War
Dogs! Memorial The War Dogs Memorial Location |
by Don
Poss
© 2000 |
War Dogs Memorial - As a former USAF K-9 handler (Đà Nàng, Blackie, 1965-1966), I agree with Tom Mitchell that March Field Museum, Riverside, California, is the perfect location for the first War Dogs monument. A prime location, both poetic and highly appropriate for honoring War Dogs and their partners. At sunset, the towering monument silhouettes against amber California 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 symbolically watches 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 (X129), was put down after six years of faithful heroic service, from Đà Nàng 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 flight line
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 |