I was out traveling around and found this Veteran’s Memorial at the Holly Hills Memorial Park. I can find absolutely nothing about it! But its striking memorial and I’m glad to have seen it. The flag photo is from somewhere else (now where was I?)
The Vietnam Veterans Traveling Wall is in the Auburn Veteran’s Memorial Park at 411 E Street NE this Veteran’s Day Weekend. The exhibit is a half size replica of the Washington DC Vietnam Memorial Wall which was designed by Maya Lin. It was really a very interesting exhibit. So many dead — 58,195 names are listed. And there is an iPhone App to help one find any name by panel number and line. The original wall is listed as number 10 for America’s favorite piece of architecture per Wikipedia. While I was at the park I snapped some photos of the rest of the park including mural art representing many of the major US wars.
This lovely burbling fountain is located at the University of Puget Sound. Their website says “Commonly known as the Jones fountain, Hilton Bowen Gardner Memorial Fountain was added to campus during the 1967-68 academic year. Mr. Gardner, who passed away in 1961, was university attorney and a member of the University of Puget Sound Board of Trustees. Mr. Gardner’s wife and son both graduated from Puget Sound.”
The students and staff of Clover Park High School in Lakewood, WA have created a reproduction of Arlington National Cemetery this Memorial Day weekend, as they have in other years. The photo above is actually from last year when I had my better camera on hand.
Each of the white stakes represents a service member who died in Iraq or Afghanistan, so there is a stunningly clear visual of the loss of life because of these wars. The short video from a past year sums up the project. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E936AoYq6rc
It was a lovely day to walk Ruston Way with three of my friends. Along the way I stopped to photo the Tacoma Fallen Firefighters Memorial near the Lobster Shop on Ruston Way. The sculpture is called “Fully Involved” by Larry Perkins and it was dedicated in honor of those firefighters who have given their lives in the line of duty in 2001. There are twelve names on the memorial with the most recent being from 1963. A plaque near the memorial tells me that the first volunteer fire company was formed in Tacoma in 1880 and the first paid fire department in 1889. The first African American firefighter joined the force in 1972 and the first woman firefighter in 1981.
Life Center on Union Avenue has devoted a corner of its property to a 9.11 Memorial. On both sides of a freestanding wall people have written their memories and reflections. There are words from children too young to remember the day and from adults that were affected. Some used the preprinted cards and filled in their memories and other brought their own paper.
I wanted to pick up some information about Destiny Harbor Tours at 8829 North Harborview Drive, Gig Harbor. What I found out is that a two hour tour costs $27 for an adult, which I thought was pretty reasonable. They also offer memorial services, which sounds like a good way to say final respects. Their website is here: http://www.destinymarine.com/
Today’s new place is the Tom Schuster Memorial Park, located on the southeast corner of McKinley Avenue East and East Division Lane. The original marker says Ray C. Roberts Post No. 969 V.F.W. and over that is a newer sign that says Tom Schuster Memorial Park. This is a relatively small park with some benches, a marker dedicating the park to veterans and a flag pole. It is nicely landscaped and well kept.
Information on the history of V.F.W. 969 can be found here http://webspace.webring.com/people/dv/vfw969/HistoryPost969.html
and their facebook site is here
http://www.facebook.com/pages/VFW-Post-969/450529600007#!/pages/VFW-Post-969/450529600007
Tacoma Public Library Northwest Room was kind enough to provide the following information. “The park was renamed in honor of Thomas M. Schuster, after his death on Nov. 5, 2000. According to his obituary, Tom Schuster was a lifetime member of the Ray C. Roberts Post #969 VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) and had been very active with fundraising and numerous leadership duties within the VFW. His obituary states that he was “instrumental in acquiring the mini park near the post home, which is being renamed in his honor for the many accomplishments achieved with distinction as a #969 Comrade.”
http://www.tpl.lib.wa.us/Page.aspx?nid=7
