North Carolina XXII

Returning, briefly to Triad Park in Colfax, North Carolina to share a couple more of the many features and tributes here.

Throughout the park are many small, individual markers to different groups.

Note the dates on this stone. It is extremely rare to find 1956 included at any memorial. As I have stated many times here, the first American soldier was TSgt. Fitzgibbons who was killed in 1956. Thank you to North Carolina for getting it right.

Various engagements are remembered here.

Earlier, I thanked N.C for getting something right, however, now I must take small issue with the above. P. McCree Thornton is credited with this quote (therefore, not unknown) who served two tours in 'Nam with the U. S. Navy. It appears in a book of fiction he wrote and seems to be a very slight misquote or paraphrase of something Theodore Roosevelt said many, many years earlier.

We will return to Colfax in the future to explore additional features of this magnificent memorial site.

Next time, on the 3rd of December, we will revisit Oklahoma, so join me there, as always, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from North Carolina, or any other state, please click on a 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

New York XXVIII

I have written before about my nearly 50 year search for my buddy John and how he took me to the memorial in his home town.

I read recently the the memorial celebrated its 50th anniversary not too long ago, so I decided to have another look and realized that I had not featured the women's memorial at the site. 

It is not specifically Vietnam, but it is part of the larger memorial so I decided to see of I could pull the women's faces from it to share here.

Its not surprising that this process met with somewhat mixed results.

All that aside, however, I wish to, once again, honor the women who served with us.

United States Army

United States Marine Corp

United States Air Force

United States Coast Guard

United States Navy

I write on occasion that beyond the eight women listed on The Wall, some 56 other American women were killed while serving in some capacity in 'Nam. they were civilians all attempting to better the situation and lives of those affected by the war. You can read more about them here. they, too, are heroes, all. Check them out and be thankful that such people exist.

Next time, on the 29th, we will take another look at North Carolina. So, join me there, as always, at 9:00am.

To see additional memorials from New York, or any other state, please click in 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!

2020 Holiday Season II

Well, it is the day after Christmas and it is cold with snow from the last fall. Its got me thinking of warmer climates and that makes me think of Hawai'i, since we were just in Arizona!

Here are some pics of some of the flora local to the island of Oahu.

This is some kind of Bromeliad, I think. It is just trying to bloom, if you look closely you can see the tiny flowers beginning to open.

Judging from the look of the leaves, I'd guess that this, too, is of the same family, but I have never seen anything like it.

No idea at all but, no less beautiful.

Here is one I have seen before, called bird of Paradise among other names it is available in many areas.

I'll end with another sunset. This was taken on Waikiki Beach, just happened to be there at the right time.

Speaking of time, next time will be New Years Eve, so check back if you get a moment for the last of my holiday, non memorial posts. After the 31st we will return to honoring our brothers and sisters, most especially those who are not able to enjoy this season with us, their, friends, their families.

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

2020 Holiday Season

As many of you will know I take some time off from memorials during the holiday season. It gives me a break from always thinking about memorials and a chance to feature other, more light hearted photos.

Some will also know that I am captivated by the American southwest, the enormity, the beauty, and diversity never fail to capture my imagination and my heart.

Everyone is familiar with the iconic Saguaro cactus that blankets the Sonoran Desert but there is much other beauty to be found and enjoyed in the desert and I will share a couple of pics of some of these with you today.

This is one of several types of Aloe found in the Sonoran Desert which lies in Arizona, Mexico, and California. These photos are all from the general Tucson area.

While the focus is not quite perfect here, a beautiful flower is, well, just beautiful. These are found all across the area.

Another desert floor beauty.

Yucca growing along the side of the road.

Barrel cactus getting ready to bloom.   

And finally, the southwest is famous for its sunsets and this a shot out my hotel window, so some reflection, etc., but I await shots like this every time I am in the southwest and never tire of seeing and capturing them. 

Happy holidays to all!

So, next time, on the 26th, come on back for something else a bit different, as always, at 9:00am.

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

Hawai'i

At the end of my last post from the National Museum of the American Indian I promised to post, today, from Hawai'i but the pics I had in mind were not what i wanted. So, I have decided that in keeping with the Veterans Day theme I would post about a memorial that I truly love.

While not specifically a Vietnam memorial it is in Hawai'i.

Called the Armed Forces Memorial it certainly seems to fit the effort to honor all who have served.

Located not far from the Governor's palace, the flame burns forever.

I will close this post with as a tribute and salute to Hawaii's veterans and all veterans everywhere.

The memorial may be found at420 S. Beretania Street, Honolulu.

Next time, on the 21st, we will return to Maryland, so join me there at 9:00am.

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

California XXXII

 

Santa Maria is about 2 and a half hours north of Los Angeles and you could spend a lot of that trip cruising up the Pacific Coastal Highway (PCH) a trip everyone should make at least once in their lives.

You will need to leave the PCH at about Santa Barbara to head a bit inland to Santa Maria.

 

The memorial called the Freedom Monument Veterans Memorial sits outside the Abel Maldonaldo Youth Community Center.

 

 

It came about because of casual conversation between a mother and a local official. Her son was lost in Nam and she feared that after she was gone, no one would remember him.

 

The memorial, like so many, has grown and become more inclusive over time, now honoring many from the area. This seems to be in keeping with the founding principle of Vietnam Veterans of America: "Never again will one generation of Veterans abandon another."

 

This site has more to see and I will come back to it at a not too distant future time.

The Community Center is located at 600 S. McClelland Street.

Next time around I hope to have gotten back to Delaware. I have tracked down a few more sites in "The First State" and will share one with you on the 31st, so join me then, as usual, at 9:00am.

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

9/11/ 2020

Hard to believe that it has been 19 years since The Twin Towers fell, the Pentagon crumbled, and the fields of Shanksville, Pennsylvania were forever marred.

Our lives, for those of us who remember, were inexorably changed (even if you don't remember, your life was altered too.)

There are memorials to this event in every state of the union and today, I will share one of these with you in honor and remembrance.

Belen, New Mexico is about 100 miles southwest of Santa Fe and has a population of about 7,000 people.

I was looking for a Vietnam memorial, as usual, and I stopped to ask for information. Right near the Wells Fargo Bank on Main Street was this really extensive memorial to 9/11.

This detailed explanation  is attached to a huge section of the Pentagon. 

This mock-up of the Twin Towers stands eight feet tall.

This is an actual shovel used at the Pentagon by first responders

Finally, this guy protects it all. His wing span is over eight feet!

The bricks in the wall just behind all this list the names of service men and women from New Mexico who made the final sacrifice.

So, nineteen years later it astounds me that people now in college and high school, a whole generation, were not even born when this fateful day occurred. Take a moment, then, to recall, to remember, and to honor those lost by telling them about it, what you were doing at the time and how you felt.

Next time, on the 16th, we will return to Maryland, so as always, meet me there at 9:00am.

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

Louisiana IX

We have visited Gonzales before but I was unable to show you all of what this great park offers.

Here are just a few more of the components that honor Vietnam veterans and our brothers and sisters who were lost for that cause in addition to veterans from all ages.

This guy greets you as you enter the park.

Last time I posted I featured this small dedication but was unable to show the detail in any meaningful way. Now, with some improved skills on my part, I am happy to share it once again.

 The eight men listed here deserve the repeat posting.

 Brick throughout honor many of those who served.

POWs and MIAs are not forgotten.

This beautiful fountain must be very calming when in operation. I am sorry it was not on the day I visited.

The Ascension Veterans Memorial Park lies between New Orleans and Baton Rouge at 1 S. Irma Avenue.

Next time, on the 11th we will visit a 9/11 memorial to honor the great losses of that terrible day.

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

Kansas IX

In the Veterans Memorial Park in Wichita not far from the large Vietnam memorial there is also a smaller one to those who served.

The text is hard to read due to the sun reflecting from the plaque, so I have copied here for you.

                          " In Memory of All Vietnam Veterans
This memorial was erected in memory of the young individuals who went to war as kids and lost their youthful dreams, and some their lives, for a cause - Freedom and Honor - and came back as men with the horrors of war distilled in every fiber of their being and were never given the respect and honor they so dearly deserve from the Public or United States Government.

God will one day judge our actions. Until then, He will shine on the lives of each veteran now and forever more because He was with each of them in Vietnam. He is the only one that truly knows what they went through and are living with every day.

                       Dedicated to Those Lives 

                                           Affected by Vietnam"

I have commented in the past about how much it pleases me to see statements that include all who were affected by the war as seen here. They are surprisingly rare.

Next time, on the 7th we'll venture back to Louisiana, so meet me there at 9:00am.

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

Hawai'i VIII

Long before the beautiful new memorial to those who were served in the Vietnam war, another seemingly lesser known memorial listed their names.

Along these ascending steps are what are known as The Court of the Lost.

Many from previous wars are honored here and have been for some time, but in 1980, those lost from duty in Vietnam were added to these walls.

While wandering the site I found this name blackened in by someone. There is no explanation that I have been able to find, so as I have in the past, I'll ask you to let me know if you have any information about this. I have been so pleased at how often someone reads these pages and gets in touch to fill me in when I ask for your help.

Later, I found another of these darkened names and was surprised to find that it was the name of guy from Arlington, Virginia whom I have written about before on this site.

The name is a little hard to see in the pic. He is Humbert Versace and you can find his story by clicking on Virginia on the left side of this page and scrolling back to it.

Next time, on the 2nd of September, we will revisit Kansas, so join me there at 9:00am.

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

Maryland 4

Also in Montgomery County, Md is Cristman Park. Located off Rte. 355 in Gaithersburg, the park is in a small community setting. There is a large rock with a plaque telling the story of how Lt. Cristman lost his life in 1965, trying to save his men.

In addition, there is a large, tall, monolithic, rough cut stone, with a plaque inscribed with the names of the eight from Gaithersburg who made the ultimate sacrifice.