paid
their respects at the
Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial 365 Vernon Cooper Lane Frankfort, KY in 2011 and again in 2024 |
Located in Frankfort, Kentucky,
overlooking the state capitol building, Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial
contains the name of 1,103 Kentuckians killed in the Vietnam War. The memorial
is in the form of a sundial with the names placed so that the tip of the
gnomon's shadow touches each man's name on the date of his death, thus giving
each fallen warrior his own personal memorial day. This memorial is free
to visit and is open 24 hours. Karen and Lee Duquette have visited this site twice and the two visits are combined here. |
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Every day can be Memorial Day - remembering 1,109 of Kentucky's fallen - One of the largest granite Memorial in the Nation. Constructed in 1988 to overlook the state Capitol in Frankfort, the Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial honors Kentucky Veterans who served this nation during the Vietnam War. |
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Below: 2011 sign |
Below 2024 sign |
Below: 2011 |
Below 2024 |
Below: The only difference in the three 2011 photos shown below is that the bench was NOT located near these signs in 2024. So although Karen Duquette photographed the signs again in 2024, these are only the 2011 photos with the bench. |
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The design concept is in the form of a large sundial. The stainless steel gnomon casts its shadow upon a granite plaza. There are 1,100 names of Kentuckians on the memorial, including 23 missing in action. Each name is engraved into the plaza, and placed so that the tip of the shadow touches his name on the anniversary of his death, thus giving each fallen veteran a personal Memorial Day. Below are some 2011 photos. | |
Below: These photos show
the sun hitting the sundial at different times of day in 2011 |
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Below: However in 2024, the sun was not giving off as bright of a shadow when Lee and Karen Duquette were here. There were a lot of little USA flags all around the sundial in 2024 that were not there in 2011. |
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Below: 2011 photos - Each
Veteran's name is precisely engraved on the granite so the shadow of the
sundial pointer touches their name on the anniversary of their death as
a personal tribute.The location of each name is fixed mathematically by
the date of casualty, the geographic location of the memorial, the height
of the gnomon and the physics of solar movement. The stones were then
designed and cut to avoid dividing any individual name. The resulting
radial-concentric joint pattern suggests a "web", symbolic of
the entangling nature of this war. |
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Below: The circle of stones
around the base of the gnomon are inscribed with the verse from Ecclesiastes
3:1-8: |
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Other verses are listed below: | |
For everything there is
a season; and a time for every matter under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal, A time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to seek, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; A time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; A time for war, and a time for peace. |
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Below: More photos from 2024 |
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Please
continue on in 2024 to Kentucky's
National Guard Memorial
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