Pennsylvania XXXIII

When I am on a picture journey I always try to take what I think of as location identifying pictures as it is often many, or sometimes years, later when I actually post the memorial photos here.

Sometimes I forget and later have to beg my readers to help me identify the location of a particular site. Often they do.

It looked as if today's memorial was going to fall into the "where the heck was that?" category.

I knew I was in the Scranton, Pennsylvania area when I took it but that was about all I could remember. I searched and searched my usual sites for information but was coming up empty. I asked my friends who were from that area if they knew of the memorial: nothing.

So, I pulled one of the four names on the memorial and did some searches for any info and lo and behold I found it.

Located on the corner of Washington Avenue and W. Broad street in West Hazelton is this memorial that, it turns out, had just been dedicated days prior to my visit.

Dedicated on May 26th, 2019, it honors forever, the four men from the area who made the ultimate sacrifice.

These men, like the 58,279 others, who gave up their hopes, dreams and futures for their country, for a country many of us had never even heard of before the mid '60s, will always be remembered and honored here.

Rest in peace, brothers, rest in peace.

Next time, on the 24th, we will return to Texas, so meet me there, as usual, at 9:00am.

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

Pennsylvania XXXII

Taylor is a suburb of Scranton, Pennsylvania and along Main Street on the grounds of the Community Center is this unusual and, perhaps, one of a kind memorial.

Its star shape is thought to be the only one of its kind.

The names engraved upon the Pennsylvania Blue Stone are those who have served over the years. There are no designations as to when or where their service was given or, as far as I could determine, if any one gave their life. Nearby, there is a separate stone with short list of names to be remembered, but, again, no other designation.

There are pavers around the area and these have some specifics. these are just two of several I found designation Vietnam.

I have read that there is another memorial in Taylor and I will get back to see it at some time and if it is Vietnam specific in any way, you can bet you will see it here.

Next time, on the 17th, I'll speak to the service of the Irish in Vietnam, so meet me here, as always, 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.

Pennsylvania XXXI

As promised we are back on track today, once again visiting and honoring our lost brothers and sisters, this time in Pennsylvania.

In the Scranton area is a town called Old forge and it has a remarkable number of remembrances for such a seemingly small town. Today we will visit just one of them.

Just on the grounds of the fire station sits this beautiful memorial originally dedicated to the heroes of WWI and WWII. 

Two additions were made at a later date, one in honor of those lost in Vietnam.

No names are listed and one wonders if it is because there just might be too many. A nearby town attempts to name everyone who has ever served and it is a formidable task and who knows what causes one town to do one thing and another something else. Having served on a memorial committee for my area I know just what a daunting task it is to get it right, then get it funded, etc., etc., etc.

I am always glad to notice these staked emblems. I do not know where they come from but they are at many, many sites.

I am intrigued by the statue. I am not sure if she is a grieving mother or represents something else entirely. What do you think? Let me know by posting in the comments section or via the email listed on the left side of this page.

Next time, on the 11th, we will visit Virginia, so meet me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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

Pennsylvania XXX

On my trip to Scranton (Home of the world's best pizza) not so long ago, I was able to see a number of memorials.

Today, we will look at one in Dunmore an area in the general Scranton vicinity.

It is a memorial to many who served in our twentieth century wars and five from the Dunmore, lost in Nam are honored here.

 

 The tank is an M-60 from the Vietnam era.

Lou "Duchie" Arnone (name on the stone) is the man who managed to get the tank decommissioned for the memorial.

Many are listed here along with these five below.

Note that of the five from Dunmore who were lost, one of them was one of the eight military women who died in Nam. I have written previously about the considerably larger number of women lost during our twenty years in Indochina, but this is only the second of the eight women I have seen on memorials. I am sure that is due to oversight on my part.

Next time, on the 1st of October, we will revisit South Carolina, so meet me thee at 9:00am.

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

Pennsylvania XXIX

A while back I traveled to the Scranton, Pennsylvania area with our friends, Mike and Nancy, because Scranton claims to be the Pizza Capital of the U.S.

Nancy is from that area and knew all the right places to visit. We had a great time and great pizza, who could ask for more?

The area is also a treasure trove of Vietnam memorials. Many of the small towns and boroughs in the area have memorials. Some are multi-war, of course, but all the ones we found included Vietnam in them or actually had separate, individual memorials to those lost or missing in 'Nam.

Today, I will share some of the elements of the Lacawana Court House Memorial. It, like so many others is a tribute to many wars and features quotes from our forefathers and other more recent notables like JFK.

The long wall that runs along the front of the court house contains many of these quotes.

In a section framed by two flagpoles is the Vietnam section of the wall.

Fifty six of the areas finest are remembered and honored here.

The picture, which is a bit unusual for a memorial, depicts not only the horrors of the war which were many, but also, the touching moments of decency and kindness that are all too often neglected or overlooked.

There are at this site a couple of other memorials to 'Nam, but I will leave them for another time.

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

BTW, this is the 800th post in this series, I wonder if I will get to 1,000? I may need your help with that. More on that later.

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