Veterans Memorials

As I was driving through small towns, I noticed that they had some outstanding Memorials to War Veterans. I pulled over as I wanted to see what was there. I was impressed and wanted to capture what was there so that I could share it. As I’ve traveled, I’ve noticed that the towns that I would think would have great displays had none and small towns had amazing ones. Maybe it is easier for small towns to get something done than it is for larger cities, but you would think it would be the other way around. Go figure.

Springfield, Illinois has so far impressed me the most with their display. They have honored Veterans from every war, Purple Heart recipients, POWs, and Gold Star Families. It was the most comprehensive display that I have seen up to this point. The thing with their display was that it was located in the cemetery, which made sense, but was hard to find. The only reason I found it is that I was looking for Lincoln’s memorial otherwise I would have missed it entirely which would have been a shame!

I was impressed with the display in Leroy, MN. Leroy is a small town of under 1,000 residents yet had a Veterans Memorial that put larger towns to shame. It honored all the wars through a mural, the Gold Star Families, each branch of service, and names of locals that had perished while serving our country. This display was right in the middle of town where everyone could see it, even if they were just driving through town.

On the opposite end of the spectrum there were large cities (state capitols) that didn’t have Memorials of any type which was just really sad (and I was actively looking for something!)

If you know of someplace that has an awesome Veterans Memorial, please let me know so that I can visit.

“It’s about how we treat our veterans every single day of the year. Its’s about making sure they have the care they need and the benefits that they’ve earned when they come home. It’s about serving all of you as well as you’ve served the United States of America.” Barack Obama