Memorial Day Reading

 By chance, I found myself reading two books about Arlington National Cemetery:

"On Hallowed Ground" by Robert M. Poole and

"Where Valor Rests" which is a National Geographic picture volume

My parents are interred in Section 69 at ANC, on a small rise overlooking the Pentagon. What I did not realize until I read these books: shortly (2 years and 4 months) after Mother's burial, on Sept 11, 2001, the American Airlines Flight 77--doomed--came screaming in only tens of feet over the Section, aimed at the West Face of the Pentagon. Debris from the attack was scattered all over the Section, which was declared a crime scene.

Because our family lived for a time in Alexandria VA in the 1950's, I have some memories of the Cemetery. Times were freer in those days: on a nice day, Mother would bring us kids over to tour the Mansion, or at least the grounds, and explore the Cemetery on some lovely spring or summer day.

As a military family, we could use the rec facilities at the adjoining Army base, Fort Myers. We swam in the pool there frequently, in days before air conditioning.

On Memorial Day in 1958 the Unknown Soldiers (remains) from WW2 and Korea were interred. There was a huge ceremony, with President Eisenhower, national and world leaders attending, just a few miles from our home.

No, I was not invited: I was 10. But my Dad was a member of Army Counter Espionage (a security force); every one of those guys in or around DC was called in to do security for the event. He spent the day in a hot car on one of the winding lanes of the Cemetery, with all the rest, keeping their eyes open for trouble.

We--Mom, my brother and I watched the event on TV. It was among the first such events televised in the US.

The Lee Family of old, had direct ties to George Washington, through his wife. Washington's campaign kit, including a large tent and lots of furnishings, ended up stored in the Lee Mansion on the property; rescued by one of the servants, presented to the Union Army. Other Washington artifacts were looted. But the campaign kit is on display at the Yorktown battle museum which we say a view years ago.

History.  It flows along, it flows through us all. 

One of our great nephews had a couple of tours in  Afghanistan in the first decade of the current century. He lost friends; they are now interred in Section 60, the Saddest Acre in America. He very nearly ended up there, himself.