I love small towns.
Not only do they have that Mayberry feel my metropolis-tired body craves, they often have little surprises, such as thrift stores and historical sites, nestled in between the cottage-lined streets and the two-block long Main Street. The people I meet feel like they could be my next best friend. However, they know I’m nobody’s friend, and give me frank, but kind, stares.
The town of Cadott, Wisconsin, population 1,440, is no exception. They claim to be on the 45th parallel, halfway between the North Pole and the equator, but in July there weren’t any polar breezes. I was thrilled to discover a Veterans memorial and took as many pictures as I could, until the 95° heat forced me back to the AC in my rental car.
I love history and I love to honor veterans, so the Wisconsin Veterans Tribute was a great find.
The House of Heroes and tribute flags in military precision.
A tank used during the Cold War sitting peacefully on a grassy hill. I remember crouching under desks during elementary school bomb drills, the fear of the Communists sometimes infiltrating our recess play. The American hockey victory over the Soviets was an unforgettable triumph for those who grew up during the Cold War. Our young men trounced them, but no lives lost. I wish it were always that way.
This shark-toothed Cobra made me smile. Although war is a frightening, horrific time for American soldiers and civilians, the soldiers don’t allow their sense of humor to be totally demolished. This reminded me of the messages WWII veterans wrote on the bombs.
An pre-WWII canon, either Japanese or Chinese.
And because the small town feel had already enveloped my heart and mind, reading the inscriptions on the stones brought tears to my eyes.
I wondered how the Rollins parents were able to let their five sons go.
Nearly 70 years later the inscription still brings wonder and worship. “The grace of God brought each of them safely home.”
I can only imagine that family reunion.
Grief and love never subside, as this family recorded.
I wondered how many prayers went up from this county in Wisconsin to bring these five men home from Midway.
Grief and joy mingle together between the monuments, honoring soldiers who returned, and those who didn’t.
Proud of their Greek heritage, more proud to fight as Americans.
“We would have gone to the wall for you!” is the inscription from the tenacious Eau Claire Vietnam Veterans.
Agent Orange, an enemy our soldiers didn’t know they would be facing, with side-effects they couldn’t evade even in peace time.
We must never forget.
My tribute and gratitude to Veterans
and those that love them.
Read more about Veterans:
-
A Veterans Day Message to our Younger Generation
Address to Rhinebeck, NY Central School System by “Dr. Sam” Bierstock -
Members of The Combat Veterans Association and the American Legion Riders met at the Wisconsin Veterans Tribute
-
The Puget Sound Vets on their 2013 Honor Flight
-
Reunions Remain Poignant for Dwindling Number of WWII Veterans
Mindy, Thank you for documenting your experience at this beautiful memorial. This is a rest stop on my many trips home to visit family in Wisconsin. I’m usually in a hurry & want to get home on my long drive from Minneapolis to the Green Bay area where my parents live. After becoming friends with a Canadian, I couldn’t help but notice the giant Canadian flag. On my recent trip, I snapped a pic of the Canadian & American flags to send to my friend. I’ve been trying to find the significance of it & haven’t been able to. Do you know it’s why it’s featured there? Your blog is so beautifully written! On my next stop, I’ll make time as you have to experience the heartfelt significance of this Tribute to our Veterans!
As the current Commander of American Legion Post 159 and member of the Tribute committee Thank you for your article and posting
Your memorial is beautiful, I am so thankful for the work that has been put into it. It was a moving experience to visit and learn about the heroes from Wisconsin. Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and comment. Thank you for your service.
Mindy – I can answer a few of your questions. My dear grandfathers (and great-uncles) are represented in two of your photographs. In fact – you can find my name on one of the stones. My grandfathers were Garold Rollins and Lester Timmerman. I can tell you that the stories that my Great-Uncle Clyde (another of the 5 Rollins’ brothers in WWII) were amazing. Gramps’ Timmerman was a driving force behind the Tribute and a loving caretaker (and flag maintainer) for many years. He passed away on 9/11/13. On Memorial Day – we will be where we always are (with the exception of 2004 when Gramps T. and I were in DC for the dediction of the WWII Memorial) – on “the Hill” at the Veterans’ Tribute; Brooklawn Cemetery in Cadott; and at the Bohemian National Cemetery north of Cadott for the Memorial Day services. Gramps T. was a great man – and his incredible VFW and American Legion continue to pay tribute to all of the fallen on each Memorial Day. Thank you for your article, photographs, and recognition of all identified at the Tribute. We can never do enough to honor their service and sacrifice. As you recognize – they are not just names on a stone, but individuals whose lives and loss touched so many and their impact rippled across the world and across generations.
Tamara, thank you so much for your visit to my blog and for such a personal tribute to your family. I am thrilled and honored that you would add such a personal touch to a story I could only slightly begin to tell.
I am thankful you were able to attend the dedication of the WWII Memorial with your grandfather, I can’t begin to imagine how that felt for you both. This summer I will be able to see the WWII Memorial for the first time.
I hope you write down the stories for future generations of your family who will not have the blessing of personally knowing these great men. Your family has a rich history and has honored our country much with their lives.
Thank you, again, for blessing me with your wonderful comment.
Loved this post. And yes, these engraved stones made my heart weep. What suffering war brings :'( . As you say, HOW did these mothers cope with their sons being at war. Oh dear me … I pray we’ll never have to go through what they went through. We have a beautiful memorial in our district here on the island, and my heart *aches* every time I read the names of those who were lost in our two world wars … and they were SO young 🙁
Let us never forget.
Thanks for visiting my blog today, Queen of the Croft! I love your blog and have enjoyed your tributes as well. And your humor, and your scenery. My son was considering joining the military and I have to admit my heart was so torn. I am so thankful for these amazing men, I really don’t want to see my son’t name carved in similar fashion.
This was a beautiful tribute, Mindy. I didn’t know you would feel the threat of Communism in the continental US that I felt growing up next door to Viet Nam and communist China back in the sixties. You made me feel like I am getting old. I didn’t feel that way until a moment ago 😉 Great post and beautiful pics on a gorgeous summer day!!
It is important to remember and be thankful. Wonderful pictures.
This afternoon at 4pm the girls and I heard what sounded like a few gunshots. Then a few seconds later a lone trumpet played taps. We could hear it clear as day from what I guessed was our city’s war memorial about a half mile from our house during a memorial service. I was sad that it was so cold (30’s) and I was unaware of it going on or I would have walked my girls up to watch. It’s so important to teach them what this country was built on. A lot of sacrifice and prayers.
I had the same experience, Tandis, I had a hard time finding what Veteran celebrations were going on this area. I found out a week too late that a Doolittle Raider was speaking in the area! I also missed a huge parade and several other things. I wish there had been one page with all the Veterans events on it! Next year we’ll both be ready.
All I can say is amen.
Yes, and I can tell you to thank your husband for his service to our country! I’m so very thankful for men like your husband in this generation.
This was a wonderful post! How grateful we should be to those dear, unsung heroes who fought and still fight to preserve our freedom. I loved seeing your pictures…made me feel as if I were there in person. Thank you for your faithfulness. Love, Cheryl
Thank you for your kind encouragement. I’m glad you enjoyed the pictures and you felt a part of my experience.
So often when we “do history” the focus is on great men, far off places, and major events. It is good to remember the little people, from not so far away, who did their best to do their duty and what was right.
Exactly, Dana. This is what made this little corner in Wisconsin so powerful. Their relatives probably still lived around there and still missed them. Or the ones that came back have grandkids living and marrying in the area.