California LI

It is nice today to be back, if even briefly, to my original goal of writing about memorials. 

Today, from Westminster, California a memorial built by the large Vietnamese population there. I have posted before about the memorial honoring American and Vietnamese partners and at the site in the ensuing years several additional memorials have been added. 

You can see the first memorial honoring Americans and Vietnamese here.

This adjacent memorial honors the 74 Vietnamese lost in a sea battle with China in January of 1974.

In reading more about this Battle of the Paracel Sea, it is hard to connect it to the war in 'Nam except that the dates coincide. Also, as I will point out in a future post, there are several plaques seen in the third picture address U.S. involvement in some way or another. It is confusing, but, war always is.

Next time on the 19th we will return to Colorado, so join me there, as usual at 9:00 am. 

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia, Molly from Florida, Colleen from Pennsylvania, Elli from Maryland, and Peg and Ray from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served and/or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here.

I hope all those listed here will encourage you to send along photos and join the group.

California XLIX

As promised prior to my winter holiday break, today we are back on track and in California. 

Westminster is one of my early stops on this journey and to witness, and share with you, its remarkable growth is a highlight for me.

This small park, named Sid Goldstein Freedom Park is full of monuments and heroes.

When I first visited, in 2011, there was only the single memorial to the two vets: one American and one Vietnamese. You can see that post here.

Now, there are several more, see one of them here,

Westminster has a large Vietnamese population ( the largest in Orange County) and they have not forgotten their history and losses, nor our sacrifices and contributions.

Here they honor some of their heroes of the war.

 

Black April recalls the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. It is difficult to believe that in a few short months it will be the 50th Anniversary.

The City of Westminster remembers this day each year. 

See more here: Warning this is not intended for the very young and may be triggering for some others.

https://www.westminster-ca.gov/government/city-channel-wtv/black-april

Next time, on the 14th of January, we will return to Colorado. So, as always, join me there at 9:00 am. 

To see Vietnam memorials from any state and Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico click on the individual names on the left side of this page.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, Colleen from Pennsylvania, and very soon Elli from Maryland, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

California XLVI

Before beginning today, I want to salute and honor those who fought and died on this date eighty years ago. helping to bring an end to the war and Fascism in Europe they became, rightly, called The Greatest Generation. We owe them our everlasting respect and gratitude. 

Take a moment today to recall their sacrifices.

It seems fitting that California has the greatest number of posts on this site as the state has the highest number of her citizens lost in the war. No one really knows which state has the actual greatest number of memorials or for that matter how many memorials there are in the Country.

Vietnam Veterans of America tried to keep track of all this but eventually had to give up the effort.

One of the first I saw in the state, back in 2011, was in Westminster in Sid Goldstein Freedom Park. At the time it consisted of  the plaza, statue and flame you see below and was quite impressive.

Today, I want to feature, as I so often do, the faces of the soldiers from the statues here. For those unfamiliar, I call this effort, this sub-grouping of photos, The Faces of Remembrance Series inspired by the effort to gather a actual photograph of every name on The Wall. This effort was begun in 2001 and completed in 2022 with the goal of featuring them all at the (now defunct) Education Center to be built near The Wall. All photos can be found at the VVMF's Wall of Faces on-line.

My efforts are a mixture of photos, sculpture, and other likenesses that I find on my journeys.

On a trip last year I was amazed at how much has been added to the site and I will feature these additions as time goes on.

Next time, on the 11th, we will venture back to Colorado, so meet me there, as always, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from California, or any other state, please click on a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Tim from Virginia, Mike from Maryland, Ron and Molly from Florida have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Maryland VI

Westminster has done a really great job with this memorial. I will post today about some of its other features, some of which are not so often seen.

The central stone with the names and likenesses is flanked on either side by "A day in the life" scenes. the first, shown next, is fairly standard and depicts the military aspect of our involvement.

The one on the right shows a less often displayed detail of what was going on. The humanitarian efforts we made are often lost to the conversation. I cannot think of another memorial that speaks to them so eloquently. Good job, Carroll County!

In addition to the above, this site boasts a contribution from the "Last Patrol." These guys were part of the education, public awareness and funds raising efforts to build the Maryland State Memorial in Baltimore. Here, they contributed the names of Maryland's lost to a time capsule in site. I read that
the names were hand rubbed at The Wall, in D.C.

The final shot is just of the four flags at the site. I particularly liked the way they looked in the wind, the day I was there.

Next time we will travel back to Massachusetts, so meet me there on the 18th, as always, at 9:00am.

If you would like to see more memorials from Maryland, or any other state, click the state name on the left side of this page.

Maryland V

Westminster, Maryland lies in Carroll County. A beautiful little town that boasts History, shopping and a an Irish pub! Not far from these lies an outstanding Vietnam memorial dedicated to the 19 from the area who were lost. Westminster is a town of fewer than 20,000 and is the County Seat.

The memorial has several interesting features and I expect it will take two separate posts to show them all to you.

The site consists of three panels, each addressing some specific aspect of the war. today I will concentrate upon the main panel which lists the names and likenesses of all 19 lost vets and is dedicated to those who loved them.

 

The central panel depicts a map of Vietnam overlying a map of Carroll County. It is enclosed by two other panels that I will address next time.

Each of the 19 heroes are remembered here, their likenesses forever present to remind all of the cost of war and the heroism of the few.

 

I have seen a few of these memorials that include these photo like images. They never fail to amaze me in that they are so lifelike.

Next time, on the 13th, I will post the remaining photos from this remarkable site. So, join me, as always, at 9:00am.

If you would see additional posts from Maryland, or any other state, simply click the state name on the left side of this page.

California VIII

Located very near Seal Beach, just south of L.A. is the town of Westminster. Since the town has the largest Vietnamese population in Orange County, it is not surprising to find a beautiful memorial here or to learn that it was designed and sculpted by a Vietnamese (Tuan Nguyen) who escaped from a "reeducation" camp in 'Nam. After walking to Cambodia, he eventually made it to the U.S.

Said to be the first in the country to honor both American and Vietnamese soldiers this magnificent site boasts a 12 foot statue of each, an eternal flame, fountain, rose garden and the flags of both the U. S. and the Republic of Vietnam. There are a number of dedication pavers around the site and the various signs are in both Vietnamese and English.

Dedicated on April 27th, 2003, the memorial stands in Sid Goldstein Freedom Park. The park is located at 14180 All American Way. There are several government buildings on this street and thirty minute free parking.