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War Dogs
Memorial is sculpted, by world-renown sculptor, A. Thomas
Schomberg. The bronze and granite War Dogs Memorial will stand 16 feet and 10 feet at its base. (To see the Memorial reappear, click Refresh) |
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War Dogs! Memorial: March Field Museum--the perfect location! |
I was at the War Dogs Memorial today: Read
what it's like now! |
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| The simple fact is: American War Dogs were left behind
in Vietnam -- abandoned -- intentionally.
As a former USAF K-9 handler
(Da Nang, Blackie,'65-'66), I believe
March Field Museum is the perfect location for the towering
War Dog and Handler monument. A prime location, both
poetic and highly appropriate for honoring War Dogs and
their partners. At sunset, the monument will silhouette
against amber skies while quietly overlooking the green
manicured lawns of our nation's largest veterans cemetery
where over 114,000 are at final rest. The War Dog and
Handler will symbolically watch over the park-like cemetery...while
performing a last patrol on the outer perimeter
around the giant
Air Base, formerly known as March Air Force Base.
(Photo: Blackie (129x),
was put down after six years of faithful heroic service
from Da Nang AB early 1965 to Tan Son Nhut AB, late 1970).
As you can see by viewing the map (courtesy of Thomas Guide), March Field Museum is located exactly halfway between the air base's flightline and Riverside National Cemetery, which is only a stones throw from the museum grounds (for scale, the runway is 3 miles long!), and parallels the heavily traveled 215 Freeway. You can also check out March Field Museum's webpage for an aerial view of part of the grounds, and read about placing a tiled tribute on the grounds. I recommend the museum, have been there, and drive by it daily. Don Poss VDHA: Because of American War Dogs, there are thousands fewer names etched in stone on The Wall of the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial, at Constitutional Park, Washington, D.C.. Ironically, at the end of the Vietnam War, military officials abandoned almost all the war dogs. VDHA writes, "Of the 10,000 men who served with K-9 units during the Vietnam War more than 265 were Killed in Action. Of the 4,000 Dogs that served, 281 were "Officially" listed as "Killed in Action", but only 190 were returned home at the end of the war. Over 500 dogs died on the battlefields of Vietnam." Nevertheless, there has been no tribute to these dogs until the Discovery Channel program, sponsored by Nature's Recipe, as envisioned and promoted by the Vietnam Dog Handler Association to raise the memorial's $1,500,000! The second War Dogs Memorial may be at Ft. Benning's Infantry Museum on the east coast. Proceeds from WAR DOGS project has helped fund the $1,500,000 memorials to honor those heroic dogs and handlers who served in Vietnam. |
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| What's happening...and where? |
| War Dogs! Memorial March Field Museum |
| Need a ride, directions,
VDHA connections, where to stay, and discounts to attend the
dedication? Read on--we're going to help! Tom Mitchell VDHA Chairman |
AIR
TRAVEL: If you are flying
in, please contact
Joan Elder,
at 1-800-878-6991, so we
can be sure it is taken care of properly and that we have
the information for the shuttles we will be providing. Be
sure you fly into Ontario,
CA International Airport! If
you fly to LAX (Los Angeles) or John Wayne (Orange County)
then you have a two hours drive, minimum, and you will be
on-your-own!
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| TRANSPORTATION:
A great group of guys in Riverside have volunteered to shuttle
us around -- plus there will be a number of guys from SoCal
who will have cars to help with transportation.
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| HOTEL RECOMMENDED: We have chosen the Best Western Hotel on Magnolia Street in Riverside as the VDHA hotel. We will not have any events there though. It is about three miles from the VFW post and is in a good clean part of town. |
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War
Dog Memorial Dedication - Directions: Take the I-215 Freeway / Van Buren Boulevard exit (south of I-60 Freeway)
To clarify, the War Dog Memorial is really not located
on March ARB property
(adjoining
Tom Mitchell |
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... and Celebration
Banquet
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VDHA Members - Who's Signed up so far? FYI Here is a list of 94 VDHA members who we have as attending the War Dog Memorial on Feb. 21. This list is as of Friday, Feb 11, 2000. Also included is their Vietnam unit and e-mail address, if they have one. Sometime tomorrow I will be sending more details on the dedication. Tom Mitchell vdha@home.com
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LATEST NEWS, UPDATES, & SUMMARY ! FYI - I just got word from the "Riverside Team" that the War Dog Memorial has been installed at the March Air Museum and it looks fantastic! Bob Rodocker said the statue, which stands about 18-feet, really stands out and that you can plainly see it from the I-215 freeway. As he said, "It is the best location for the Memorial, by far." Thousands of motorists will see it everyday! The Memorial will be draped for the dedication and be unveiled as part of the ceremony on Feb. 21. Here is all the info
I think you will need. If I have not addressed something,
please let me know.
VFW Post 9223 will
be the Command Post for
the dedication. If you are flying in and need a ride,
please call the VFW at 909-688-7170 for the shuttle to
the hotel. The VFW is at the corner of Tyler and Arlington.
We have eight VDHA members who live in the area, in addition,
a number of VDHA members from Southern Cal will also
have cars. Getting a ride will not be a problem. Can I leave something at the War Dogs' Memorial, like at The Wall in D.C.? YES! The
March Air Museum is making a large space available for
a temporary War Dog display during the Feb. 21 - March
3 time period. After that they will build, with the assistance
of the VDHA, a permanent War Dog display. If you
have photos or other dog team related memorabilia you
can donate to the War Dog Exhibit please let us know.
Time is getting pretty late for the temporary display,
but if you have scanned photos you can e-mail to me,
I'll try to get them printed up in time for the dedication
next week. Tom Mitchell vdha@home.com |
| First
Notice, on 01-17-00
,
9:40 p.m.
I am sending this to all VDHA members online. I know most of you cannot make it to the War Dog Memorial Dedication, but just in case your plans change, I wanted to make sure you got this information. I hate long e-mails, but I have no choice on this one. Sorry In the future I will only send Memorial information back to those who say they coming. That way I don't jam your computer with a bunch of unnecessary e-mails. If you still want the info even if you aren't coming, please let me know. I was in Riverside most of today and there is only one word to describe what will take place there on February 21. FANTASTIC! When I arrived at the museum I was surprised and happy to see that the museum has its own sign on the freeway, the very busy I-215. I turned off and also saw the sign for the National Cemetery, so I drove there first to check out the new Medal of Honor Memorial. When I drove in to the cemetery I expected to see a sign, even a small one, directing me to the Memorial - Nothing. Nada. If I didn't know it was there...well, now I feel we are very lucky to have it at March. At least people will know it is there. Nothing against the cemetery, because they have been behind us all the way, but the Museum is a much better location. During the two-hours I was at the Museum I'd bet 50-100 people toured the area. I meet with Laura Benge of the War Dog Memorial Fund; Steve Clark, the General Manager of the March Field Museum; and world-renown sculptor, A. Thomas Schomberg, who did the memorial. We spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out the best spot for the memorial. We found a location that is in the front courtyard. A place where everyone who comes to the museum will see and go to it. It will be a very high profile place. Heck, you'll be able to see it from the freeway! The memorial is made of bronze and will stand 18-feet tall. The handler stands 8-feet tall! One big memorial. It will face south so the sunshine will really make it sparkle. A great site for a great memorial. Oh, I have not seen the memorial yet. It is due for installation on Feb. 15. After that meeting, I met with VDHA member Mike Mc Elroy, who is also the VFW 9223 Commander . I checked out their facility and it will be a great place to hang out if you come to town prior to the dedication, as well as a great place for our dinner Monday night. We have a dedicated team of VDHA members in the area who are helping out. Mike Mc Elroy, Don Poss, Scott Faust, Jim Camp, Dennis Jefcoat, Gerry Heitsman and Albert Cianci. Dennis has arranged for a nine-passenger van for the three day weekend. He is also working with Budget Rental to get a group deal on car rentals. I am very excited about this, especially sense it is all coming together so well. I hope you can make it. We found some hotels today, but we have not set up a group rate with any of them yet. Please do not make reservations at a hotel until we can get the best rate. I will let you know in the next couple of days. Everywhere I went today they wanted to know how many members were coming. The Museum wants to know, as does the VFW and the hotels. So here is what I need: 1. Are you coming
to the Dedication, if so how many are in your party? If you have already e-mailed me with information please do it again and include the above answers. I sure hope this e-mail makes sense. I am way too excited! Thank you very much. Tom Mitchell, |
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About the War Dogs Memorial
location - The first of two War
Dogs Memorials will be unveiled on Presidents Day, 2000,
at March Air Field (Air Reserve Base; adjoining the former
AFB).
