Arlington

Today being Memorial Day and the fact that we are at war, I decided to go to Arlington and show my respect and look around. This year I have two nephews and a good friend on the front lines in Afghanistan. I've been to Arlington many times but for once I would be alone and could wander where my thoughts took me. Because I am a military dependent I was able to gain access through the back gate on FT Meyers so I was able to avoid most of the crowds for a short while.

As you enter Arlington from the Ft Meyer gate, the first grave stones you see are from 1864, I feel those individuals were among the first interred there when the Federal Government developed the cemetery upon the grounds of Robert E. Lee's home. This time while walking toward the Tomb of the Unknown I was stuck by how many stones were dedicated to the "unknown." Men, young and old, who give all so that we could have the freedom we enjoy. As I moved deeper into the cemetery, I came to the "USS Maine Memorial. The government has recovered the mask of this ship and placed it upon a foundation that posts the names and duty stations of all who died on the USS Maine. One of those duty stations was "coal pusher." The Memorial is surrounded by row upon row of "unknown" grave sites of sailors from the Maine. My guess is the explosion and fire left many unrecognizable. As I walked I lost count on the grave sites labeled unknown.

As I come upon the Tomb of the Unknown the crowds became larger. I noticed that many where wearing name tags identifying them as being from Ohio, Iowa and even CA. There was no loud taking or pushing as everyone strained to see the Guard from the "Old Guard" walk his post. We were in awe as he flawlessly kept pace. The Tomb of the Unknown is in front of amphitheater and from that deck you can look down a grass mall to the city of Washington. When it's clear like today you can see the skyline of the entire Federal area of the city.

As I left I took another route back to my car. I past the memorial to the Space Shuttle astronauts and memorial to the 3 Infantry Division which saw duty in both the WWI and WWII. Then I became mis-oriented (I never get lost) and found myself in a section of grave sites from the Indian Wars, the Spanish American War and World War I. It was then I saw the grave site of James Longstreet, Jr who was born in 1865 and was a West Pointer. He was also the son of James Longstreet, second in command to Robert E. Lee and CSA, the Army of Northern VA. James Longstreet, III, he too an officer, was also buried in this grave. James Longstreet himself is not buried at Arlington having lost his birthright citizenship for his actions related to the Civil War. I am currently reading a book about the Mexico War of 1848 and James Longstreet played a minor role in that war as a junior officer.

As I returned to my car I was humbled by the number of wives who are also buried at Arlington. They are buried within the same grave site as their husbands and identified on the back side of the grave stone. I came along a section of grave sites too small to be adults and found myself in a section reserved for infants and some children from the Korean War era. Each of them tell a story of service and devotion to the country.

I am thankful that I took the opportunity to visit Arlington today and show my respect and gratitude for those service members and their families who have given all for the country. I pray that this sacrifice will be unnecessary in the future but I know that men and woman of valor will be there to defend our country if called upon. Lisa

Thanks, Lisa.

Hear, hear!

And also thank YOU Lisa, your husband, & our fellow board members who served for keeping us safe as well!

God Bless our veterans - past, present, & future.

Lisa,thanx for a run down from your day at Arlington--I've been there once--one of the most humbling experiences in my life so far---Outstanding Lady

I also want to thank you, I hope to be able to bring myself to visit Arlington & a few other places, guess its just not my time yet. I did visit the traveling wall when it was at Edinboro College it was a start anyway but I`m thankful for people like you that can show their respects & then express them so well. Once again Thank You.

I set out to find one of my relatives today. Found him.

cokehead,Outstanding,where was the STONE??When we lived in Vt. we located a small cemetery in the woods behind the house in the woods--maybe 50 Stones,all Rev. War type,so we thought--not just family farm type cemetery,but Town Barn had burnt in the late 1800's & nobody had any real info on the site--here on the Homestead I found a flat stone of a Wm. Packard Jr 7/19/22---2/4/56 T-Sgt3--Marine Air Wing WW2,Korea AM,GS &PH--he was apparently from Sydney NY--God knows how his stone got down by the creek--I finally found & contacted his daughter in law & she told us to keep it,she'd been through a divorce & her X had died --soooo,here it sits,under our flag pole in one of Momma's pretty gardens--when our youngest girl was little,she used to maintain it--she called him Uncle Bill--He's got a permenant home now

The grave is in RI where he lived before and after the Revolutionary War. The family history says he was part of the Continental Army. There were others from the family but I don't know where they are. The original stone is in front of the white one. It has the look of a natural flat rock. The white stone was made maybe 100 years after his death and who ever did it spelled his name wrong, Opps! The Maxson's where Seventh Day Eventists, many where preachers and most where rebels against the crown. My eyes are just now opening to who they where and what they did. 'bout time! I thought Memorial Day weekend was the perfect time to go tromping in the woods to find the site. I'm glad I did. I found dozens of long lost relatives.

cokehead wrote:The grave is in RI where he lived before and after the Revolutionary War. The family history says he was part of the Continental Army. There were others from the family but I don't know where they are. The original stone is in front of the white one. It has the look of a natural flat rock. The white stone was made maybe 100 years after his death and who ever did it spelled his name wrong, Opps! The Maxson's where Seventh Day Eventists, many where preachers and most where rebels against the crown. My eyes are just now opening to who they where and what they did. 'bout time! I thought Memorial Day weekend was the perfect time to go tromping in the woods to find the site. I'm glad I did. I found dozens of long lost relatives.

How Cool! My husband is deep into his genealogy right now. He is working the lines from each of his grandparents on back. He has traced his paternal line back to England to the early 1600 hundreds. His family was at Jamestown during the "starving year." My mom has done my side back to Belgium in the late 1600s. The family then came to the Susquehanna River Valley of PA. My kin were with Washington as he crossed the Delaware and changed the course of the war. My kids are documented members of both the Daughters of the Revolution and Confederate States of America.

Finding the others from your family maybe pretty easy to do now days. Most of the Early census and tax, death and marriage records are now on line. There are several programs that will help you along. Good luck and continued success, Lisa

Thanks for sharing Lisa. I've never been there to see it all. Hopefully someday I will.

sterling40man wrote:Thanks for sharing Lisa. I've never been there to see it all. Hopefully someday I will.

If you ever come down this way, drop me a PM. I'll take you'll through the back gate and you won't have to mess with tour guides and avoid at least some of the crowds. Lisa

Lisa,are you insinuating that you are a back gate lady when in Rome,hook up w/ a Roman,they know the ins & outs

lowfog01 wrote:If you ever come down this way, drop me a PM. I'll take you'll through the back gate and you won't have to mess with tour guides and avoid at least some of the crowds. Lisa

Thanks Lisa. That sounds great. I'm sure I won't have a problem with my retired ID and the wife and kids also have dependent ID's also.

sterling40man wrote:

lowfog01 wrote:If you ever come down this way, drop me a PM. I'll take you'll through the back gate and you won't have to mess with tour guides and avoid at least some of the crowds. Lisa

Thanks Lisa. That sounds great. I'm sure I won't have a problem with my retired ID and the wife and kids also have dependent ID's also.

You won't need me at all. That id is your "pass go and collect card" in many situations around DC. I hope you are asking if the places you are going to offer a military discount. Lowes offers 10% on everything everyday. I think that's a nation wide promo. Lots of restaurants, local and chain, offer military discounts, too. I always ask at hotels as I'm booking the room, if you don't ask you maybe spending too much. Also have you checked for lodging in the "Travel Lodges" on military facilities? A room at the Navy Lodge in VA Beach, right on the beach, is around $70. There is a place in NYC and Hawaii for about the same. When we travel we always check to see if there is a Travel lodge on the route and plan to stay there if it fits our schedule.

These are not run on military service dollars, they are run with Moral, Welfare and Recreation dollars and are generally matched with outside funding from corporations.

Anyway have a great day, Lisa

lowfog01 wrote:You won't need me at all. That id is your "pass go and collect card" in many situations around DC. I hope you are asking if the places you are going to offer a military discount. Lowes offers 10% on everything everyday. I think that's a nation wide promo. Lots of restaurants, local and chain, offer military discounts, too. I always ask at hotels as I'm booking the room, if you don't ask you maybe spending too much. Also have you checked for lodging in the "Travel Lodges" on military facilities? A room at the Navy Lodge in VA Beach, right on the beach, is around $70. There is a place in NYC and Hawaii for about the same. When we travel we always check to see if there is a Travel lodge on the route and plan to stay there if it fits our schedule.

These are not run on military service dollars, they are run with Moral, Welfare and Recreation dollars and are generally matched with outside funding from corporations.

Anyway have a great day, Lisa

Thanks for the info Lisa. I have looked into it before. There are a lot of great benefits for being a veteran. I cash in on that 10% discount at Lowes every chance I get. All you do is show them a copy of your DD 214 and they put it in their computer system.