New Hampshire IV

Our next stop after the Veteran's cemetery was New Boston. This beautiful New England town has a small park on Meetinghouse Hill road near Rte. 13. The multiwar memorial stands in the shadow of tall trees and a beautiful gazebo.

If you look closely at the "older" section of the plaque you can see the names listed and you will notice on the marker that more names have been added to the original. No one is left behind. I was notified today that 3 more Americans have been identified using DNA. This leads me to speculate that many many more of these memorial sites will be updated as time passes, as they should be!

We went into the local General Store right next to the site and the guys there directed us to the next site, just down the road.

Read about that one on the 18th of October.

New Hampshire III

While we were visiting Boscawen we noticed a guy walking in with a bugle in his hand. We got talking to him and it turns out that every night from Memorial Day to September 11th someone comes and plays Taps at the cemetery. This has become a tradition at the site and these musicians, all volunteers, sometimes travel a great distance to do their part. The gentleman we spoke to drives 50 miles each way just to play 24 notes at 7p.m.

These volunteers are young and old, male and female, vets and non vets, but all want to be part of this solemn tribute to New Hampshire's, and by extension, our nation's lost heroes. Steve and I and two other visitors were the only ones present as the instantly recognizable melody floated over this sacred and beautiful place. He told us that sometimes dozens of bulers play at the same time, some echoing the others. That must be a very emotional moment and I doubt that here is a dry eye in the place.

Interestingly, Memorial Day to 9/11 is 100 days and thus the people involved in this tribute call themselves "100 Nights of Remembrance" You can find out more about them here;

http://www.100nightsofremembrance.org/

The bench, donated by the organization, actually has the correct musical notation for Taps!

If you look in the background of the pictures, up on the hill, you can see stone pillars (for lack of a better word) in front of the mousoleums. Each of these has a photo and information about American involvement in a number of wars. The last photo is of the one that gives a little history about Vietnam. This is currently the last in the series. I do not know when, or if, they might be adding more about our more current involvements.

New Hampshire II

The memorial grove, as I call it, at Boscawen features a number of other memorials. They may not be specifically Vietnam related but they are fitting and beautiful. The following photos are of just a few of these.

The first picture is of the Navy memorial asking for remembrance of those sailors who have died in service to our country. I was recently in California and visited the magnificent Navy Vietnam Memorial in Coronado, near San Diego. It, too, is quite remarkable and I will write more about it when I begin relating my travels in the Golden State. I expect to be writing about California in the not too distant future.

The second and third photo here depict the Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial. I have never actually seen one before. It is in a serene little spot with benches for quite reflection. It was quite moving.

The next one is one of two from Rolling Thunder. Most know of their ongoing tribute and honor to vets, but I wonder how many know that their name comes from the B-52 b0ombing missions in "Nam. These were referred to as rolling thunder and could be heard and felt many miles away. The sound of dozens (or hundreds) of Harleys or other big bikes is reminiscent of this, so hence the name.

The final picture is of the Air Force memorial. It is a replica of the one in Arlington, Va. Situated on the grounds of Ft. Myer, the three spires recall soaring and one of the maneuvers of the Air Force Thunderbirds flying team. Here, as well as, in Arlington, the memorial leaves one spot open for the "missing man" as is the custom at flyovers at funerals.

You can find much more info about the Air Force Memorial here;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Memorial

New Hampshire

The New Hampshire Vietnam memorial sits in a lovely grove of trees just as you enter the state Veteran's cemetery. Located in Boscawen (110 Danial Webster Highway) this unusual site not only boasts the Nam memorial, but a number of others as well. As you walk through the cathedral-like grove on the brick paths you will find dedications from Vietnam Veteran's of America, Rolling Thunder and the Nam Knights. In addition there are POW, Air Force and Navy sites, something one does not often see.

New Hampshire gave, depending on whom you listen to, 226, 227, or 238 of her sons to the efforts in Nam. Regardless of the actual number, they are remembered and honored here along with veterans, of other wars, in other times, throughout the cemetery.

As you enter the cemetery you proceed down this flag lined road. The Nam memorial is to your right and from there you enter the grove with all of its monuments.

The writing on the bench, to the left of the insignia, at the Nam Knights site says that they are a military and law enforcement motorcycle club. Note that the dragon is holding a Vietnam Service Ribbon in his front paws!

This is another one of those visits that is going to take more than one posting to due justice. So, for now I will simply include these initial photos and over the next couple of posts (every 5 days) fill in the rest from this remarkable and dignified tribute. Check back because there is a story here about a daily tribute that you may find very interesting. So far it is unique on my journey!

Thank you to Veteran's Advantage

Just a quick post to thank Veteran's Advantage for designating A Means To Heal as a Site of Distinction. Veteran's Advantage is an organization that devotes itself to aiding vets in a variety of ways. The Site of Distinction is, as stated on their site;

" ... awarded after a special Veterans Advantage review of excellence in content and design and a focus on the Respect, Recognition, and Rewards of US Veterans, active duty military, and their families."

Their award is placed on the left side of this page. If you click it, it will take you to their site.

Their stated mission is to remind us all that how we treat our veterans directly influences the willingness of citizens to serve in the military. This fact was commented upon by none other than General George Washington at the founding of our Nation and you can read more of his prophetic statement on their site.

Again, I am honored to have been recognized by Veteran's Advantage.

Colorado XI

Just a few more shots of interest from the Western Slope Memorial.

The first shot is of the Vietnam Service ribbon near the chopper.

The next is a donation from the Vietnam Vets Motorcycle club.

The next one is of a time capsule that is to be opened in the future.

The last one brought home a number of memories for me. I carried one of these ammo boxes with me every time we were on the water. If I have not mentioned it before, I was a boat operator and spent a lot of time running up and down the Mekong river. These were claimed to be waterproof, so I carried anything I needed to keep dry in one I picked up somewhere in my travels. When mustering out of 'Nam, it was confiscated by the Army, so I lost it. So, to see this one here was kind of cool, someone got one out!!

I think this post will do it for now from Colorado. Time to move on. I will post a few more from Colorado at some future date, so keep checking back for them.

Next, I will be in New England, again, so join me on the 26th for something new.

Colorado X

One of the most gripping and poignant components of the western slope site is the sculpture, Welcome Home!

It was sculpted by Colorado artist, Richard Arnold. He, kindly, told me some of the story of this piece. He showed the finished work to a group of vets, who told him it was perfect, but he could see that there was something they were not quite comfortable with about the sculpture. Upon further questioning from him they told him they thought the uniform on the returning Marine was too neat and that he would not be smiling. Richard, who served in Danang in '65 realized that they were, indeed, correct. He reworked the statue until all agreed it was spot on. Then, one of the vets said, "let me place the Marine, so it is just right" He placed the soldier looking between his expectant parents, explaining that "He was not home, yet" Those who were there and their families will remember or understand that so many of us went away kids, and came home old men. This is made so painfully clear by the look (that should have been of joy) on the face of this soldiers mother.

In talking with Richard, I discovered that he is also the sculptor of the vet standing at the Wall in Mobile, Alabama. I wrote about him and the Mobile site some months ago. If you have not seen it you can find it here;

http://michaelfwalsh.blogspot.com/search/label/Alabama

or just go back to the first page of this site and click on Alabama

I will note, again, that any state that is underlined has been posted, just click and you are there. Any photo can be enlarged by clicking on it, too.

Richard, also, told me about another site recently completed in Louisiana. I will fill you in on that one after I have an opportunity to see it and photograph it.

To visit Richard's studio, go here;

http://www.arnoldtelluridestudio.com/works.html