  Join me on the 31st at 9:00am.

Rhode Island II

On the grounds of the regal old City Hall in Newport, Rhode Island sits this simple memorial to 11 of her sons that were lost in 'Nam.

I have written a number of times about how we cannot seem to agree on when this war was fought. The dates one finds on memorials vary widely. I have chronicled beginning dates from 1955 to the late '60's and ending dates from 1973 to 1978! It was with some interest that I noticed that this memorial names the conflict "The Vietnam Crisis", so I guess we will continue to debate that, too. This, of course, is merely a semantic exercise for, perhaps, Lexicographers and Historians;  those of us who were there know what it was!

Oddly, I had a lot of trouble tracking this one down. Most of the folks in town were very helpful, just wrong, about exactly where is was. Long time followers of this blog know that I often lament the lack of knowledge of local people in locating sites. This one, should you be looking for it, is at the City Hall which is on Broadway, just opposite the corner of Spring Street and Bull Street.

Rhode Island

I can't tell you how many times, on the way to Newport, I passed the signs for the Rhode Island Veteran's Cemetery at Exeter. Before I began this journey, it was just noted with interest. I was a little surprised, as I began this effort, to discover that it was, also, the home of the R.I. Vietnam Memorial.

I stopped in and happened to meet the head guy. He is a 'Nam vet himself and was quite interested in my efforts. One of the interesting things he told me was that on Memorial Day and Veteran's Day, he and his brother meet at the site at sunrise and read, aloud, all the 224 names listed here. I think this is quite a tribute and I would love, someday, to be there as they honor our fellow soldiers. I have on occasion sent him an email on those days.

The memorials and grave sites at this historic place go all the way back to Colonial times. The place is not hard to find if you just follow the signs along Rte. 95. and follow additional signs to 301 S. County Trail, Exeter, RI, 02822

This is a remarkably beautiful place and you would not regret taking time to stop, I am sure.