Arizona XXXIII

For many years Eloy has been nothing more than a name on a sign as I headed from Tucson to Phoenix and beyond. Now, it has become dear to me.

I read somewhere that they had some kind of a memorial there and on a recent trip, I decided to check it out.

I drove into the outskirts of the town off the highway and it seemed to be a quiet, hot, a bit dusty small town. I found the Vet center almost immediately and was just astounded by what they have done.

For the umpteenth time on this site I will celebrate what so many small towns do for their vets.

This beautiful, open, plaza like area is entirely dedicated to vets. The side of the building you can see on the left is the Vet Center. The guys in the center were great. We spent quite some time talking about the memorial park and the cooperation between the town and the center to get this built.

These pillars list the name sof many who were lost, but without designations as to which war, branch of service of date of loss: just honoring the names of those who gave all.

It always interest me when I find the "homemade" along with what I call, without prejudice or and negativity, "corporate" reminders of the price so many have apid. I love them all.

There is so much more here and I promise to return at a later date with additional photos from here and a more intimate setting I would have never known about if the guys here had not shared it with me.

For a town of under 16,000, Eloy has done a remarkable and touching job of honoring and remembering her veterans.

Eloy is about 50 miles up US 10 from Tucson.

An interesting side note I ran across is that the name Eloy comes from an abbreviation from the railroads. It stands for East Line of Yuma. As the building project creating the east line progressed it became easier to write Eloy than spelling out the entire name. The name first appeared on a railroad map in 1909.

Next time, on the 28th, we will take another trip to Arkansas, so meet me there, as usual, at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials from Arizona, 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.

September 11th, 2021

Twenty years ago today the unimaginable happened. The United States, the leader of the free world, the most powerful nation perhaps ever was stunned, attacked and, briefly at least caught unaware.

Every year I write something and feature a memorial from somewhere. Did you know that every state in the Union has at least one memorial to those lost on that fateful day? I have not seen them all by any shot and some of the ones I have seen I have posted here over the years. They are frequently magnificent, sometimes simple, and always very emotional.

I just read this past Tuesday about a memorial to the seven Irish lost and also to honor first responders, that was built in Waterford, Ireland. It features a section of girder from the World Trade Center. Waterford is considered Ireland's first city.

While visiting Arizona not so long ago I saw two. One is in Wesley Bolin Park across from the Capitol, in the same park the State Vietnam Memorial is located. It is spectacular and you should go see it.

 

 

If you do, drive a couple of hours south to Tucson and there by itself with no fanfare, not even a sign, is this one.

 

Often referred to, incorrectly, as the Avatar memorial due to the Spielberg movie of the same name, it was actually in place a number of years before that movie was released.

 

 

Eight high school students and Tucson artist David Campbell spent part of the summer of 2002 creating and installing a blue angel hoisting a globe overhead -- a tribute to the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The figure emerges from rubble, and a slab is labeled "Together We Rise."

 

So, today 20 years later we are older, if not wiser, and we would do well to remember those lost as it seems every state as done in some way. 

 

I didn't personally know anyone lost on that day but 11 of my neighbors from my area were lost at the Pentagon and I have posted previously about the magnificent memorial we have here.

 

The sadness in the angels eyes reflects I think the sadness we must all remember and feel on this 20th anniversary of this tremendous loss.

 

R.I.P.

 

Next time, on the 16th, we will revisit Delaware, so join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

 

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

Arizona XXVII

Today I will take you into the Faces of Remembrance subgroup of this effort.

The Arizona memorial sits in Wesley Bolin Park opposite the Capitol building in Phoenix. The park is just filled with memorials to many people and efforts. I have spoken before of my encounters within the park and you can find those posts elsewhere on this site. For those who may be new to this site, if you click on a state name on the left side of this page all the posts about that state will appear from the most recent to the oldest.

The site depicting brothers aiding brothers, also, list the hundreds of names of those who served and a tableau telling the history of the conflict.

 

Seen on the right is just one of ten panels listing names.

As always, the eyes tell the story.

The faces are forever here, telling the story, our story, for any who wish to hear or know.

I've heard it said that 'Nam vets can always pick each other out of a crowd: there must be a connection between these things, the eyes and the recognition even these many years later.

Next time, on the 13th, we will return to California, so meet me there at 9:00am.

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