Small Town Veterans Memorials #1

Wonderful memorials. I have to say that the small towns in Minnesota know how to show respect and gratitude.

I was interested in the photos and comments about the Dogwood Vietnam memorial and looked up an article about it as the community, Charlottesville, VA rededicated the memorial on it's 50th anniversary.

From the local paper, the Daily Progress, article by David Maurer:

In early December 1965, hand-held shovels cut into the red Virginia soil to begin the creation of the memorial. Nobody then realized that this was the first civic memorial in the United States dedicated to those who served, and particularly those who would die, in Vietnam.


On a recent morning, the blue binder rested on a table in Gitchell’s Studio in Charlottesville, which is owned and operated by Jim Carpenter. Across from the Charlottesville photographer was Jim Shisler, who, with two of his friends, gave birth to the idea for the memorial.



“The memorial started with a conversation I had with Ken Staples and Bill Gentry in Staples Barber Shop in November 1965,” Shisler said. “Champ Jackson Lawson Jr. had been killed in Vietnam earlier that month.



“There was no outward showing of dissent against the war here in Charlottesville, but there was in other places. We felt certain that it would reach Charlottesville because of the town’s nature and the University of Virginia.



“All three of us were veterans, and we thought something ought to be done about that. We thought that we would create a memorial, and, after chatting about it, we decided a good place for it would be in McIntire Park. A couple of days later, the three of us met where the memorial is now, and decided that was the place to put it.”


Apparently it WAS the first civic monument to those who served and died in Viet Nam. It is interesting that these men decided to do this because they knew public opinion was turning and that opposition would be voiced soon, and they wanted to make sure their fellow-veterans were honored. The article referenced a blue binder, the first sentence of the article says, "The contents of a certain blue binder can break your heart." The binder holds the name and some photos of the 26 men from that area that died in Viet Nam.

 

Veteran's Memorial

Abilene, KS
Population (2010): 6,844

For a larger small town, Abilene has a rather modest Veteran's Memorial.

 

However, it does have one element which is unique to Abilene -- a very well known native son (bottom right brick).

 

Nemaha County Veterans Memorial

Auburn, Nebraska
Population (2010): 3,460

I came across this memorial on my way back from Abilene, Kansas. The memorial was right on Highway 75 which passes through the town.

 

I've been meaning to replace the photos for Osakis, MN (post #6) and Long Prairie, MN (posts #9-11) which were the victims of the recent unpleasantness wrought by a photo hosting site which I will not curse by name since even bad publicity is still publicity.

Anyway, here are photos from the Osakis, MN Veterans' Memorial:

 

The Long Prairie, MN Veterans' Memorial photos:

 

I decided to post the photos of the 3-story Iwo Jima mural separately: