The Inconvenient Memorial

  

I tend to claim dual citizenship, that of Shelby Township where the old family home is still in the family and that of Sterling Heights for the last 20 or so years. That being said I always considered the Memorial on Van Dyke in Utica to be my "Home Memorial". I was impressed with it from the first time I saw it because it had the GUTS to call the Vietnam War a War and not some sort of a conflict. It had the names listed before there was any "Wall" in Washington D.C.

The view looking north at the Inconvenient Memorial 

TO THE MEN AND WOMEN IN THIS COMMUNITY WHO GAVE UP THEIR LIVES THAT WE MIGHT REMAIN A FREE NATION

DONATED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF UTICA, STERLING AND SHELBY TOWNSHIPS

SPONSORED BY AMERICAN LEGION VICTOR I RIECK POST 351

WORLD WAR I

GUSTAV COUDY

GLENN DIETZ

EDWARD C. FRINK

WILLIAM LANDERSCHIER

JESSIE MOORE

VICTOR I. RIECK

WORLD WAR II

HENRY C. BIERMANN

ROY M. BOETTCHER

JACK C. CONNER

ALBERT B. CRINELLA

GORDON R. DONNELY

WILLARD H. FARRIS

ARNOLD O. MIETZNER

STANLEY J. MILLER

OTTO H. MITTELSTEADT

BENJAMIN REISS

ARTHUR A. RUGENSTEIN

 

MICHAEL A. SCHUSTER

JAMES H. SIM

CHESTER J. SKUTNIK

CHESTER F. SLEZENGER

WALTER A. SMITH

FRANK A. STAPLES

DONALD E. STEVENS

DOUGLAS C. THOMPSON

DONALD T. VANKER

JULIUS V. VERLINDE

 

KOREAN WAR

BENJAMIN C. DEFOREST

JOHN R. DEFOREST

VERN A. MORGAN

HAROLD L. PETREE

ROBERT P WOLF

RICHARD C. ZAWLOCKI

VIETNAM WAR

Age at loss
WILFRIED BURCK

20

 Utica Michigan
GEORGE S. CAMPBELL

20

 Utica Michigan
ANDREW CHMIEL

18

 Utica Michigan
WILLIAM G. DELLVON

19

 Utica Michigan
DAVID J. FALK

22

 Warren Michigan
WILLIAM R. GUENTHER

20

 Warren Michigan
LON M. HOLUPKO

20

 Detroit Michigan
DONALD E. HONEYCUTT

25

 Cadillac Michigan
IVAN C. KING

26

 Kincheloe Michigan
HARRY G. KUNKLER III

19

 Utica Michigan
GARY KEITH MORE

23

 Sterling Heights Michigan
FRANK MUSZYNSKI 26 Utica Michigan
PAUL G. OLENZUK

22

 Detroit Michigan
RONALD L. REED

20

 Oscada Michigan
PETER J. SCHUTZ

19

 Utica Michigan
MARK WAYNE SURBER

20

 Sterling Michigan
CHARLES F. TAYLOR

20

 Detroit Michigan

 

When I took the above photos I knew the memorial's days were numbered! There was not enough room for the politicians I suppose. And besides there were speed traps to be built as the highway was destined to grow.

This was the scene a couple miles down Utica Road at the Sterling Heights (what became of "Sterling Township" listed on the Inconvenient Memorial) Municipal Offices.

Good for those who show up for these things.

 

The Memorial is now gone, and this is all that remains.

 The Michigan Department of Transportation promised to build a new place for the Memorial. It should have all the charm of a roadside picnic table and a Heftey bag in a 55 gallon drum. After all, all shrines should be built with funds from fuel-surcharges, it shows that the shrine comes straight from the heart.

It seems to me that if the Inconvenient Memorial was an Indian burial ground or something the State would not of had it pushed aside and forgotten. I suppose that that is the risk of being Inconvenient.

Mark

P.S. Isn't it interesting that the Inconvenient Memorial covered Korea, Vietnam and Women, just as the three stones at the Sterling Heights location do. Seems like it was ahead of it's time eh?

Are the Memorials right?