Monday, July 11, 2016

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Chapel

About 20 miles east of Taos, near the resort town of Angel Fire, is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which includes a chapel and a visitors center.  It is also a state park, the only one solely dedicated to honoring Vietnam war veterans.  It was started by the parents of Marine Lt. Victor David Westphall III, known by his middle name, who was killed in an ambush in 1968 in Con Thien, South Vietnam.  The memorial is supported by the David Westphall Veterans Foundation.

The chapel includes a slightly elevated central area and rows of concentric benches for seating.

Near the parking lot is a statue of a soldier writing home.

This helicopter is a UH-1D, known as a "Huey".  But then, if you served in Vietnam, you already knew that.

The area outlined by these flags, downhill from the chapel, will be the location of a veteran's cemetery.

In front of one side of the chapel, at the end of a walkway, is a solitary bench.

There are several large trees within the memorial grounds, including one in the seating area.

Inside an iron fence are the graves of Lt. Westphall's parents, Victor (known as "Doc") and Jeanne.  The inscription on the bench reads, "WELCOME HOME VETERANS".

More about the memorial may be found at its own website, and at Angel Fire Memorial.

UPDATE:  After looking at the New Mexico's state parks website, I could not find this memorial.  It thus appears that it's no longer a state park.

No comments:

Post a Comment