Arlington Cemetery - You know you are getting old when…

Jun 12

…many of the people highlighted in the tour of Arlington Cemetery were in “current events” news as you grew up and became an adult.

Our tour included many views of those rows and rows of identical white gravestones you think of when you picture Arlington, but there were also unique gravestones and memorials chosen by the families. A famous one was the Eternal Flame chosen by Jackie Kennedy to memorialize JFK (John F. Kennedy). When I was a kid, it was common to be asked, “Where were you when JFK died?” I suppose that doesn’t happen much anymore. It was November 22, 1963. I was in first grade, I believe. I remember a teacher coming into our classroom to tell our teacher, and then she told us.

I remember the news showing the men pointing at the balcony where Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot. I remember the news of Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination, too. My mom turned on the “Today Show” on every morning. The TV was in the family room and Mom was in the kitchen making breakfast. I heard the news as I walked down the stairs and said to Mom, “Now Robert Kennedy was killed, too?” She hadn’t heard and rushed into the other room to watch. I often think of those things when I hear the lyrics, “Bad news on the doorstep, I couldn’t take one more step,” in “Bye, bye, Miss American Pie.” I imagine that happens to others of my generation, too.

We watched the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The cemetery was hugely crowded so there were tons of people watching with us. Once again, I was impressed with the silence and respect. Even the kids in huge groups on field trips were quiet.

Our tour guide did a good job of giving us the history of the cemetery and highlighting some of the graves. He has been a tour guide for many years and even trained others. We’ve been very lucky in our tour guides, I think. I love people who are enthusiastic about their topics. He pointed out that when they placed the remains of a veteran of the Vietnam war into the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, people were pretty sure they knew who it was and they turned out to be proven right when years later DNA revealed his identity. His family had his remains moved to somewhere near others family members. Our guide said, “That was the end of the era for the unknown soldier.” I suppose he’s right.

Randy once again showed his great knowledge of World War II and history in general. When the guide would stop to talk about someone, Randy often told me a few more details than the guide brought up. It’s interesting to learn even more.

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