James Bridger's Ferry

This is one of Wyoming's many roadside monuments that's not longer really road side.

This monument is on the old highway that ran from Orin Junction to Wheatland.  When the Interstate was built, Orin Junction was bypassed and for that matter, the Interstate zips through, not into, Wheatland.  Many such monuments exist, a few of which are now completely marooned.

This one commemorates Jim Bridger's ferry across the North Platte River, which was placed in 1864.

A Burlington Norther Railroad Bridge, which itself isn't youthful, very near where the ferry once was.

Wyoming Army National Guard Museum

These photographs illustrate the location of the Wyoming Army National Guard Museum.  As I was taking this photo in an effort to illustrate the older, cavalry related, part of this structure, I failed to get a really good photo of the front of the museum.

The building was built in 1936, during a period of time during which cavalry was actually receiving increased attention in the American military.  The Wyoming National Guard (there was only an Army Guard at the time, as of course there was no Air Force at all, that being part of the Army) was cavalry at the time, being the 115th Cavalry Regiment.

Some may wonder about the "AL" below the AD on the corner stone.  The AL is the date used in Masonry for the creation of the earth, and many buildings of this type during this era were dedicated with the participation of Masons.

This shows the front of the building. This structure was used as a National Guard Armory from the 1930s until some time until the 1970s, but I suspect hte brick structure was a latter addition.   These small armories became very unsuitable for continued use by the 1960s, and were replaced in quite a few instances during the 1970s to contemplate the need for much larger armories.  Compounding this need was the fact that in some instances, such as in Casper and Cheyenne, the old armories were well within the city limits by the 1960s making their use for military purposes difficult.

M7 105 Gun Motor Carriage. The Wyoming Army National Guard's 300th Armored Field Artillery used these during the Korean War, during which they won a Presidential and a Congressional Unit Citation for an action in which they directly engaged attacking Communist forces.

 This is a M59 Armored Personnel Carrier, two of which are on display at this museum.  I'm not aware of any Wyoming Army National Guard unit using these, but some must have as the other items on display here were definitely used by the Wyoming Army National Guard.  Wyoming's units included the 115th Mechanized Cavalry, the descendant of the 115th Cavalry and the 115th Cavalry (Horse Mech), in the 1950s and perhaps onto the 1960s, at which point the cavalry was phased out and the 115th lineage was carried on by the 115th Artillery Regiment.  The former cavalry units became battalions of the 49th Field Artillery along with the 300th AFA.  Today, those units are smaller and are once again the 300th AFA.

This is a USS M777 155mm howitzer, which is a gun still used by the US military.

South Carolina World War One Memorial faces controversy

A World War One memorial in South Carolina faces controversy due to its wording.

Veterans' Memorial, Wright Wyoming

 All wars memorial in Wright, Wyoming, at the town's park just off the highway.

 The bricks feature the names of servicemen from Wright who lost their lives in the service.

State of Wyoming, Veterans Memorial Park, Cody Wyoming

This is the State of Wyoming's Veterans Memorial Park in Cody, Wyoming.  It memorializes all of those lost in war from Wyoming, from World War One on.  Each war from World War one on, has its own section.

It's a really nice memorial park, so perhaps a person shouldn't offer criticism, but it's odd that the Spanish American War is omitted.  Wyoming did loose men during the Spanish American War, and likely did during the Philippine Insurrection as well.  A person might arguably also include the Indian Wars, although there were never any units raised in any fashion during the Indian Wars which participated in them, which is not surprising given the small population in the state at the time.  So the omission of the Indian Wars is not surprising.

World War One

World War Two.

The World War Two section of the park.

Korean War

The Vietnam War

The Savage Wars of Peace.

Miscellaneous.

 Marine Corps memorial.

 Seaman and Marine memorial.

William Henry Seward Memorial, Anchorage Alaksa

William Henry Seward was the United States Secretary of State from 1861 to 1869, serving throughout the horrifying period of the American Civil War and on into Reconstruction.  We don't think a great deal about US foreign relations in that period, but we really should, given as the American republics internal struggle put us on pretty rocky shores with many foreign nations, many of which could have used that period to our disadvantage.  Indeed, some did, which explains the French presence in France during this period.

Seward is remembered here, of course, as he was instrumental in the US purchase of Alaska in 1867. Seward had expressed an interest in the US acquiring Alaska as early as 1860, a remarkable instance of foresight.

This memorial is in front of the Old Anchorage City Hall.