Monday, September 22, 2008

Arlington National Cemetery

The cemetery pretty much consumed our day, as it should. It is hard to grasp the fact of all of the great people who are burried here, and what they did for all of us.
We started out visiting the Kennedy gravesite with the eternal flame. Just off to the left is Bobby's site. I have wondered for decades what would have been had they been allowed to complete their mission. ( Especially Bobby in the 1968 mess) Or would we even have been there had not JFK been assasinated?
Another important person for me was Medgar Evers, who was gunned down in his driveway in Mississippi in 1963. That was when I had just graduated from high school, and was very interested in the civil rights movement. I had considered going to Washington D.C. during the Freedom Train movement, but didn't have the nerve to do it.
Then there is the resting place for Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier from World War 2.
If I remember correctly, he was 5'4" tall.
The list of the well known goes on and on. And there are many thousands of heroes here whose names we don't know.
We watched the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknowns.
We toured through the Robert E Lee mansion that the Arlington Cemetery property was once part of.
All in all, for me this is one of the highlights of the trip. It certainely makes you think.
Tomorrow we will tour the Civil War sites that we are surrounded by here in Virginia.
Ernie

2 comments:

Sky said...

sounds like yo had a very cool day, one you will alk about for years :) I know I cant wait to hear more about it. Sheila

MiMi of 12 Angels with More on the Way. said...

Hey you two looks like you are having a blast. I when on Skylar's blog and I have fallen in love with that sweet face and Angel eyes. I left your daughter a note on the blog. I have been sweep of my feet by him in that chair of is. I would love to meet him and just plant kisses all over his face. I would be back soon for more of your adventure and Skylar's too.

Tennessee has (Stones River National Battlefield [Dec. 31, 1862-Jan. 2, 1863] From this Nat. Park web site: "600-acre National Battlefield includes Stones River National Cemetery, established in 1865, with more than 6,000 Union graves; and the Hazen Brigade Monument, believed to be the oldest, intact Civil War monument still standing in its original location." 3501 Old Nashville Highway, Murfreesboro, TN )wonderful civil war park and cemetery in Murfreesboro about 5 miles from our home maybe you can route yourself over to see that when you leave Loretta Lynn's place. I would love to show you around. We also have some great old manson tp see. We have the Sam Davis Home and the Oaklands Museum: (900 N. Maney Avenue, Murfreesboro, TN. Antebellum plantation house built 1815-1806. A raid by Nathan Bedford Forrest occurred here. From web site: "On July 13, 1862, Confederate cavalrymen under Nathan Bedford Forrest surprised and defeated Federal forces encamped on the plantation grounds (front lawn of Oaklands) near the spring and at the courthouse as part of a raid on Union-occupied Murfreesboro. It is said that Lewis and Adeline's children watched the fighting from the window of the second floor hallway. Union Colonel William Duffield, commander of the 9th Michigan Infantry Regiment, was wounded in the skirmish and taken into the house, where he was treated by the family. The Confederates accepted the surrender of Murfreesboro inside the mansion. The town remained in Confederate hands until the Union victory at the December 31-January 2, 1862-63 Battle of Murfreesboro, or Stones River, after which the Federals regained control for the rest of the war.)

See you in the funny papers.

Ksren