During the past few years, I traveled to Amsterdam to visit a beloved family member who is in an assisted living center.
I never knew this park was hidden among the trees and seconds from the road we traveled on.
A couple of weeks ago, my mom decided to take a detour on the way back home from visiting my Aunt to show my sister and I an incredible place in rural Florida, NY. It was the Veterans Memorial Park, and it was fabulous.
My first thought was of Steve Balogh. Your Ariel photography of this site would be so beautiful. As I walk around this memorial with my sister, the ariel photo would be a great introduction. But alas, just a thought.
We started out by viewing a section of the south tower of the NYC Trade Center that was desecrated during the terrorist attack in 2001. It was the second tower hit and this piece was a steel wall panel between the 93rd and 96th floor. It has been stored at JFK Airport in a hanger for 15 years.
I was at the high school in Schenectady when this atrocity was announced. The technology was set up just in time so I (we) could see the south tower hit by the second plane.
As my sister and I traveled around the circle of this memorial, we recalled some of our relatives who served during each of the wars that were depicted on separate stones in the park.
Below is the 9/11 Survivor Tree. I did not know there was such a thing until our visit to Veterans Memorial Park. My understanding is that seedlings of this tree from NYC were dispersed and planted at various sites within NY. This site in Florida, NY, is one of them.
2001 - present - Operation Enduring Freedom.
From 2003 - 2011 Operation Iraqi Freedom
He was Chief Petty Officer in the Navy Seabees. He served in Operation Iraqi Freedom in Fallujah and received a number of military honors for his service.
Gary, you have no idea how many of us thank you for your service and understand the sacrifice you made to our country and your family.
🖤
Desert Shield Aug 1990 - Jan. 1991
Desert Storm Jan. 1991 - Feb. 1991
My brother-in-law, Tom, was a Paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division, and an Army Ranger, in Fort Bragg, NC. He was an instrumental part in the Invasion of Grenada, Operation Urgent Fury, and the Persian Gulf War (Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm), in Kuwait.
Our family is so proud of him. Thank you for your service.
🖤1985 - 1990
A colleague shared with me his experience as a veteran.
He was a firefighter. His primary task was to protect life and property of aircrews with his secondary priority was other lives and other mission essential properties. Each building was prioritized, so if a few were on fire, he knew which to go to first. He was active during the cold war so there was no combat. He was stationed north of London for these five years. Thank you for your service, Steve.
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My Uncle, Ron Spaulding, entered the service in 1958He served about the attack aircraft carrier USS Essex in the Mediterranean.
Thank you for your service, Uncle Ronnie.
🖤
The Korean War: 1950- 1953
My stepfather and father -in -law, were veterans of this war.
John Leith was in the Air Force during the Korean War and
stationed in Guam. His specialty was a mechanic working on Boeing B-29 Superfortress. Thank you for your service, Grandpa John.
🖤
My father-in-law was stationed in Iceland. This was a strategic
area from 1950- 1953. The United States sided with South Korea who was invaded by North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union. Love you, Poppy.
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My Uncle, shown below, served in the Navy beginning in 1956. He was stationed with the naval airship training unit at
the U.S. Naval Air Station In Glynco Brunswick, Ga. This unit
is the only command that trains lighter-than-air navy pilots. Thank you for your service, Uncle Joe.
the U.S. Naval Air Station In Glynco Brunswick, Ga. This unit
is the only command that trains lighter-than-air navy pilots. Thank you for your service, Uncle Joe.
🖤
World War II 1939-1935
Specifically D-Day June 6, 1944
This man, Marcus Heim Jr. is special. He visited my daughter's elementary classroom when they had a special day to honor veterans. He gave my daughter a pin, but it was lost in Irene's flood in 2011. He was a good friend of my mother-in-law and was an integral part of the village I now live in. He has since passed.
He was a World War II veteran, serving in the 82nd Airborne Division. He parachuted into Normandy, France on D-Day and was instrumental in helping to liberate the first French town on that day.
He received the distinguished service medal for his actions during the war. Thank you, Mr. Heim, for your service.
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Here is something that is really cool, my sister found this Civil War discharge document that belonged to my grandfather's grandfather, Thomas Mann.
Thank you for your service, great, great, great Grandpa Mann.
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One of my favorite memorials is the one for the pups. I'm grateful to the town of Florida, NY to create this memorial for them.
There is so much recognition of our veterans in this park. I was surreal, and yet humbling, to recall so many of my family members, friends, and colleagues who served.
Lessons learned:
1. Take pictures of everything. I had to go back a 2nd time, which I didn't mind, to take more pictures of moments significant to family and friends. I know I will be going back many more times to reflect.
2. Delve deeply into your family's and friends' past, especially if they are veterans. We are in the greatest country in the world because they decided to serve our country.
3. My sister is the historian in our family. I call her frequently when I have questions. She is the researcher, which is one of the reasons this post is so late. Not a bad thing, but a wanting to be an accurate thing.
4. I'm guessing as time passes, I might have to edit this post based on who reads it and the corrections that are needed.
5. I don't like to delay on posts like these, but I'd rather be late and accurate and on-time not knowing what's real.
A different, but important post,
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