Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Angel Fire, New Mexico
Friday, June 1, 2018
Clear, 82°
“When sons or daughters die in battle, parents are confronted with the choice of what they will do to honor the courage and sacrifice of that son or daughter.” – Doc Westphall
Twenty one miles east of Taos, New Mexico is a beautiful alpine valley called Angel Fire. There is a ski resort to the south end of the valley that backs up to a mountain range with several nice looking ski runs. Located on a beautiful hillside in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains off Highway 64 in Angel Fire, New Mexico is the nation’s first Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park. The airport runway runs along the valley floor, probably bringing skiers in for a winter vacation.
The road from Taos to Angel Fire is scenic with several elevation changes as it winds its way through the mountains. There are artist retreats or studios, and beautiful ranches on either side with elk and other game hidden within the quaking aspens, spruce, fir, and cedar trees. The countryside on this back road leading to Angel Fire is beautiful. As the road winds its way down the mountain and into this magnificent valley, there are American flags on posts on each side of the road leading into town. These flags cover several miles across the valley going past the Vietnam Veterans Memorial off into the distance.
The white Monument across the valley contrasts with the green grass and gives one a surreal feeling as the white walls of the Monument extend upward as if pointing to Heaven.
Memorial Pointing to Heaven
The entrance marker (explaining the Memorial) shone brightly in the afternoon sun. The sight of this magnificent tribute to Viet Nam Veterans was both heartwarming and humbling.
Entrance Marker
The road up to the hilltop Memorial was lined on each side with American flags that the strong wind kept at full furl adding to the effect of this honored ground.
Streets with American flags for miles
“When sons or daughters die in battle, parents are confronted with the choice of what they will do to honor the courage and sacrifice of that son or daughter. Following the death of our son, Victor David Westphall III, on May 22, 1968, in Vietnam, we decided to build an enduring symbol of the tragedy and futility of war. Using David’s insurance money as the nucleus for our effort, in the late summer of 1968, my wife Jeanne, our younger son Douglas and I started construction of the Vietnam Veterans Peace and Brotherhood Chapel. We hoped that it would serve as a national symbol of the sacrifices of Vietnam veterans and a source of inspiration for the pursuit of a peaceful world.
At that time such a project was not popular; even so, we led the nation in memorializing all Vietnam Veterans; the living, the dead and the maimed in body and spirit. We could not have known that, within two decades, a chastened and belatedly grateful nation would extensively follow our lead. Building Vietnam Veterans memorials in ever increasing numbers, including the one in Washington, D.C., became the popular thing to do. Now, perhaps no one knows how many there are scattered across our broad land. We had no idea of changing the mores of a nation. All we wanted to do was assure that our son, and all his buddies, was properly recognized.” – Doc Westphall
Side view of Memorial
On this day, there was a fire on the other side of the mountain. The large, dark grey and white smoke plumes billowed high into the air contrasting against the vivid azure blue sky.
American and POW Flags and Smoke from Fire on Mountain
At the parking area, there are flags representing each branch of service and several POW flags, as well.
Walking toward the Memorial you notice two things; the white walls of the Memorial and a UH-1D “Huey” helicopter in a take-off position.
Huey "Viking Surprise"
The walkway leading into the top of the Memorial has a marker designating this Blue Star Memorial By-Way. It read: “A tribute to the Armed Forces of America.”
Blue Star Memorial By-Way
There is a statue of a soldier kneeling with a piece of paper on his knee writing the words, “Dear Mom and Dad”.
Kneeling soldier writing "Dear mom and dad"
The marker asks these questions:
The words, Dear Mom and Dad
Are written
Now what?
He can’t tell them what he is seeing.
He can’t tell them what he is doing.
His eyes
See a foreign land
His heart
Sees the other side of the world.
Doug Scott – 2000
Marker Dear Mom and Dad
There are brick pavers lining both sides of the side walk with the names of people who served or were killed in various wars. The two I found of interest were, Audie Murphy and Gregory “Pappy” Boyington.
Audie Murphy
Greg "Pappy" Boyington
This walkway also led to the grave site of the Westphall family who started this Memorial for their son and all Vietnam Veterans. The mother, father and son are buried here on this hilltop overlooking the beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountain valley, a fitting place of honor.