With nothing much happening right now, I thought to myself;"Where could I go and do some shooting one afternoon, late in November?
My camera was packed and I was already driving off in my truck,it comes to me at once:The Vietnam Memorial.
Tucked away along side a rest stop off Interstate 85 in Davidson County the NC Vietnam Veterans Memorial site is almost invisible from view. Only road signs alert you that is here , and you do not see it from the highway, or the rest stop.
The Memorial is surrounded by earthen works that remind you of military earthworks from the many forts of battles from ages past. This one however houses the names of those who have fought their last battle,
Dedicated to the 216,000 from North Carolina that went to Vietnam, and to the more than 1600 who never returned, either killed in action, or MIA. Gone but not forgotten.
This plaque stands at the entrance to the memorial site.
The memorial was an effort to remember those that not only went, and did not come back, but also for all Vets from the Vietnam War.
The vets of Vietnam were never welcomed home from the War, as other vets from other wars were. This was due to the enormous opposition to the war in the mid-late 1960s, and early 1970s.
The Memorial Wall has bricks with the names of all servicemen who served from North Carolina.
The backside of the memorial contains a brick walkway, and is decorated with shrubs, trees and brick benches.
The design of the memorial is simple, and yet one can feel reverence while at the site. Looking at the rows of names on the wall.
As a subject to photograph, the memorial is not much to look at, or even be creative with, so no photographer would probably take much time to shoot photos here...
That is not the reason I came here, the reason I came was to capture the story that it tells.
The story it tells is of those who sacrificed, and continue to sacrifice even now for some, they can never return home, not completely.
As you can see, there were still names being added under the "Addenda" Brick at the far end of the wall.
How many ways can you shoot a brick wall?
These were the most creative shots that I could come up with. It was after all a War Memorial, and war memorials are not supposed to be seen in an artful, creative way.
A War Memorial is supposed to give honor and remembrance to those to gave of themselves.
This memorial is no different, it does give honor and remembrance to those who gave from North Carolina.
The Photo Shoot, and this blog was my part of giving thanks during Thanksgiving, for those Vets, who have never been properly thanked before.
Should you happen to read this at some point in the future,please remember those who have served our nation. If you happen to know a vet from the Vietnam war, go to them and say a simple "thank you". You will be surprised at how much it will mean to them.
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