Arlington National Cemetery

When I am in Washington, DC, I always try to make a stop at Arlington National Cemetery as its haunting beauty touches my heart and makes me remember and contemplate.  It is a place of ethereal beauty and sadness, and a place everyone should have to see, as it reminds of the ultimate sacrifice.  On the day I visited, the weather was perfect, sunny but not too warm.  My good friend from high school Leslie Jewell who now resides in Arlington, Virginia, dropped me at the Marine Corps Iwo Jima Memorial and after some great pictures, I walked into the cemetery from a small entrance on the side.  It was quiet here and the rows of white headstones calmed my senses and my mind began to drift back in time -- to place myself among these people to try and honor them by remembering them.

After walking up and down the entrance drive to the cemetery, so that I could photograph the memorials here such as the Spanish-American War, the 4th Division, and the Armored Services,

I went to the visitor's center, obtained a map and bought a few items including a book with the history of the cemetery and descriptions of the areas and graves throughout the location.  I then headed out on my own to walk through as much of the cemetery as I possibly could on this day.  I have taken the official tour of the cemetery previously and so was familiar with some of the more notable sections and memorials.  This day was just to be me and my map and a list of memorials throughout the cemetery. 

By the end of my time in Arlington, I had walked almost the entire place.  From the very front to the very back.  In the popular tourist areas, this Sunday still had many visitors and I walked with purpose amongst them.  I always smile when I overhear some of the conversations and realize how little some folks really know about their nation's history.  For example, the two fifty plus year-olds in the Spanish-American War memorial with the tribute to the crew of the destroyed Maine, saying to each other in surprise -- "an American navy ship was sunk in Havana, Cuba??".  Believe me as a history prof, I just kept walking as this was not the day to stop and give lectures about history :) 

I photographed all of the war memorials located within the cemetery grounds as well as some key graves.  My favorite part of the cemetery on this day, however, was in the back along the wall that separates the cemetery from Fort Myer.  I walked alone -- totally alone, through areas where a few Revolutionary War veterans are buried, the War of 1812 unknowns, to the entrance gate to the fort with the soldiers at attention, among the rows of civil war dead many of whom are unknown, to the haunting Confederate War memorial surrounded by the unique pointed headstones of the Confederate soldiers, and then to the remote section for those of World War I and the lonely, majestic Cross of Argonne. 

The cross is located about 20 feet from the old stone fence that borders the fort and after my photographs were complete for this area, I sauntered up to the stone wall and watched the soldiers and civilians on the base go about their everyday lives.  I wondered if they ever stopped to think about the people buried here just a few yards away and I wonder if anyone comes to this section anymore to visit a long, lost loved one.  I was saddened that I saw no one -- literally no one at all for about an hour in this section of the cemetery. 

I walked fascinated by the section of the cemetery where gravestones carry the names of those who were lost at sea.  These markers line steep hills in the cemetery but help remind one of those who never returned.  At the Tomb of the Unknowns, I witnessed and filmed a laying of the wreath service by local high schools.  The precision always amazes one.  (you can view this video on the bottom of this blog)  I photographed the USS Serpens memorial and then headed to the newest sections where the 9/11 Pentagon Group Burial Marker is located and the graves of our most recent losses in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Here I was saddened to see the young families with little children gathering around recent burial sites to place flowers.  One little boy sat and played with his toy car on what must have been his father's grave and as I contined walking with a heavy heart, I saw down one long row, all by herself, a young woman sitting with a book and reading next to a grave.  I hope that this section soon becomes more quiet with few, if any, new gravesites added.  

As I walked with a tired pace back towards the visitors center, I stopped at one last spot.  The cedar tree and small plaque that commemorates those Marines lost in Lebanon in 1983.  Cars went by me and other tourists passed this small spot without notice, but I remembered that horrible time when young men of my generation were so quickly lost. 

My feet were now aching and very sore but my spirits were full of all that I had been able to see.  I had set out to find all of the war memorials and key commemorations from oldest to most recent, and I had accomplished this task.  I had captured the images that would hopefully help my students and those from around the world always remember the people who are laid to rest here in this beautiful and tranquil place.  As I walked up to the visitors center, I saw Leslie in her car and knew it was time to catch my plane and head home.

I will post in just a day or two about what I found on my trip to Chicago recently!  Something very unusual :)