My thoughts on Memorial Day
This morning (Sunday) I was listening to National Public Radio and for Memorial Day they had a “postcard” from Fr. Myer at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington Virginia.
My father, who was a career Army officer,was stationed at the Pentagon three times so we basically lived down the road from Ft. Meyer and the Cemetery. When we first moved there the fort was large. Comprising most things that a military post has, grocery stores, post exchange, hospital, movies, etc. Over the years though I watched it go from a functioning post to the main functions it always had, to bury our national heroes, the men and women who have died either while in service to their country or having given all or part of their lives to maintaining our military forces.My parents, my mom was a WAC in WWII, are interred there.
Little by little the functioning buildings on the base were torn down to make way for more graves.This started during the Vietnam war.Many soldiers needed places to rest, the cemetery got bigger and bigger and Ft. Meyer got smaller and smaller.I go back quite often now since my folks are there and each time I go there are yet more graves.I must say it isn’t all war because those who have spent their lives in the military are allowed to be buried there but mostly it is all young people who have given their lives for us.
My parents are interred in the columbarium (cremations) where you can see the Pentagon across the highway.Last visit I noticed, in the field across from the columbarium, a strange shaped marble stone maybe about 7 feet high, dark, glistening in the sun.New graves with their little white head stones were near by but it was basically alone. Puzzling what it was I grabbed my sister, brother in law and friend and head over realizing in my heart it was the monument to the fallen from the attack on the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. My heart was in my mouth when we got there. A beautiful tasteful monument, all their names imprinted on the stone, facing the Pentagon.
Well I have found myself rambling since I started this, but back on track. Ft. Meyer is what it originally started out to be since after the civil war, guardians of our military dead.Stationed there are the Old Guard, the wonderful soldiers who ride with the black caisson that carries the casket and the beautiful black horses who convey the fallen to their final resting place, that is who the postcard was about, the 100 year old stables where the ever so special horses live and the Old Guard who care for our dead soldiers. Knowing this place so well and having visited this stables many times I again became choked with my heart in my mouth and remember how it felt when I would see one of the funerals set out from the chapel there. Mounted proud soldiers in stately dark blue uniforms with the wheeled caisson drawn by the beautiful black horses with their black plumes up between their ears, all heads held high, somber faces, respectful escorts, slowly carrying yet another soldier to their final resting place in Arlington National Cemetery.
Please remember all who have lost their lives in defense of The United States, whether in the military or not, there are many.
Susan
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