Arlington

The final ride:

 For Monday, Memorial day:

In my ‘growing up’ some inventions became known by their brand rather than what they actually were. I know for a fact every circular saw for many years was known as a Skil Saw. No matter what the brand of your saw it was called a Skil Saw because they were the first to perfect the circular saw. The boss would say, leave that hand saw alone, use the Skil saw.

Our refrigerator was always the Frigidaire. Mama’s would say, “There is a sandwich or milk in the Frig (short for Frigidaire), Refrigerator was never used in my youth.

Ask an American about Arlington and they will say, “That is our National Cemetery!”

Most of us never think it is a City, Arlington, VA. It borders on Washington D.C. Sherry and I were fortunate to live in Arlington twice, once for a 2-3 month period for IBM school where I was trained on electric accounting machines, remember the key punch anyone? The last time we both worked in the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS), the second largest building in the DC area. We lived ½ mile from Arlington Nat’l Cemetery and our work bordered it. Sherry and I ate many a picnic lunch on a grassy hill overlooking The Cemetery.

We watched funerals and people wandering thru the graves of heroes, many were family I’m sure. I considered it a privilege to be close to military heroes and presidents I have admired. Most days we were light heart-ed and chatted about family and work, others we sat quietly. Cemeteries do that to me.

 

Ever talk to the dead? I have mentioned Sherry’s sweet mama. She is buried in Belmont where I had a construction company. Many days I stopped by her grave for a chat. Most of the time it was just to say “Hello and let her know I missed her.” I mentioned that years later and Sherry said she did the same (I worry about that girl! LOL).

My parents are not buried in Belmont. If they were, I am sure I would have talked to them more. Memorial Day brings Arlington back to mind. I can only imagine the millions of thoughts and talks to the ones who never returned to see babies & family grow up.Oh, the many Questions that families would have liked to ask. Sadly they will never hear the answers here on this earth.

Nite Shipslog  

If you are interested...

PS: (From the Arlington National Cemetery website)

Arlington officially became a national cemetery on June 15, 1864, by order of Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. The original cemetery was 200 acres, and has since grown to 639 acres (as of early 2020). Arlington became a segregated cemetery, just like all national cemeteries at the time, and remained segregated by race and rank until 1948, when President Harry S. Truman desegregated the military. The primary burial ground for white Civil War soldiers became Section 13. Meanwhile, Section 27 became the area for African American soldiers and freed people; more than 3,800 freed African Americans are buried in Section 27.

Initially, being buried at a national cemetery was not considered an honor, but it ensured that service members whose families could not afford to bring them home for a funeral were given a proper burial…………..