Posted on 05/23/2008 4:02:37 PM PDT by SandRat
WASHINGTON, May 23, 2008 More than 3,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines officially kicked off the Memorial Day commemoration last evening as they placed 265,000 miniature flags at every grave at Arlington National Cemetery.
This year marked the fifth year company-size elements of sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen joined about 3,000 soldiers in placing a U.S. flag at the base of the gravestone and columbarium niche of every single servicemember buried or inurned at Arlington. Yesterday afternoon, the troops fanned out across the cemeterys hills and valleys, carrying rucksacks bulging with bundles of flags. They approached each headstone, centering a miniature flag exactly one boot length from the base before sinking it into the rain-softened ground. Its hard to put all this into words, said Army Sgt. Maj. Russell McCray, The Old Guards top noncommissioned officer. Were here every day honoring our fallen heroes, and everyone buried here is a hero. But being here for this is something particularly special. Its an honor for everyone who is part of this. If you look at their faces, you can see that, McCray continued. This experience out here will humble you, beyond a doubt. Even Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Andres Yanez, who regularly supervises funeral details at the cemetery, called it an honor to participate in the Flags In tribute. We come here every day, but today is special for us, he said. When I look out there and see all those flags, I know that Ive been a part of it. Im rendering honors to our fallen, and I hope that someday someone renders those same honors to me. Almost five hours after emplacing his first flag of the day -- and admitting he couldnt count how many more hed positioned -- Navy Seaman Shawn Palaszewski still hadnt lost his enthusiasm for the mission. Were here rending honors to all our fallen shipmates, and showing them that we care, said Palaszewski, a U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard member just 10 weeks out of boot camp. These sailors and all our armed forces [members] have fallen for our freedoms, and were here to pay tribute to that. This is such a privilege and an honor for me, said Army Sgt. Mary Jackson, of The Old Guards Headquarters and Headquarters Regiment. These people gave the ultimate sacrifice. I can only imagine doing that for my country. Positioned at the columbarium, Marine Sgt. David Gray from Marine Barracks Washington directed his troops as they moved among the rows of niches. After returning from a deployment to Iraq, Gray called his first time participating in the Flags In tribute particularly meaningful. Its a privilege to be alive and able to support those Marines who made the ultimate sacrifice for the country, he said. We cant bring them back. The only thing we can do is honor them and pay tribute to them. Like Gray, Army Staff Sgt. John Diggles, platoon sergeant for The Old Guards H Company, said he considers the mission a special calling. Friends of mine are here, quite a few, so this is very personal, Diggles said, looking out over the rows of headstones. This is a way of showing the remembrance of our fallen soldiers on such a special day. As she looked out at the sea of flags fluttering in the wind, Army Sgt. 1st Class Jennifer Bailey from The Old Guards Fife and Drum Corps declared the landscape nothing short of breathtaking. The impact is huge. Its very dramatic, said Bailey, who was participating in the Flags In ceremony for the sixth year. Its uniform, and its simple. And I think its the uniformity and the simplicity that makes this so beautiful and so unique. |
Related Sites: Photo Essay: "Flags In" Tribute at Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, The Old Guard |
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