Wednesday, August 26, 2015

State of Wyoming, Veterans Memorial Park, Cody Wyoming


This is the State of Wyoming's Veterans Memorial Park in Cody, Wyoming.  It memorializes all of those lost in war from Wyoming, from World War One on.  Each war from World War one on, has its own section.

It's a really nice memorial park, so perhaps a person shouldn't offer criticism, but it's odd that the Spanish American War is omitted.  Wyoming did loose men during the Spanish American War, and likely did during the Philippine Insurrection as well.  A person might arguably also include the Indian Wars, although there were never any units raised in any fashion during the Indian Wars which participated in them, which is not surprising given the small population in the state at the time.  So the omission of the Indian Wars is not surprising.

World War One








World War Two.

The World War Two section of the park.











Korean War







The Vietnam War





The Savage Wars of Peace.






Miscellaneous.

 Marine Corps memorial.


 Seaman and Marine memorial.



Sunday, August 9, 2015

William Henry Seward Memorial, Anchorage Alaksa



William Henry Seward was the United States Secretary of State from 1861 to 1869, serving throughout the horrifying period of the American Civil War and on into Reconstruction.  We don't think a great deal about US foreign relations in that period, but we really should, given as the American republics internal struggle put us on pretty rocky shores with many foreign nations, many of which could have used that period to our disadvantage.  Indeed, some did, which explains the French presence in France during this period.

Seward is remembered here, of course, as he was instrumental in the US purchase of Alaska in 1867. Seward had expressed an interest in the US acquiring Alaska as early as 1860, a remarkable instance of foresight.

This memorial is in front of the Old Anchorage City Hall.

Saturday, August 1, 2015

Homer Seafarer's Memorial, Homer Alaska











Seward Mariners' Memorial, Seward Alaska


For the first time today, we're posting photographs of a mariners' memorial.

We haven't been ignoring them, they're just the first we've run across.  Been solidly landlubbers, we don't find ourselves in ports often. But, as we've learned, these are very common at ports.

And well they should be.  Commercial fishing is the most dangerous job in the United States, and its little appreciated really how often mariners, even today, risk their lives at sea.  Their calling is an ancient one, and the risk still very much there.