Memorials for Veterans Day

The Vietnam Era Veteran's Memorial in Canby is one of the most visually striking monuments you can find, largely due to the inclusion of a helicopter. 

By paying tribute to the "Huey", it focuses on the life-saving aspects of war service, but also the value of those lives.

It is a Blue Star Memorial, meaning it honors all who served; many memorials focus on those who died.

Perhaps in that way it makes more sense that it is on the Heritage Trail. Most of the landmarks are much older. However, in this way it incorporates those who served and came back to the state to be part of its growth.

https://www.mthoodterritory.com/heritage-trail-map

This memorial specifically pays tribute to one who fell, Warren E. Newton of Canby. However, he was the door gunner of a UH-1C "Huey" and died on a rescue mission. The other soldier depicted is from the Portland area.

Signs for local businesses are constantly visible from the memorial, because it is placed right in the thick of the town, that history affecting the present.

That is not the case for Korean War Memorial in Wilsonville. Set in a park, it is quieter and more removed, less "in your face".

There are signs mentioning it -- that's how we knew it was there -- but once there you walk along a path that is quiet and contemplative.

Both approaches have their value; they are just different experiences.

Those who died are listed, but that is along with a great effort to provide a context for the war.

This includes information on the reasons for the conflict, as well as acknowledgments of the effects.

In addition to information given along the wall, there is information on specific battles on markers resembling gravestones.

There is an interpretive center, though it did not appear to be open and I could not see any regular hours listed. It does apparently sometimes hold community events.

The web site seems to indicate that it is still a work in progress.

https://www.kwmfo.org/memorial

I appreciate that the site is at least about the memorial. The site for the Canby memorial is filled with marketing garbage. This is probably a change from what it used to be, but is still disappointing to see.

The best links for it are the Heritage Trail page and one for Canby tourism.

https://www.canbyoregon.gov/tourism/page/vietnam-era-veteran%E2%80%99s-memorial 

I appreciate that both attempt to be respectful of other cultures as well. In Canby, the Red Cross symbol rests inside a Vietnamese symbol.

After all, there are complications, especially in these two conflicts with no official US declaration of war. (It can still be appropriate to refer to them as wars, because other countries were officially at war, regardless of how many unofficial participants there were.)

For all the things that did happen that should not have happened, there were people trying to do right.

COVID: Both memorials are outside and spacious.

Accessibility: Paths are very accessible. There may be some areas where the bricks make it a little less smooth, but it still all seems very navigable.