Oklahoma IX

I keep being brought back to this memorial in Oklahoma City, at the Capitol.

There are several of these Bas Relief plaques (seen below) throughout the site and I thought I might try to draw out a few more of the faces from them.

This is always a bit of an imprecise exercise for me, but I will give it a shot.

As you can see from the above shot, there are several of the aforementioned Bas Relief scenes here. The following pictures were cropped out of the larger versions.

 

Each of these looses a bit in the cropping and necessary enlarging process, but the fatigue, stress, and melancholy cannot be missed or over looked. 

I will point out again that the "Big Guy" , on the right, used to greet visitors to this site, but when the town of Enid dedicated a facsimile of The Wall, the state moved him to Enid and designated the site as the official Oklahoma Vietnam memorial.

Next time, on the 8th, we will revisit Oregon, so join me there, as usual at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials from Oklahoma, 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

Oklahoma VIII

 
Once the Oklahoma Vietnam Memorial this site is still striking. While several wars are commemorated here, The Big Guy, a Nam vet, still watches over them all.

He continues to peer over at the Capitol building in constant reminder of the consequences of decisions made by our leaders: the decisions we pay the price for.

Oklahoma representatives moved the "official" site to Enid after the town purchased a retired Traveling Wall, but, the Big Guy doesn't care. He just stands sentry.

In keeping with my effort to single out faces, to see what the sculptors were trying to say, he is the next in The Faces of Remembrance series of posts. I see fatigue mixed with sadness.

I found this face on the Bas Relief of a scene of a Huey dropping off troops to face whatever comes next. He seems watchful above all else to me.

Another from the Bas Relief. Resignation? Grief?

Next time, on the 24th, we'll have another look in Pennsylvania, so meet me there, as always, at 9:00am.

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

Oklahoma IV

I visited my cousin, Dan, in Enid while visiting Oklahoma. He told me about and took me to the local Veteran's Memorial. Located at the Woodring Regional Airport, it consists of a number of walls engraved with he names of the many who have served in our conflicts.

It includes a number of artifacts from various wars including a F-4C Phantom from 'Nam, a POW/MIA remembrance and "nose art" from WWII.

Note the nose of the Phantom on the left

While not specifically a Vietnam Memorial at the time, all of that is changing. As I write these words on March 14th, 2013, groundbreaking is taking place to permanently display and 4/5 size replica of The Wall.

Once again, after a visit from one of the Traveling Walls, in 2010, the people in Enid wanted something permanent. A retiring "Traveler" was purchased and will be dedicated on next Memorial Day, May 27th.

The "ol' soldier" as it has been called traveled the country for seven years and will now rest forever in Enid. Escorted by a number of bikers, many vets, The Wall arrived in Enid recently to await its installation at its new home. Among the 58,000 plus names on it are 16 from the Enid.

I read today that the state legislature in resolution SJR 4 has officially designated the park with The Wall, The Official Oklahoma Vietnam Memorial. I don't know how "The Big Guy" in Oklahoma City feels about that, but I expect the folks in Enid are very proud, as they should be!

 I hope at some point to get back to Enid to rephotograph the memorial. If you get there, it may be found at 1026 S.66th.

Next time, we will visit a small memorial in Hulbert which was flooding as I entered the area. So, join me on the 23rd for this very quick stop!

Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Vietnam Memorial sits on the Capitol grounds in Oklahoma City. The site is a tribute to WW I, WW II, Korea and Vietnam. Each of these has its own wall upon which are bas relief scenes from the particular war and the names of those KIA/MIA.

Central to this tribute is an 8 and a half foot tall soldier. He is Native American and is dressed in Vietnam era gear. Called the best rendition of an American soldier ever, he gazes at the Capitol building.  He is referred to as "The Big Guy" and it seems to me that he is staring down the politicians, but that's just me! There is also an eternal flame on site reminding the powers-that-be that "We must never forget."

The Big Guy

Detail

The Vietnam bas relief

Detail

The 988 honored

Detail

A personal remembrance

The Flame

The memorial which is actually across the street from the Capitol building underwent a recent renovation. Completed in November 2012, the site now bears the names of more than 2500 from the state, including the 988 from Vietnam, that gave their all for America when their country called. Oklahoma is second only to West Virginia in the percentage of her population lost to the war.

On the 3rd of March, we will visit Broken Arrow, Oklahoma for the memorial there, as always at 9:00am.