The morning in Manassas was cold (26) but sunny. We left early for Arlington Cemetary for the Veteran's Day activities and were comfortably seated in the ampitheater shortly after 10 for the 11 am service. President Bush was in NY City and the speaker was VP Cheney. Although it was cold all day as the temperature barely reached 50 in the afternoon, we were warmed by the sun and the blanket beneath us shielding us from the cold marble seats. We had also dressed warmly for the day and there were enough people present that the light wind never reached us as we sat in our places.
I remember as a youngster that at 11:00 am, on the 11th day of the 11th month, we would always stand for a moment of silence. At that point the day was called Armistice Day and remained as that until 1954 when President Eisenhower renamed the day "Veteran's Day" so as to honor veterans from all wars. The significance in the 11/11/11 was that that was the exact time the Treaty of Versailles was signed, thus "Armistice Day." Armistice Day was not a federal or school holiday when I was a child but the moment of silence would be exercised wherever you might be, whether at school, at work, at the Hecht's store downtown, or alone by yourself at home. As you might guess I kept my eye on my "synchronized" watch this morning and we did not rise until 11:00:20 am. I suspect I could have stood up alone at 11 sharp, but .....
We were two rows behind a couple from the Netherlands (assuming so since they were speaking Dutch) and they were obviously travelers dressed in their matching, insulated jackets. She was holding flags for both.
As might be expected there were many vets scattered throughout those in attendance. Without exaggeration, they were of all shapes, sizes, and dress. Some had just climbed off their motorcycles and others were in suits and ties. They shared one thing in common. When the flag procession and recession occurred you didn't have to worry about whether they knew how to show respect for the flag. There wasn't a hand that failed to salute or cover the heart and each knew where to look to find the flag. It was also a relief to enjoy the National Anthem without some numbscull emphasizing the "O." We truly felt as if we were in the company of patriots. Many wore their hats designating their Vet status and there were hats from all over the country. There were vets from WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, and Iraq. Apparently there is only one remaining WWI vet yet alive and he is 108 years of age and lives in WVA. He was in WVA today too.
Of special note (and not the reason I was there) was the Mistress of Ceremonies. Still a "10!"
Again, Vice President Cheney spoke and Bo Derek seemingly enjoyed every word. In the previous pic you can see VP Cheney blowing his nose. He was obviously "under the weather." His voice was soft and his skin color had a pallor that without the nose blowing might have been the cause for some concern.
During the address the US flag slightly below and to VP Cheney's right (our left, of course)
toppled over; fortunately caught by its bearer before it touched ground. He was quicker than I was with my camera but I did catch the final moment after he had replaced the flag in its cup and was checking how securely it was held.
Also in attendance were several cabinet members but we will concentrate on the most recent of several IU attendees and graduates who have served President Bush in his cabinet, Secretary of Defense Gates.
After the ceremony I was able to capture a pic of another flag bearer. One of the flags will go to Justin's mother; the other to Belart's mother.
The hillsides at Arlington are used for memorial stones placed for servicemen who were confirmed to have died but whose remains were never found. There are 11 (coincidentally) such sections in the cemetary and the markers are close enough that you might easily conclude that the stones are, in fact, solely memorials.
Throughout the cemetary you would find people lingering at markers that were obviously of family members. I took a picture of a woman seated in a chair next to a marker with one hand on the gravestone. Her other hand was turning pages of a photo album. Being neither a photojournalist nor one interested in intruding on what was obviously a very personal moment, and out of embarrassment that I took the picture in the first place, I deleted it from those taken. The one below is a little different. In fact, there was a little laughter shared among those seated around the grave marker.
Not much laughter here. When you enlarge the pic read the honor and then note the age. Arlington is filled with heroes and there were several times today when I had to force back the swelling forming in my throat.
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