Veterans Park
Just north of the giant blue pipe that runs over the canal next to 301 is Veterans Park. It is an inspiration and a tribute to the bravery and memory of those who have served in the armed forces, especially those with a connection to Hillsborough County. It makes one proud to be part of Florida, knowing how our fellow citizens look out for each other. In the small museum are framed medal of honor citations of those who left positions of safety to rescue others in the line of duty. Also in the museum are the types of guns (handheld and larger) used in the various wars that Floridians have been involved in. I even saw in a case the actual machete used by a citizen of Hillsborough County while in the Pacific. There were also buttons from Spanish Army uniforms during the Spanish-American war.
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Outside are several picnic tables and grassy areas well shaded by trees where one can relax during good weather. Throughout the park are monuments of different types. There are separate plaques to remember those from Hillsborough County who died while serving in the Spanish-American War, World War 1, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Iraqi wars. There is even a monument to those who were/are prisoners of war or missing in action. At the end of the park opposite the museum is a ring of educational plaques of all the various military actions the US has been involved in going all the way back to the battles with the Barbary Pirates (before Florida was a state), including the killing of Bin Laden, the Salvadorian Civil War, and the incident in Mogadishu, Somalia. There is even a monument to the dogs killed or missing in action as part of the Vietnam War memorial. Interesting.
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Written by Daniel Noe