2014, A New Year

"How did it get so late so soon?"  Dr. Seuss 

This is an image of the Vietnam Memorial Clock Tower in Squantum.

Happy New Year everyone!

Travel Tuesday: Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

It seems appropriate to follow Memorial Day with a post of the USS Arizona Memorial from a visit to Pearl Harbor.  The 60 mph winds that day cancelled my boat trip to the actual memorial site but I was very moved by this rainbow appearing over the Arizona after a passing shower.

Dawn's Early Light

We honor our veterans today at the 11th hour, on the 11th day of the 11th month.

Korean War Memorial

The shooting war in Korea officially ended 55 years ago on January 31st. When I look at this memorial, I think of my uncle who was a P.O.W. during this conflict and survived to tell about it.

Remembrance Day

[click image to enlarge]

"How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!" ~Maya Angelou

Stadium

[click image to enlarge]

Quincy Municipal Stadium, also called Veteran's Memorial Field, is another W.P.A. Project that was erected betweeen 1937-1938 and dedicated to the youth of Quincy as a memorial to war veteran's. This is where the home football games are played for both the city's high schools as well as many other events.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Clock Tower

[click image to enlarge] Dedicated in 1987, the Clock Tower is an 85 foot high structure of brick and granite with a gold leaf cupola and a working clock. The base of the tower is 16 feet by 16 feet and is dedicated to the memory of Quincy men who died from wounds suffered during the war in Vietnam. The names are inscribed in granite at the base of the tower.

Below is a close up of the base of the tower.

Korean War Veteran's Memorial

[click image to enlarge]

The memorial is located at the corner of Southern Artery and Hancock Street, near Veterans Memorial Stadium. It features a small courtyard area with benches, the monument is inscribed with the names of 38 Quincy natives who gave their lives in the Korean War.

World War II Memorial

[click image to enlarge]

Quincy memorial to the men and women who served in the armed services.

Civil War Memorial

[click image to enlarge]

The Civil War Monument was dedicated on June 25th, 1868 at Mount Wollaston Cemetery to the men and women of Quincy who served in the war.

The monument, designed by Chester Mitchell of Quincy, and constructed of Quincy granite is thirty-four feet and three inches high, weighs thirty-five tons, and was erected at a cost of $4360. Surrounded by cannons the tall square column rises from three stepped bases and two arched tiers of inscriptions with designs representing both the army and navy.

The memorial lists the names of the 105 men who died in the war. Fifty-two Quincy men perished by disease while only twenty-nine were killed in battle. Twelve men died of wounds and 20 died in Southern prisoner of war camps.

Revolutionary War Memorial

[click image to enlarge]

Memorial to the men of Quincy who served in the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783. This memorial is located in the Hancock Cemetery in Quincy Center.

This memorial specifically states "men" but we now know that Deborah Sampson also soldiered in the war. Other women most likely served as well, their names may be lost to us but are represented by Molly Pitcher, who may be a composite of many such women.

Armistice Day

[click image to enlarge]
Today is Armistice Day, the anniversary of the day World War I ended on the Western Front. It commemorates the ending of the war at the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month in 1918.

Armistice Day was changed to Veteran's Day in the U.S. after World War II, to honor all veterans. In honor of Veterans Day and the men and women of Quincy who served, this week I will present a series of Quincy war memorials.

Today's picture is the WWI memorial in front of the Quincy Historical Society.

[click image to enlarge]

This picture lists the names of the men from Quincy who died in the war.

Doughboy

Statue of a Doughboy, an American soldier of the First World War, in front of the Quincy Historical Society. For an interesting story of the origin of the term Doughboy read here.