Route 66: A Sombre Sunday Start

We made our way to Santa Monica Pier on the Sunday morning to start the route.  Backwards obviously!

We were surprised to see that something had 'sprung up' on the beach over night so, after parking on the Pier - it costs $12 - we wandered over to see what was happening.

We found this quite upsetting and, whilst it's not an up-beat post and not specific to Route 66, we thought it important to take the photos and share this with people.

This is the Arlington West Memorial.  It is painstakingly set up for each Sunday next to the Santa Monica Pier by members of 'Veterans for Peace Los Angeles' The aim is to give awareness on the huge extent of the number of fallen and those who live with their injuries as a result of giving their services in the military.

 I feel there is very little interest in the activities of our British forces in general within the UK, only to the extent that our Government shouldn't waste the money and spend it elsewhere.  I'm certain there is hardly a consideration at all by people in the UK of the number of lives lost by the allied and  U.S forces or, indeed, those from Iraq or Afghanistan.

A signs reads 'If we were to acknowledge the number of Iraqi deaths the crosses would fill this entire beach'.






We personally had no idea of the number of US troops killed in comparison to the 438 members we have lost since 2001.
 Each white cross represents a single individual killed with each red cross symbolising 10 individuals.  The blue crosses are for each member of the Armed Services who had been killed that week.

Some more signs -
'American military in Afghanistan killed - 2,130.  Wounded or injured - 15,322.'  

'American military in Iraq killed - 4,486.  Wounded or injured - 32,227.'

You're invited to walk amongst the memorial where some family members, in their grief, have decorated single crosses with personal items and photos of their loved ones.  It didn't seem appropriate to walk in amongst the crosses which were set out perfectly spaced apart.

The volunteers had a stand set up to the side with leaflets and items for sale that would go towards helping to support veterans.  There was also a large board of names - a role of each person who has been killed since 2001.

It was surprising that the military suicides were recognised on the 'headstone'.  If you read the 'Veterans for Peace' web site they give more information and also on a recent CBS investigation across the States, it was found the average number of veterans taking their own lives in a year totals approximately 120.  
This is is all tragic and not something to be hidden and why 'Veterans for Peace' exist to raise awareness of the needs and support that veterans require when they return from active service.