"Blue Star By-Way" Award,
National Garden Clubs of America, 20 May 01
Vietnam Veterans of America, Westchester
Chapter 49
Trail of Honor
The Trail of Honor
A salute to the common man for uncommon valor
Dedicated 19 October, 1997
Everyone who visits the Trail will be inneadiately drawn to the cairn that
most typifies their memories of war. My uncle, an Engineer at the Remagen
bridge head focused direclty on the WWII soldier.
sculptures. The Korean War (19501953) has a bust of an American soldier
wrapped in a blanket to protect from the cold weather there. The Vietnam
War (1959-1975) Cairn has a bust of an American soldier in a 'boome hat'
and ammo belts slung over his shoulders. The Operation Desert Storm (1990-199
1) Cairn has a bust of an American soldier with desert gear on his helmut.
The Woman Veterans Cairn has a bust of a nurse and was purposely moved
up the hill away from the other Cairns so as to have her looking down and
over the other Cairns symbolizing the care-giving and life-saving qualities
of the nurses in all wars.
Westchester County Chapter 49 Vietnam Veterans of America was the lead
veterans organization involved in the funding, construction and artistic
integrity of the Trail of Honor. In August of 1996 donations were solicited
from other veterans organizations, private citizens and local businesses.
$45,000.00 was raised and the trail was completed at a cost of $48,000.00
with Chapter 49 WA contributing $3,000.00. Westchester County Boy Scouts,
Girl Scouts, Challenge Kids, an Air Force team from Newburgh, New York,
members of Chapter 49VVA, local contractors, private citizens and Westchester
County Dept. of Parks, Recreation and Conservation staff assisted in the
construction of the Trail of Honor.
As the trail leads up the hill to the Vietnam War Monument a cobblestone
walkway encircles a granite obelisk, which lists the names of 217 Westchester
County residents killed in action during the war, affording breathtaking
views of the Muscoot Reservoir.'After the obelisk there is a flagpole with
American and POW/MIA flags set on a semi-circular cobblestone base also
overlooking the reservoir. To the right is the Vietnam War Nurses Monument,
which is comprised of three seven-foot bronze statues that depicts a soldier
carrying a wounded comrade, with a nurse reaching out to assist them. Nearby
is a granite base with the names of eight nurses killed in Vietnam. Bedford,
New York artist Julia Cohen designed the Vietnam War Memorial. Richard
Dwyer of Katonah, New York, Chairman of the Westchester County Memorial
Committee was instrumental in the development and completion of the Vietnam
War Memorial.
As you walk back down the trail and bear left moving up an incline
you approach the Korean War Veterans Memorial which is dedicated to all
those who served during the Korean War (1950-1953). There is a granite
obelisk with the names of seventy-one Westchester County Korean War servicemen
killed in action on the front with a map of Korea etched on the rear of
the obelisk. Opposite is a flagpole flanked by two stone benches and two
plaques. There is also another stone monument and rows of memorial bricks
with various inscriptions.
The Trail of Honor is open year-round and tours are provided on request
from Chapter 49 WA. Services are held at the Vietnam Memorial on Veterans
Day and Memorial Day. A Candlelight Vigil is held there on the last Sunday
before Christmas every year. Please call Chapter 49 WA at (914) 682-4949
for information on these events.
Other organizations responsible for the site are gratefully acknowledged:
Marine Corps League, Westchester Detachment
Mike Kolanik, Jr. for his father Mike, Sr.
VFW Post 338
Westchester Veterans Memorial Committee
Cabin Fever Entertainment, Inc.
Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation, Westchester County
Westchester County Veterans Agency
JV Auto Repairs and Towing
Citibank
Brewster Transit Mix
Yonkers Construction Co, Inc.
Dennis Fitzharris
American Legion Post 135
American Legion Post 1122
MIlitary Order of the Purple Heart, Chapter 21
VFW Post 3038
Westchester County Council, VFW
VFW Post 375
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