On to Cape Cod

One comment that keeps being repeated in every location: visitors remark with sadness how young the soldiers are who have died. And at every stop families who have had loved ones die visit and place mementoes by the boots bearing the name of their soldier. Colored photos, ribbons, roses, letters are all being left by the boots. It has become a living memorial and tribute to those who have fallen.

Throughout Massachusetts organizers have placed in the front row the names of Massachusetts soldiers. Boots tagged for John James Van Gyzen, 20, of Taunton were decorated with a white rose and his photo tied on with red, white and blue striped ribbon.

His family placed them there while the exhibit was in Taunton this week, shortly after they buried him. The display of combat boots was on one side of town, while his funeral took place on the other. The rose had barely begun to wilt by the time it reached Cape Cod. See the news article.