Arlington National Cemetery.

     Another fun filled day. Up early and bought tickets on the trolley. We have really wanted to get over to Arlington and see the Cemetery...on the ride over we discovered about 50 more things we want to do (and us with only 2 days left). This cemetery is huge and has 4 distinct places you really want to see...we decided to start at the top and see The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, then Arlington House and finally the Cemetery. The fourth spot we wanted to visit was the burial plot for JFK and the rest of the Kennedy Family, this I will share in a separate blog.
     Arlington is made up of 624 acres and shelters the remains of over 320,000 servicemen and women. Buried here are veterans from every major conflict in our history. It bears witness to the whole of American History. The cemetery averages 7 burials a day and, at this rate, the cemetery will be filled by 2050. One in three of those buried here are unknown. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a must see at Arlington, the Changing of the Guard is something every American should witness. The sadness you feel is only surpassed by the pride you have and the sense of who you are as an American.

Something to see.

Such wonderful young men

     The young sentinels who guard the tomb, strive to be perfect, as they honor this fallen soldier of our country. The tomb was established in 1921 and has been guarded by troops from the Third US Infantry around the clock, since. The Tomb reads, "Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God".

The Sentinel

The Tomb.

Next we visited Arlington house...a perfect view to the city below...within the view are the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and the Capitol Building. Conversely you can see Arlington House from almost anywhere on the Mall. It is a awesome sight. In 1802 the house was inherited by  George Washington Parke Custis the step son of George Washington. He was raised as the nation's first presidential son. He spent his life in commemoration of the first president. Between 1802 and 1818 he built Arlington house as the centerpiece of his 1,100 acre plantation. In 1831 Custis' only surviving child Mary Anna married Lt. Robert E. Lee. Lee, who became one of the countries most famous soldiers, lived on this plantation for the next 30 years. At the beginning of the Civil War Lee resigned his commission and the family vacated the house. Many powerful people were upset with his decision to join the confederacy, his land was taken and used by federal forces. After the battle at Bull Run there were so many dead they actually transported 2000 of the unknown soldiers to Arlington, and buried them in a mass grave within 100 feet of the house. One Union General felt by doing this Lee would never return to his old home. By the end of the war over 16,000 Union Soldiers were buried at Arlington.

And Finally the Cemetery...every view is sacred and sad and leaves you speechless...0ver 320,000 dead...so many of our young men and women.

During WW II the most decorated soldier was  Audie L Murphy from Texas, he who won over 20 medals including the Congressional Medal of Honor. I was amazed that he had such a humble burial site, no big marker, just a plan white cross. This guy was a true American Hero. You may remember the name because he became a movie star, always playing the good cowboy. He died at the age of 47...
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Almost always played the good guy cowboy in his movies.