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At the Vietnam Veterans Traveling Memorial

The traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall is in the area this weekend and I stopped by to pay my respects.


As a veteran, I wanted to see the wall and a lot of other veteran-riders were on hand for this morning's ceremony. Once again, Sally was the only KLR in Cool Kids Parking.


I did 23 years in the United States Air Force, but always admired the U.S.Marines for their toughness, discipline, and those spiffy uniforms.



This was a special display for the Purple Heart. Besides Vietnam veterans, the wall is a tribute to veterans from all conflicts as well as September 11th first responders.


This replica wall is 80 percent the size of the wall in Washington D.C. and is 360 feet long. It travels to 30 locations every year.  


Today's ceremony honored POW-MIA veterans. The mayor and several guest speakers made speeches and several local veteran and motorcycle groups participated in the tribute.  


I had no name to find on the wall. Regardless, the traveling memorial is a solemn and impressive sight. So many names...so many lives lost.


Former president Calvin Coolidge is seldom remembered, but I like many of his quotes. One of today's speakers used a Coolidge quote that was new to me, and it was very appropriate for the occasion.


"The Nation that forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten" - Calvin Coolidge.


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