|
|
| Rally at Ypsilanti Township Civic Center, Ypsilanti, MI - April 19,
2003
VVA Motto: Never again shall a Vet coming home from battle be made to feel alone and unappreciated. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
When
our Commander and Chief announced Mission Accomplished
we held the last rally as a celebration. It was fitting that this
rally was at the Ypsilanti Township Civic Center as that is close
to the Washtenaw County Vietnam Veterans
Memorial. Below are
pictures and information about the Memorial as well as a copy of the
poem I am the flag of the United States of America,
that was read at a couple of the rallies.
Click images to see larger views. Some pages have more than one pic |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||
 |
A nation which makes the final sacrifice for life and freedom does not get beaten.
Kemal Atatürk |
 |
|||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||
 |
Liberty is the great parent of science and of virtue; and a nation will be great in both in proportion as it is free.
Thomas Jefferson |
 |
|||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||
| Bubba in the Morning
(on the right) was our MC for the rallies. Bubba'sreal name it Brian Cowan. You can catch him on Clear Channel station W4 Country 102.9fm each weekday morning. |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||
 |
| ||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||
I Am the Flag of the United States of America I am the flag of the United States of America. My name is Old Glory. I fly atop the world's tallest buildings. I stand watch in America's halls of justice. I fly majestically over institutions of learning. I stand guard with power in the world. Look up and see me. I stand for peace, honor, truth and justice. I stand for freedom. I am confident. I am arrogant. I am proud. When I am flown with my fellow banners, My head is a little higher, My colors a little truer. I bow to no one! I am recognized all over the world. I am worshipped - I am saluted. I am loved - I am revered. I am respected - and I am feared. I have fought in every battle of every war For more than 200 years. I was flown at Valley Forge, Gettysburg, Shiloh and Appomatox. I was there at San Juan Hill, the trenches of France, in the Argonne Forest, Anzio, Rome and the beaches of Normandy. Guam, Okinawa, Korea and KheSan, Saigon, Vietnam know me. I was there. I led my troops, I was dirty, battleworn and tired, Buy my soldiers cheered me and I was proud. I have been burned, torn and trampled on the Streets of countries I have helped set free. I have been soiled upon, burned, torn and Trampled in the streets of my country. And when it's done by those Whom I've served in battle - it hurts. But I shall overcome - for I am strong. I have slipped the bonds of Earth And stood watch over the uncharted Frontiers of space from my vantage point on the moon. I have borne silent witness to all of America's finest hours. But my finest hours are yet to come. When I am torn into strips and used as bandages For my wounded comrades on the battlefield, When I am flown at half-mast to honor my soldier, Or when I lie in the trembling arms of a grieving parent at the grave of their fallen son or daughter, I am proud |
 |
||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||
| You don't attack America like this and get away with it.
Colin Powell on 9-11 |
|||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Washtenaw County Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Sponsored by the Washtenaw County Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 310 the memorial was funded entirely through contributions from local organizations, businesses and residents. |
|||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||
| Click images to see larger views - these pages have more than one pic | |||||||||||||||
| The Memorial, designed by a committee of Vietnam Veterans, embodies some special symbolism. | |
|
|
|
* There are five sections of the Wall portion to represent the five branches of the service. * The dark color of the stone represents the mourning done for all fallen Vietnam Veterans and other victims of that war. * There are three sections of seating - one for each of the three county POW-MIAs. Their names are not listed on the Wall because we still hold out hope for their return. * The distance between the Wall portion and the seating is twenty-one feet. Twenty-one is the average age of those whose names are listed on the Memorial. * The names on the Wall are randomly listed under each community. If the remains of a POW-MIA are returned, his name can be added to the wall and it will not appear out of place. This also allows the addition of a name which may have been missed. * The Memorial faces southeast to reminding us of Southeast Asia. Early morning sun paints the gold leaf names in glistening light - names and memories to shine on - never forgotten. |
|
|
| General W.C. Westmoreland delivered the Memorial's dedication speech on November 10, 1991. A transcript is available on the Washtenaw County Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter web site: www.vva310.org |
|
 |
|
 |
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
|