Route 66 To walk the Serpent

[Edward S.]

Re: Route 66 To walk the Serpent

Mark would you like to tell us how many cars you judged that got a full deduct for that dam hole ? Great answer, I am still laughing. Happy Holidays

[Bill O.]

Re: Route 66 To walk the Serpent

Vette is a '62...also note the fuelie emblem under the crossed flags fender emblem.

[Christopher R.]

Re: Route 66 To walk the Serpent

See the black sign on top of the street signs in the old photo? The long one with the gold star? (You should know what a gold star means.) The sign in the old photo designates that intersection as "Joseph Ciaramitaro Sq." They are called "hero squares." If a serviceman is killed while in service to this country, you can petition the City to designate an intersection as that serviceman's hero square. Th City will come out and hold a ceremony and put up the sign. These hero squares are all over the City. Well over a thousand. Usually the designated intersection is near where the serviceman lived. Most of these were put up right after World War II. But the City still designates new ones today. The City takes them very seriously. They are fastidious about maintaining the old ones. By now, most of these servicemen and their families are long gone from the City. In many instances, the signs are in neighborhoods that have gone from residential to commercial. But the City still maintains them.

Very moving story a few years ago near me. A woman moved into the neighborhood from out of state and wondered what those signs were. When she found out, she was impressed and then she started wondering who the serviceman was. She researched him, and found his last living relative, his sister. This serviceman's family moved out of this area in the 1950s. She interviewed the sister, and published his story. Nothing extraordinary about the serviceman or the way he was killed in combat. But the story was so sad. A very well attended rededication ceremony was held. I go by it most days. I have no idea who the serviceman was. But I am moved every time I go by.