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Vietnam Memorial Sculpture Garden

PostPosted: Mon Dec 02, 2013 9:52 pm
by judi
I had heard of a little-known memorial sculpture garden in northern California. On my way back to Oregon from San Francisco I decided to find it. I drove east of Weed, Ca about 12 miles - and yes, the town is really called Weed. The sculpture garden is amazing, and I came across several people sitting on benches and weeping. It is especially meaningful to me since I had many friends killed in that war. My father was in the Air Force and I attended high school in Germany with many other American kids. Out of our graduation class of 196 kids, 63 were killed in Vietnam. Most went to the Air Force Academy, became pilots, and were shot down. Google "Vietnam Memorial Sculpture Garden, Weed Ca" and take a look. And go in person, if you can. It's beautiful. Click below (I forgot how to post photo) to see one of the sculptures. Mt Shasta is in the background.

Image

Re: Vietnam Memorial Sculpture Garden

PostPosted: Mon Dec 02, 2013 10:03 pm
by Bethers
Beautiful.

Hope you don't mind I fixed your link ... you had the right link but then added extra code - I think you might have added the img code from the board, which you don't need. Neat place. And I think our generation lost way to many to that war, but I was amazed to hear your numbers. Wow. Way too many from your class gone.

Re: Vietnam Memorial Sculpture Garden

PostPosted: Mon Dec 02, 2013 11:30 pm
by judi
Beth - thank you for fixing the link! I have forgotten the correct way to do it.

I went to a high school for military kids in Germany, and many of the boys followed in the footsteps of their fathers after college. Hence the big numbers. My high school boyfriend went to the AF Academy, became a helicopter pilot, and was shot down and became MIA and never found. The sculpture garden is out in the wilds and not manicured, and that seems to add to the atmosphere. The sculptures themselves and made of welded pieces of steel, and are amazingly graceful. I found it beautiful.

Re: Vietnam Memorial Sculpture Garden

PostPosted: Mon Dec 02, 2013 11:41 pm
by Bethers
I definitely want to visit it ... Course, I best plan on not driving too soon after!

Re: Vietnam Memorial Sculpture Garden

PostPosted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 10:49 am
by cpatinjones
Lovely. Thanks for sharing.

Re: Vietnam Memorial Sculpture Garden

PostPosted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 5:37 pm
by Rufflesgurl
Thanks for sharing this Judi. Hope to visit it one day.

Have you also seen the Sun Dial Glass Bridge in Redding? Hope to see that too.

Linda

Re: Vietnam Memorial Sculpture Garden

PostPosted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 7:28 pm
by judi
I have been to the Sundial Bridge in Redding, which was designed by Santiago Caltrava, an architect from Spain. It was his first bridge in the US. If you like it, you might look up some of his other projects. I love his work.

Re: Vietnam Memorial Sculpture Garden

PostPosted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 9:15 pm
by BirdbyBird
Thank you for sharing...

Re: Vietnam Memorial Sculpture Garden

PostPosted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 9:22 pm
by Bethers
I knew I recognized his name, but didn't know why. He did the stunning Milwaukee Art Museum. And I've seen the bridge in Dallas. Now I need to make a list and put his work on my bucket list. All are stunning.

Re: Vietnam Memorial Sculpture Garden

PostPosted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 10:44 pm
by BarbaraRose
Very nice photo! Sorry you lost so many class mates in the war :( So tragic!

Does that Sundial Bridge actually work as a huge functional sundial or just looks like one?

Re: Vietnam Memorial Sculpture Garden

PostPosted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 12:35 pm
by judi
The Sundial is actually a sundial. Ancient sun-worshiping populations constructed large sundials. Sun-worshiping as in religion, not getting a tan!