Fun Sites..
- Silly Corner
- I'm Arnold's #1 Donor
- Creme Brule, Tiramisou & Chocolate Decadence
- Kevin's the Next Speaker
- Girl Talk
- I Might Make A Play For the Caddy
- Boycott George Clooney
- An Encouraging Smile
- Things You Should Do In California
- Undoing the Jerrymander
- Steve Tyrell
- Extremely Cool Cassandra
- My Dad & Ronald Reagan
- It's St. Patrick's Month
- Ted Costa Needs Your Help
- Trump's House of Wings
- George Bush Yale Rugby
- Bad Boyfriends
- B.T. Collins
- California Insider..
- Mullings..
- Barone Blog..
- Tom Sullivan..KFBK..
- Mickey Kaus..
- Hugh Hewitt..
- Hogue Blog..
- Cal Races..
- Jill Stewart..
- Electric Venom..
- Polipundit..
- Lucianne..
- Recall Watch..
- Irish Hiking Baton
- Newport Harbor Christmas light boat parade 2003
- Zen Archery Fresno
- Surf Report fo Orange County
- Cassandra Pye
- George Clooney Is Irish
- Tiramisou
- La Jolla Irish Piano Bar
- UFO Crash Sacramento Nov 2003
- Bowling League Shirts in So Cal
- Most Beautiful Irish Lass
- Nigella Creme Brule
- Sacred Heart Home Tour on HGTV
- Fabulous Forties Sacramento
- Kevin McCarthy is Lucky
- Schwarzenegger Christmas Ornament
- Sacramento Piano Bars
- CA GOP Delegation
- Jazz Singer Carmel
- AT&T Pebble Beach Tiger Woods
- George W Bush Colonel Travis Alamo
- No Crying In Baseball
- Omorosa
- Schnitzel Schatzi's
- Congressman Dan Lungren
- Redistricting - Reapportionment
- Trump's House of Wings
- George Bush Yale Rugby
- Bad Boyfriends
- B.T. Collins
- Thursday, August 28, 2003
- Friday, August 29, 2003
- Saturday, August 30, 2003
- Wednesday, September 03, 2003
- Thursday, September 04, 2003
- Saturday, September 06, 2003
- Monday, September 08, 2003
- Tuesday, September 09, 2003
- Wednesday, September 10, 2003
- Thursday, September 11, 2003
- Sunday, September 14, 2003
- Monday, September 15, 2003
- Tuesday, September 16, 2003
- Thursday, September 18, 2003
- Friday, September 19, 2003
- Saturday, September 20, 2003
- Sunday, September 21, 2003
- Monday, September 22, 2003
- Tuesday, September 23, 2003
- Wednesday, September 24, 2003
- Thursday, September 25, 2003
- Friday, September 26, 2003
- Saturday, September 27, 2003
- Sunday, September 28, 2003
- Monday, September 29, 2003
- Tuesday, September 30, 2003
- Wednesday, October 01, 2003
- Thursday, October 02, 2003
- Friday, October 03, 2003
- Saturday, October 04, 2003
- Sunday, October 05, 2003
- Tuesday, October 07, 2003
- Wednesday, October 08, 2003
- Friday, October 10, 2003
- Saturday, October 11, 2003
- Sunday, October 12, 2003
- Monday, October 13, 2003
- Tuesday, October 14, 2003
- Wednesday, October 15, 2003
- Thursday, October 16, 2003
- Saturday, October 18, 2003
- Monday, October 20, 2003
- Thursday, October 23, 2003
- Saturday, October 25, 2003
- Monday, October 27, 2003
- Tuesday, October 28, 2003
- Wednesday, October 29, 2003
- Friday, October 31, 2003
- Sunday, November 02, 2003
- Monday, November 03, 2003
- Thursday, November 06, 2003
- Friday, November 07, 2003
- Monday, November 10, 2003
- Wednesday, November 12, 2003
- Thursday, November 13, 2003
- Saturday, November 15, 2003
- Sunday, November 16, 2003
- Monday, November 17, 2003
- Wednesday, November 19, 2003
- Thursday, November 20, 2003
- Sunday, November 23, 2003
- Monday, November 24, 2003
- Tuesday, November 25, 2003
- Thursday, November 27, 2003
- Friday, November 28, 2003
- Saturday, November 29, 2003
- Sunday, November 30, 2003
- Monday, December 01, 2003
- Tuesday, December 02, 2003
- Wednesday, December 03, 2003
- Thursday, December 04, 2003
- Friday, December 05, 2003
- Saturday, December 06, 2003
- Sunday, December 07, 2003
- Monday, December 08, 2003
- Tuesday, December 09, 2003
- Wednesday, December 10, 2003
- Thursday, December 11, 2003
- Friday, December 12, 2003
- Saturday, December 13, 2003
- Sunday, December 14, 2003
- Tuesday, December 16, 2003
- Wednesday, December 17, 2003
- Thursday, December 18, 2003
- Friday, December 19, 2003
- Saturday, December 20, 2003
- Sunday, December 21, 2003
- Monday, December 22, 2003
- Tuesday, December 23, 2003
- Wednesday, December 24, 2003
- Friday, December 26, 2003
- Saturday, December 27, 2003
- Sunday, December 28, 2003
- Monday, December 29, 2003
- Tuesday, December 30, 2003
- Wednesday, December 31, 2003
- Friday, January 02, 2004
- Saturday, January 03, 2004
- Sunday, January 04, 2004
- Wednesday, January 07, 2004
- Friday, January 09, 2004
- Saturday, January 10, 2004
- Sunday, January 11, 2004
- Wednesday, January 14, 2004
- Friday, January 16, 2004
- Monday, January 19, 2004
- Tuesday, January 20, 2004
- Sunday, January 25, 2004
- Monday, January 26, 2004
- Friday, February 13, 2004
- Sunday, February 15, 2004
- Sunday, February 22, 2004
- Thursday, February 26, 2004
- Saturday, February 28, 2004
- Monday, March 01, 2004
- Tuesday, March 02, 2004
- Wednesday, March 03, 2004
- Thursday, March 04, 2004
- Friday, March 05, 2004
- Saturday, March 06, 2004
- Sunday, March 07, 2004
- Monday, March 08, 2004
- Tuesday, March 09, 2004
- Wednesday, March 10, 2004
- Thursday, March 11, 2004
- Friday, March 12, 2004
- Saturday, March 13, 2004
- Sunday, March 14, 2004
- Monday, March 15, 2004
- Tuesday, March 16, 2004
- Wednesday, March 17, 2004
- Monday, March 22, 2004
- Tuesday, March 23, 2004
- Wednesday, March 24, 2004
- Saturday, March 27, 2004
- Wednesday, March 31, 2004
- Saturday, April 03, 2004
- Sunday, April 04, 2004
- Wednesday, April 07, 2004
- Thursday, April 08, 2004
- Saturday, April 10, 2004
- Monday, April 12, 2004
- Monday, April 19, 2004
- Thursday, April 22, 2004
- Monday, April 26, 2004
- Wednesday, April 28, 2004
- Monday, May 03, 2004
- Saturday, May 08, 2004
- Thursday, May 13, 2004
- Saturday, May 15, 2004
- Sunday, May 16, 2004
- Wednesday, May 26, 2004
- Sunday, May 30, 2004
- Monday, May 31, 2004
- Saturday, June 05, 2004
- Sunday, June 06, 2004
- Monday, June 07, 2004
- Sunday, June 13, 2004
- Saturday, June 19, 2004
- Sunday, June 20, 2004
- Monday, June 21, 2004
- Wednesday, June 23, 2004
- Friday, June 25, 2004
- Sunday, June 27, 2004
- Monday, June 28, 2004
- Wednesday, June 30, 2004
- Saturday, July 03, 2004
- Monday, July 12, 2004
- Friday, July 16, 2004
- Monday, July 19, 2004
- Tuesday, July 20, 2004
- Wednesday, July 21, 2004
- Thursday, July 22, 2004
- Sunday, July 25, 2004
- Monday, July 26, 2004
- Wednesday, July 28, 2004
- Thursday, August 05, 2004
- Sunday, August 08, 2004
- Monday, August 09, 2004
- Tuesday, August 10, 2004
- Wednesday, August 11, 2004
- Thursday, August 12, 2004
- Friday, August 13, 2004
- Saturday, August 14, 2004
- Sunday, August 15, 2004
- Thursday, August 19, 2004
- Sunday, August 22, 2004
- Thursday, August 26, 2004
- Friday, August 27, 2004
- Saturday, August 28, 2004
- Sunday, August 29, 2004
- Tuesday, August 31, 2004
- Friday, September 03, 2004
- Saturday, September 04, 2004
- Wednesday, September 08, 2004
- Thursday, September 09, 2004
- Friday, September 10, 2004
- Saturday, September 11, 2004
- Sunday, September 12, 2004
- Monday, September 13, 2004
- Wednesday, September 15, 2004
- Thursday, September 16, 2004
- Friday, September 17, 2004
- Saturday, September 18, 2004
- Sunday, September 19, 2004
- Tuesday, September 21, 2004
- Thursday, September 23, 2004
- Saturday, September 25, 2004
- Thursday, September 30, 2004
- Friday, October 01, 2004
- Saturday, October 02, 2004
- Friday, October 08, 2004
- Saturday, October 09, 2004
- Monday, October 11, 2004
- Wednesday, October 13, 2004
- Friday, October 22, 2004
- Saturday, October 23, 2004
- Sunday, October 24, 2004
- Tuesday, November 02, 2004
- Sunday, November 07, 2004
- Saturday, November 13, 2004
- Thursday, November 25, 2004
- Sunday, November 28, 2004
- Sunday, December 05, 2004
- Saturday, January 01, 2005
- Monday, January 03, 2005
- Thursday, January 06, 2005
- Thursday, January 13, 2005
- Sunday, January 23, 2005
- Wednesday, February 09, 2005
- Sunday, February 13, 2005
- Monday, February 14, 2005
- Thursday, February 17, 2005
- Saturday, February 19, 2005
- Monday, February 21, 2005
- Tuesday, March 01, 2005
- Wednesday, March 02, 2005
- Thursday, March 03, 2005
- Friday, March 04, 2005
- Saturday, March 05, 2005
- Sunday, March 06, 2005
- Monday, March 07, 2005
- Tuesday, March 08, 2005
- Wednesday, March 09, 2005
- Friday, March 11, 2005
- Saturday, March 12, 2005
- Sunday, March 13, 2005
- Monday, March 14, 2005
- Tuesday, March 15, 2005
- Wednesday, March 16, 2005
- Thursday, March 17, 2005
- Friday, March 18, 2005
- Saturday, March 19, 2005
- Sunday, March 20, 2005
- Monday, March 21, 2005
- Tuesday, March 22, 2005
- Wednesday, March 23, 2005
- Thursday, March 24, 2005
- Friday, March 25, 2005
- Monday, April 25, 2005
- Tuesday, April 26, 2005
- Monday, June 06, 2005
- Tuesday, July 19, 2005
- Thursday, July 21, 2005
- Sunday, July 24, 2005
- Monday, July 25, 2005
- Tuesday, July 26, 2005
- Wednesday, July 27, 2005
- Saturday, July 30, 2005
- Sunday, August 07, 2005
- Monday, August 08, 2005
- Friday, August 12, 2005
- Saturday, August 13, 2005
- Sunday, August 14, 2005
- Wednesday, August 17, 2005
- Thursday, August 18, 2005
- Friday, August 19, 2005
- Sunday, August 21, 2005
- Tuesday, August 23, 2005
- Thursday, August 25, 2005
- Saturday, August 27, 2005
- Sunday, August 28, 2005
- Tuesday, August 30, 2005
- Thursday, September 01, 2005
- Tuesday, September 06, 2005
- Wednesday, September 14, 2005
- Thursday, October 06, 2005
- Tuesday, October 11, 2005
- Monday, October 17, 2005
- Sunday, October 23, 2005
- Thursday, November 03, 2005
- Saturday, November 05, 2005
- Wednesday, November 09, 2005
- Friday, November 11, 2005
- Saturday, November 12, 2005
- Sunday, November 13, 2005
- Monday, November 14, 2005
- Tuesday, November 15, 2005
- Monday, November 21, 2005
- Tuesday, November 22, 2005
- Wednesday, November 23, 2005
- Thursday, November 24, 2005
- Sunday, November 27, 2005
- Wednesday, November 30, 2005
- Thursday, December 01, 2005
- Friday, December 02, 2005
- Saturday, December 03, 2005
- Sunday, December 04, 2005
- Monday, December 05, 2005
- Friday, December 09, 2005
- Saturday, December 10, 2005
- Sunday, December 11, 2005
- Monday, December 12, 2005
- Wednesday, December 14, 2005
- Sunday, December 18, 2005
- Monday, December 19, 2005
- Tuesday, December 20, 2005
- Wednesday, December 21, 2005
- Friday, December 23, 2005
- Saturday, December 24, 2005
- Thursday, December 29, 2005
- Tuesday, January 03, 2006
- Saturday, January 07, 2006
- Monday, January 09, 2006
- Thursday, January 12, 2006
- Friday, January 13, 2006
- Wednesday, February 01, 2006
- Sunday, February 05, 2006
- Thursday, February 09, 2006
- Sunday, February 12, 2006
- Wednesday, March 01, 2006
- Friday, March 17, 2006
- Wednesday, March 22, 2006
- Tuesday, May 09, 2006
- Friday, May 26, 2006
- Thursday, June 01, 2006
- Sunday, June 04, 2006
- Thursday, June 08, 2006
- Thursday, June 22, 2006
- Tuesday, July 04, 2006
- Sunday, July 09, 2006
- Monday, July 17, 2006
- Sunday, July 23, 2006
- Sunday, August 13, 2006
- Saturday, September 23, 2006
- Thursday, October 05, 2006
- Tuesday, October 10, 2006
- Friday, October 13, 2006
- Sunday, October 22, 2006
- Saturday, October 28, 2006
- Thursday, November 02, 2006
- Monday, November 06, 2006
- Tuesday, June 05, 2007
My Fav Posts..
THE BEAR FLAG LEAGUE
Chicks for Bush..
Some of My Fav Sites
Some Ideas to Help You Have Fun Los Angeles
San Francisco Bay Area
San Diego
Palm Springs & the Desert
Monterey & Santa Cruz
Lake Tahoe, Yosemite & the Sierras
Orange County
San Luis Obispo & Santa Barbara
Sacramento, Gold Country & the Valleys
North Coast & Wine Country
Inland Empire
MUSICAL BLOGGERS
John Kerry Songbook
Drumwaster
Sharp Knife
The Friendly Ghost
BLOGGERS FOR BUSH
The Wictory Wednesday Bloggers
Boycott Ocean's 12
How Did They Find Me? Crazy(and not so crazy) Searches...
Archives
musings about politics, sports, music and life
3/22/2005
The California Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Information provided by Veteran Ron Fulks
The California Vietnam Veterans Memorial is located in the north-east corner of the State Capitol grounds at 15th Street and Capitol Avenue, Sacramento. It is found near the Rose garden in a quiet, lush setting. Wide, paved paths lead to the Memorial from the street as well as from the rest of the Capitol grounds. There is a large grassy area around the Memorial, with benches scattered around the area.
The Memorial is circular in design, with full relief bronze sculptures depicting scenes from daily life during the war. The sculptures represent many sides of the war, with grunts, nurses, and POWs. The American flag waves over the Memorial. The 5,822 names of California's dead and missing are engraved on twenty-two black granite panels, arranged by their hometowns. In a ring arranged around the granite panels, there are stone benches facing the names.
The $2.5 million Memorial was built entirely through donations. Assembly Bill 650, authored by Assemblyman Richard E. Floyd, effective in January 1984, established the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial Commission. B.T.Collins, a well-known figure in California government (and a former Special Forces Captain, who lost a leg and an arm in Vietnam), was an energetic driving force in the movement to get the Memorial built.
A special thanks to Wayne Reddekopp for help in assembling the info for this story!
Joseph Galloway's speech at the Wall, Memorial Day, 1997
There are so many people here today who mean so very much to me: Some of my Ia Drang Valley brothers and sisters in this audience. Other friends from that battle and a hundred other battles are here on the panels of this Wall. I have always felt I owed my life to my Vietnam brothers, both the living and the dead. That is a debt I can never adequately repay, except by standing with you and by you until the last of us has crossed the River and all the Vietnam battalions are mustered one last time at full strength, everyone finally present and accounted for.
All of you here today know that feeling and share it. We are all debtors, and on Memorial Day we come here to acknowledge that debt. Some who don't know any better say we are living in the past, refusing to let it go. What they don't understand is how much the names on this Wall mean to us, not just on Memorial Day and Veterans Day but on every day we live. Individually they gave their precious lives so that we, their buddies, could live. Collectively they gave their lives in hopes that their sacrifice would ensure that all Americans continue to live in freedom.
Yes, it is true that all of us who have known war have a habit of looking back. In Vietnam, on patrol, we looked back to make sure the guy behind us was keeping up; to make sure he hadn't fallen, or fallen out with heat stroke or the fever. We also looked back because it was just another direction where the enemy might be coming in on us.
Today we have a habit of looking back because we left something very important back there. But coming here today, or any day, has nothing to do with living in the past. It has everything to do with keeping our promises.
None of us here today can answer the one question we have in common: Why? Why am I alive when my friends are not? We can't answer that question, but we can live up to the obligation that was spelled out so eloquently by my friend B.T. Collins of California, who came home from Vietnam missing an arm and a leg. Before he died three years ago, B.T. used to tell every Vietnam vet he met about our obligation. He put it this way:
"No whining! No crying! We are the fortunate ones. We lived when so many better men all around us gave up their lives for us. We owe them an obligation to live every day to its maximum potential; to work every day to make this country and this world a better place for our children, and their children."
BT's message about our debt is echoed in these words of the poet Robert Frost:
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
And miles to go before I sleep.
There are people in this country who have stereotyped the Vietnam veteran in negative and demeaning terms. They believe the worst of you, and say so. I say they are wrong; I say the Hell with them. I was there and I know who you are and what you are and what is in your hearts.
I say you are the best of an entire generation of Americans. When the country called, you answered, just as your brothers answered in Korea and your fathers in the Good War. I say thank you for your service, on behalf of a nation that too easily forgets the true cost of war. I say, unashamedly, I love you for all that our country asked of you, and all that you have given.
I know you. You are the people who keep your promises. You are the ones who live up to your obligations. You are the people who have always stood tall and made us proud to be Americans. You are a mighty force for good in a country that needs you now more than ever. There are three million of you who served in Indochina; there are 40 million Americans who have some direct connection to one of the names on this black granite Memorial. And that;'s just Vietnam. What about Korea? What about World War II?
Together we can keep our promise and America's promise; together we can make a difference in the wars our nation is waging today---against ignorance, against racism, against the crime and drugs that blight our cities and touch every town in America. Against the hopelessness and despair of poverty.
We owe that, and much more, to the 58,209 friends whose names are carved on this Vietnam Veterans Memorial; to the 54,000 who died in Korea; to the more than 300,000 who died in World War II.
And there is one other promise we must keep; one more war we have to fight. First, before anything else, we must do everything in our power to see that our country keeps its promises to the veterans of our war, and all wars, and that it keeps its promises to the families of those who died beside us.
I get angry when a brother calls to tell me that he's having trouble getting anyone to listen to him down at the local VA office...or that he can't get medical attention when he's suffering the agonies of old wounds, visible or invisible. I hear that much too often not to worry that the system of caring for and taking care of our veterans is broken. It makes me ashamed. I hope some of the people who work in the big buildings along this street hear these words and start keeping their promises.
Thank you. God bless you, and God bless all our absent friends.
(remarks delivered by J.L. Galloway at Memorial Day observance, May 26, 1997, at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.) reprinted by permission from the author.