Charlie Fineran’s Photo of the Week this week is of the Warren County War Memorial, located just outside the historic Warren County Court House in Belvidere. 

A truly stirring Memorial, consisting of numerous flags, memorial monuments and statues, celebrating Freedom, with a solemn reminder, the price paid for our Freedom, along with names of the men and women from Warren County, who made the ultimate sacrifice, paying for that Freedom!!  What an appropriate location!  The historic Court House, built in 1826, as a backdrop, has been over-seeing the adjudication of justice, thus protecting many of those very Freedoms so valiantly fought for by these fallen heroes!!  A beautiful public park setting across the street from the Court House and Memorial, offering a serene setting of lush green under a towering canopy of ancient tall trees.  All this, with an important observation, this site is located off a busy sidewalk and street, thus always offering and sending a reminder that reaches many, even if they don’t stop for a formal visit!!  The setting offers a sense of Memorial Day – 365 days a year!!

Memorial Day is the traditional kickoff for the Summer Season, BUT, remember, Summer arrives officially, according to the calendar on June 21st!!  After this Winter and our non-Spring, I have to believe many of you have been dreaming about this weekend and the Summer for quite some time!!

The photos I have chosen for this MEMORIAL DAY message will hopefully serve a dual purpose!  To remind and to inform!!

First, I hope the photos will be a reminder, that Memorial Day is a special time, a time for ALL of us, to HONOR, REMEMBER and give a heartfelt THANK YOU, to ALL the servicemen and women, that made the ultimate sacrifice, while serving Our Country and preserving Our Freedom!!  That very Freedom, has allowed us over our lifetimes to enjoy so many wonderful benefits and privileges!!  Let us remember, many of these fallen were very young, thus, never ever experienced any of life’s wonders and joys!!

Secondly, I hope some of these photos will offer some information about some wonderful places to visit!!  I have labeled each photo, to aid you in identifying what and where they are from!!  The Fleet Week photos, the first ship is the USS New York, made from steel from the World Trade Center buildings.  The Merchant Marine Memorial is located along the Hudson River in Battery Park.  The Battleship New Jersey is located in the Delaware River in Camden across from Philadelphia, PA  The old Cruiser Olympia is moored in Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia not far from Independence Center and our Liberty Bell!!

There are three photos from my father’s war photos.  These are A-20 aircraft, medium attack bombers used in low level bombing and strafing raids.  The photos are from an attack against Japanese fuel depots.  My father mentioned that at those low levels and high speeds when you were hit you usually were gone!!  This struck A 20 is being given a final escort and salute by one of its fellow attack bombers!!

The photo of the George Washington Bridge shows the largest free hanging flag in the world.  It is displayed for several days during certain holidays AND I may add is a stirring sight to see!!

The statue at Liberty State Park along the Hudson, the ship in the background was the Queen Elizabeth II on one of her maiden voyages, the largest passenger ship in the world at the time.  This is a great area to visit, Open Spaces, beautiful wide walkways along the harbor viewing the Statue of Liberty and New York City!!

The Memorial Arch at Valley Forge National Park, the NJ Korean War Memorial on the Board Walk at Atlantic City!!

Have a Great Memorial Day Weekend with your Family and Friends, take full advantage of all the wonderful opportunities afforded us by our Freedom, AND Remember, Honor and be Thankful for that Freedom – THEY made the ultimate sacrifice for it!!!

Please visit my Flickr site for photos – https://www.flickr.com/photos/charliefineran/albums/72157652909554018

Yours in Open Space, Charlie Fineran