Laguna, New Mexico.

Regular readers of this humble blog know that I like to feature historic bridges. This colorful bridge spanning Interstate 40 near Laguna, New Mexico, has piqued my curiosity for several years as we passed underneath it on our way between North Dakota and Arizona each year. In 2021, I took the nearest exit to capture some photos. Then, I promptly lost them in my Lightroom catalog somewhere. I was looking for something else on my hard drive recently, and I came across these images. I guess it’s time for me to tell the story of this bridge.

When I post about historic bridges, I usually include construction and design details from research on the Internet. This bridge, which appears to have been completed around 2009, is not documented in any site about bridge architecture I found. Just by looking at it, the construction seems to be a modern concrete and steel design. But, it turns out, the story of the dedication of this memorial bridge is much more important than its architecture.

We took exit 104 toward New Mexico Highway 124 so I could take some photos and found ourselves on another historic road. This New Mexico highway is one of the remnants of U.S. Route 66. Only a few meters from the exit, a memorial caught my attention.

The bridge was dedicated to honor American servicemen who died during the 77-day Battle of Khe Sanh in the Vietnam War (1967-1968). This brutal battle resulted in the loss of over 2,000 U.S. lives.

My Internet search for information about the bridge provided the story. Harold Lockwood, a resident of New Mexico, played a key role in getting the bridge named after the battle. He advocated for the state to install and dedicate the bridge as a way to preserve the memory of those who fought and died at Khe Sanh.

In May 2009, a dedication ceremony was held at the bridge, and transportation officials, veterans’ organizations, and local officials were in attendance. This ceremony solidified the bridge’s purpose as a lasting tribute.

Further solidifying the bridge’s significance, the scenic historical marker specifically honors the ten New Mexico servicemen who lost their lives in the Battle of Khe Sanh.

The Khe Sanh Bridge serves not only as a memorial to those lost in the Vietnam War but also as a symbol of unity and remembrance for all veterans and their families. It represents the act of “bridging the gap” that connects veterans and their sacrifices to the present day. You can click on any of the images above to view them in 2K HD on my Flickr site. You can pinch-zoom the pictures on Flickr to make the marker text larger and more readable. My Flickr album is located here.

John Steiner