In Memory

As long as we’re at the Capitol and the grounds let’s look around some more.  There are several memorials placed throughout the park.   To help you out there is this handy-dandy little map.  This is actually across the street between the State Treasurer’s Office and the Library and Courts Building.

 

 

Dedicated to our fearless firefighters.  Those brave individuals who work as a team to save our lives while risking their own.  There have been four firefighters in our family.  My late uncle Woody  Dimel, his son my cousin Nick Dimel, and my uncle Bert Jenkins all worked for the Los Angeles County Fire Department.  In Cebu my late brother-in-law Arsenio Lanojan was a firefighter.

 

Here a brave firefighter is rescuing someone from a fire.

Here they are working as a team to put out a fire.

Our slain peace officers.  Putting their life on the line everytime they don their uniform.  Never knowing what they may encounter.  Who’s behind that door they’re knocking on?  Do they have a gun?  What about that driver they stopped?  Is he armed?  And so on, day after day.  Why do they do this?  To make the world a safer place for you and me.  I salute them.

In front of the peace officers memorial is this poignant statue of mother and child.  A mother consoling her child over the loss of their husband and father.  Not only do the peace officers sacrifice for us but their families do too.

The dedication marker.  Policemen.  Sheriff’s.  Highway Patrolmen.  Marshals.  They’re all included.

This statue is dedicated to all the Latino’s who have served in our armed forces.

This one is dedicated to all those who fought in the Spanish American War starting in 1898. 

A closer look reveals that this war included the Philippines.

Mrs. Goyo under a ship’s bell.

Goyo standing alongside it.

This signage explains that this bell was on the USS California, a battleship that served during World War II.  It shows that among other places the ship was involved in fighting in the Leyte Gulf, Surigao and the Lingayen Gulf in the Philippines.  Someday I shall visit the MacArthur memorial in Leyte.  I also want to visit Corregidor, Bataan and Cabanatuan.

A replica of the famous Liberty Bell that is in Philadelphia, PA.

A tree grove planted with saplings that grew on the battlefields of the American Civil War in the 1860’s.  They were transplanted in 1897.

The grove of trees.

More on this side too.

Another memorial.  Unfortunately the plaque had been vandalized leaving us to wonder exactly who it is dedicated to.  I’m guessing either the Korean War vets or, perhaps, just a general memorial to honor those from all wars.

A close up reveals images of soldiers.

Now here is where I get more teary eyed.  Sad to say, this was my war.  I served in the US Navy as a Quartermaster on board the USS Cree ATF-84.  In the army a quartmaster deals with supplies but in the navy a quartermaster is a navigator.  I was the one on the bridge who would study the charts (maps) and tell the Captain, “Sir, turn left at the next wave.” 

Before you enter there is this map of South Vietnam where the US military saw action.

This part of the map shows Phanh Thiet.  My ship and I were there.

This shows Da Nang.  We could come into port here to load up with supplies.  When people ask me where I received my education I sometimes reply “I got my masters from the University of Da Nang.”  No, there was no university there, at least I didn’t know of one then, but I sure received an education there.

The Gulf of Tonkin.  Yankee Station it was called then.  We put in a lot of time there just off the coast from Haiphong in North Vietnam. 

A weary soldier takes a break, rifle at his side shows his readiness to return to the fight.

A plaque.  It’s kind of hard to read here, I just liked the sun and shadows playing on it.  It reminded me of the concept of Yin and Yang.  War-Peace.

Two buddies share a walk together.  Lifelong friends are made in these situations.

Depiction of a prisoner of war.  They suffered such hardships.  I don’t like to dwell on it.

A nurse.  How many lives were saved by these brave nurses?  Countless.  It’s not always those who carry the rifles who are brave.  Under awful conditions they stayed by our sides and brought many of us back to health.  I thank each and every one of them.

In combat.

This is a really difficult one.  The wall of names.  They went to war by plane or by ship.  They came home in a box.  One of my high school classmates has his name here.   I always look at it every time I am here.  In high school we weren’t best friends or anything that close but we knew each other and shared a few laughs from time to time.  I’m so sorry for what happened to him.

The plaque honoring not only those who died but also those missing in action.  Some missing until now. 

 

“All Gave Some, Some Gave All”