As you read earlier, Steph and I spent last weekend in Washington DC. I thought it was very neat to see our nation's history and landmarks. It is pretty awe-inspiring. There is so much to do and see, we couldn't begin to see it all. I found myself really drawn to what it took to make this country. There is the Library of Congress and the White House along with other things. They didn't have near the impact on me as our war memorials. There are memorials to all the soldiers that have fought in major conflicts. Once you see them, they have the ability to make you stop and think. That is what they did to me. This is what struck me most about DC.
This is a picture from Arlington Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Solider. We were there for the a special ceremony where American Legion representatives from all 50 states laid wreaths on the tomb.
A view of the cemetery from Robert E. Lee's house. I did not know that Arlington Cemetery was built on his land. He left his house at the beginning of the Civil War to never return.
High ranking officers are able to have special headstones as opposed to the government issued headstones.
A view of some of the government issued headstones can be seen behind me.
The grave site of President John F. Kennedy.
This is a view of the World War II Memorial. There were a group of WWII soldiers there visiting the memorial for the first time. They were brought in by the Honor Flight Group. It is said that WWII soldiers are dying at the rate of 1,200 a day. It really struck me that this was to be their first and probable last time viewing it. They were some of the lucky ones that survived the war. I was humbled to be beside them. The look on their face was hard to describe. It was a mixture of pride and sorrow. This memorial honors the survivors and those who did not.
Steph posted a picture of me at the Korean War reflecting pool. I thought I would end this post with a picture from the same pool. I found myself reflecting on everything it took to build this country. It took educated people who knew how to build a country through laws and regulations, but it also took common men and women who gave their lives. Most of them didn't get the honor of others, but they were just as important.
This is a picture from Arlington Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Solider. We were there for the a special ceremony where American Legion representatives from all 50 states laid wreaths on the tomb.
A view of the cemetery from Robert E. Lee's house. I did not know that Arlington Cemetery was built on his land. He left his house at the beginning of the Civil War to never return. 
High ranking officers are able to have special headstones as opposed to the government issued headstones.
A view of some of the government issued headstones can be seen behind me.
The grave site of President John F. Kennedy.
This is a view of the World War II Memorial. There were a group of WWII soldiers there visiting the memorial for the first time. They were brought in by the Honor Flight Group. It is said that WWII soldiers are dying at the rate of 1,200 a day. It really struck me that this was to be their first and probable last time viewing it. They were some of the lucky ones that survived the war. I was humbled to be beside them. The look on their face was hard to describe. It was a mixture of pride and sorrow. This memorial honors the survivors and those who did not. 
Steph posted a picture of me at the Korean War reflecting pool. I thought I would end this post with a picture from the same pool. I found myself reflecting on everything it took to build this country. It took educated people who knew how to build a country through laws and regulations, but it also took common men and women who gave their lives. Most of them didn't get the honor of others, but they were just as important.
1 comment:
Nice Blog, Jay!
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