Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Arlington National Cemetery & War Memorials

I hope you aren't growing weary of my photos of our trip to Washington DC.  I've seen the comments dropping off... but I will go ahead and share this day with you as it was quite an amazing day.  Our first destination on Friday was Arlington National Cemetery.  It's a huge place and luckily we were able to get a pass to drive ourselves through the place due to hubby's war injury related handicap card.  The first photo still brings chills to me.  We were driving with our windows open on a roadway above this one and I heard a military band and asked Steve to stop so I could see and take some photos.  First to pass was the military band playing patriotic music, then I heard the clip clop of horses hooves and saw the men on horseback, pulling the caisson with a flag draped casket on it.  The family followed behind as they went towards the gravesite.
We then went on to the Arlington House, the Robert E. Lee Memorial.  Learn more HERE.
Below is the beautiful gazebo in Arlington. 
Here is another perspective, the Arlington House sitting high on the hill and before you is the Eternal Flame at President John F. Kennedy's grave, with Jaqueline next to him. 
This wonderful man was my President when I was a Freshman in High School - and I will never forget the voice on the intercom at school, informing us all that our President had been shot, and then later that he had died.  ::sigh:: 
 Our beautiful and stylish First Lady, Jackie.
One of the most memorable lines of his Inaugural Address is inscribed in the wall around the plaza in front of the graves.
Next we drove to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to watch the Changing of the Guards, done every 30 minutes during the day.  This is the building where people watch the change. Dayle took a video of the Changing of the Guards - click HERE if you want to see.
The beautiful marble tomb. 
The changing of the guard was very quiet and solemn, you could hear the metallic click of the heels of the guards. 
 The Sergeant of the Guard inspecting the relieving guard prior to his assuming duty.
 The rifle inspection.
It was so neat to see this in person after hearing about it my whole life. 
This photo was taken from another vantage point by my sister Roberta.  
This is the front of the building at the Tomb of the Unknowns. 
Then... we found the grave of the man that Dayle helped the MIA bureau identify from his remains found in Laos several years ago.  Dayle had seen him shot down and was shot down later that day and had no idea that his body had never been recovered.  They contacted Dayle and with his description, his family was finally able to lay him to rest.
Next we went to the Lincoln Memorial.  I love this place!!  Isn't it gorgeous? 
Me and my honey in front of good old Honest Abe! 
A great President. 
Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.   
The Washington Monument rises high from the other end of the reflecting pool, which was empty and under repair.. darn it.  The fountain in the forefront are at the World War II Memorial and the Capitol Building in the distance. 
Next we trekked over to the Vietnam Memorial, do you see Dayle and I reflected in the wall?   
This was a very touching moment.  Dayle found the name of his good friend who was his roommate during flight school in the Army when he was learning to fly the helicopter before heading to Vietnam.  I met him too, and he was a doll. 
Jerry Johnson.  ::sigh:: 
Dayle went to see the Korean Memorial and got these photos while I rested my tootsies. 
Next was the Jefferson Memorial.  This is a beautiful building is so pretty on the water.
The inside of the building. 
And then.. we drove to Annapolis, checked into our hotel, and then went to our Aunt Helyn's house and met up with her and our cousins and followed them to the private beach that our cousin is a member of for a Crab Feed & BBQ, generously put on by our cousins Mark and his wife Dale, Scott and his wife Maribeth and Steve.  What fun we had! 
This is the view of the bay and river looking out from the picnic pavillion.  Gorgeous! 
My twin siblings, Robert and Roberta - the crabby ones! :-)
And so, another long and amazing day for us.  The next day was our family reunion with our Aunt Helyn and Uncle Harold's family - and our Aunt MaryAnn and Uncle Fred also joined us from Oklahoma.  Monday is our tour of Gettysburg Battlefield.  I hope you want to see a couple more posts of this trip! :-)  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 



19 comments:

  1. Oh yes! Yes more posts please! I'm so enjoying your vacation with you. The photos are amazing and I thank you so much for sharing. Please keep them coming.

    I'm livng vicariously through you. :-)

    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  2. Nope... I'll never not enjoy traveling with you. Especially, to a place like this with all this history and interesting things to see. In fact, I enjoyed seeing the Korean Memorial for the first time. What a great trip this was. What a fun family reunion was had. I'm ready for Gettysburg, bring it on.

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  3. I am enjoying these posts very much. So moving. This one brought tears to my eyes and I don't even know any of the people. Thank you for sharing.

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  4. I just watched the video and have tears flowing down my face. How moving. Thank you, thank you.

    Blessings,
    Betsy
    Http://Betsy-thesimplelifeofaqueen.blogspot.com

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  5. I love Arlington National Cemetary. What a special and sacred place. I spent an afternoon just "wandering" there...found the grave of Lincoln's son, Robert. That was very special to me. People still leave flowers there in thanks for what his father did for this country. Your pictures have made me want to return again soon. What an amazing city!

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  6. Thanks for sharing your trip with some of us that will probably never see any of this in person! My daughter was fortunate enough to go on a school trip in middle school but her camera broke on about picture number 2... which meant still at the airport :(

    I work at a local community college and we employ veteran students through a work study program for vets... when I started here 15 years ago our vet work study was a young man that had been an honor guard (you have to be a certain build and height to qualify!)... he had lots of stories to tell... he also was an unbelievable expert on our American flag due to his work as an honor guard!

    Keep them coming!
    ~Chris

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  7. A beautiful post, I have been to these places in the days before 'digital photography' I do not have any photographs of my trip. You brought back happy and poignant memories for me. I am glad you had such a fantastic trip. You must both be in need of a long rest. :) x

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  8. I live in the area and tend to take the things around here for granted. It is always interesting to see another person's take on this beautiful city.

    The Lincoln Memorial is my absolute favorite place in all of DC. I could sit at the top of the stairs for hours and people watch. :)

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  9. My husband and I went to DC nearly 15 years ago. It was such a wonderful trip. My brother was killed in Viet Nam so the memorial was very special to us also. Your beautiful pictures bring all the memories of our trip back to me. Thanks for sharing with us.

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  10. Teresa--
    More great photos! I had never seen the Korean War Monument before; one of my uncles served during that conflict. How odd that this memorial is not better known...
    How wonderful that your husband was able to help return one of our fallen to his family and to his homeland!

    Dottie--
    I am sorry for the loss your family suffered. I'm glad that our nation is finally honoring those who lost their lives and those who served in the Vietnam War.

    Blessings to you both,
    Aimee

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    1. Aimee---Thank you so much! It has been so very long ago & yet in so many ways it seems like just yesterday. Yes, I am glad, too, that finally all those who gave all are finally being recognized as the patriots that they were.

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  11. Your posts are never boring Teresa - in fact I'm enjoying your visit to Washington DC. I'll never see it myself so its great seeing all your pictures. I actually found today's post quite moving. Thank you. xoxox

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  12. So very special to view some of what you got to see...much that was not there 40+ years ago when I went as a child, Teresa. Thanks for making the time to share with us. Please continue.
    Gracie <3

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  13. WOW! So much to see. The first picture was kind of haunting! I don't know how to explain that feeling. ut beautiful! I never saw the changing of the guards. Didn;'t know that it lasted that long. Interesting! Very moving post!

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  14. Oh my! Those pictures from Arlington put chills up my back and tears in my eyes...so moving and humbling. Thank you.

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  15. It looks like you were able to do so much in a short amount of time. I remember the weather was really nice here then not like this week which is ultra hot. Thanks for sharing your trip memories.

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  16. I love these posts Teresa, I can't remember if I commented on the others or not but I have read every one with interest and made a mental note to come back to this section of your blog when my husband and I finally get to visit Washington (probably top of my personal travel wishlist, especially now).

    As a fellow force's wife I can't find the words to express what I feel about the Arlington National Cemetery. So many young people who's lives were cruelly finished, it just breaks my heart.

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  17. Thank you for this new post. I hope read and see more and more...It's never too much. It's super !
    What nice faces (and heart)you have all.
    Il really like Robert and Roberta.
    Read you soon, as usual.
    Julie

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  18. A beautiful post, thanks for sharing your photo's and thoughts. I too remember vividly the moment we in Holland heard that John F. Kennedy was shot. I still was a kid, but some things, and it must have been the impact it had on the grown ups, stay with you.

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