A day to pay honor.....

[46er]

to those that have served and died.

This picture is from Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Arneytown, where my folks are interred. We paid our respects on Saturday and attended the memorial service. The flags were placed by Governor Christie and 800 Girl and Boy Scouts on 38,416 graves Friday afteroon. Burials at the cemetery average 15 per day.

 

[RednekF350]

Very thoughtful 46er.
Military cemeteries are a very humbling site.
Everyone needs to step back and fully appreciate the ultimate sacrifices made by generations of Americans to keep us living this life we enjoy.
Freedom certainly isn't free.

 

[Jerseyman]

Have We Forgotten?

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

—A. Lincoln—
———————————————————————————————
Mom and I just returned from decorating my father’s grave at Beverly National Cemetery. There are very few flags lining the cemetery roadways and no one placed individual flags at each plot, which only added to the sadness for my mother. As a veteran of the WAVES during World War II, she has witnessed a marked decline in national pride and patriotism and it grieves her deeply. I share that sense of loss.

Reverently,
Jerseyman

 

[Teegate]

Mom and I just returned from decorating my father’s grave at Beverly National Cemetery. There are very few flags lining the cemetery roadways and no one placed individual flags at each plot, which only added to the sadness for my mother. As a veteran of the WAVES during World War II, she has witnessed a marked decline in national pride and patriotism and it grieves her deeply. I share that sense of loss.

Reverently,
Jerseyman

Jerseyman,

Since your dads cemetery is apparently closed to new interment, I think the families of the more recent internments go more frequently to newer ones. Case in point is the new Gloucester County Veterans Memorial Cemetery. That is becoming quite popular and when I was there a few months ago it was full of flags. As time goes by and the younger generations know less and less about their ancestors, the older cemeteries will no doubt suffer.


Guy

 

[oji]

 

[Jerseyman]

Tom:

Thank you! Words fail me after watching that tribute.

Tearfully,
Jerseyman

 

[glowordz]

Thank you, all. Let us long remember.

Glo

 

[46er]

Mom and I just returned from decorating my father’s grave at Beverly National Cemetery. There are very few flags lining the cemetery roadways and no one placed individual flags at each plot, which only added to the sadness for my mother. As a veteran of the WAVES during World War II, she has witnessed a marked decline in national pride and patriotism and it grieves her deeply. I share that sense of loss.

Reverently,
Jerseyman

That is truly a a shame and a disgrace. As you probably are aware, that cemetery is a registered historic site, 4 Medal of Honor winners are interred there, one being from the Civil War. The least the federal government could do is to ensure that proper honors are paid on this special day. Perhaps a note to the National Cemetery Admisitration to remind them of their 'Sacred Trust'.

"The National Cemetery honors veterans with a final resting place and lasting memorials that commemorate their service to our nation.'

 

[piker56]

Thank you for the psalm 23 youtube link. Denise and I watched and were unable to speak. As someone already posted, let us long remember.
Greg

 

[Bachman's Ivory]

I took these photos at the Fredericksburg Civil War Battlefield in Virginia. I'm living down here for 4 months. This was an overwhelming site. 15,300 candles were lit for each soldier buried in the cemetery. A US Marine would play Taps every 30 minutes and it seemed the world would freeze. Park rangers stood in full salute to the still flag hanging in the humid Virginia air. Only the sound of crickets and a lone trumpet were audible.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bachmansivory/sets/72157624167268896/

 

[Kevinhooa]

Here's to them.

Bachman, those are some awesome photos. I didn't see them uploaded on Flickr. Very nice work.

 

[Kevinhooa]

Jerseyman,

Since your dads cemetery is apparently closed to new interment, I think the families of the more recent internments go more frequently to newer ones. Case in point is the new Gloucester County Veterans Memorial Cemetery. That is becoming quite popular and when I was there a few months ago it was full of flags. As time goes by and the younger generations know less and less about their ancestors, the older cemeteries will no doubt suffer.


Guy

A shame indeed. Not all, but more and more young people seem to care less, and less about these kinds of things. Here's to the few that do care.

 

[MarkBNJ]

Jerseyman,

Since your dads cemetery is apparently closed to new interment, I think the families of the more recent internments go more frequently to newer ones. Case in point is the new Gloucester County Veterans Memorial Cemetery. That is becoming quite popular and when I was there a few months ago it was full of flags. As time goes by and the younger generations know less and less about their ancestors, the older cemeteries will no doubt suffer.


Guy

That's the way of it, though. We've all walked forgotten old cemeteries that are sinking back into the earth they were built on. Once the people who care begin to pass on these places are often forgotten. I'm recalling the burying ground of the Vancampens up in the DWGNRA near the old town of Calno. The NPS archaeologist told me that there was a married couple that used to maintain it and keep it mowed, but they passed away in the early 90's. They were the last close relatives of anyone buried there, and since they died the forest has taken the place back.

 

[46er]

That's the way of it, though. We've all walked forgotten old cemeteries that are sinking back into the earth they were built on. Once the people who care begin to pass on these places are often forgotten. I'm recalling the burying ground of the Vancampens up in the DWGNRA near the old town of Calno. The NPS archaeologist told me that there was a married couple that used to maintain it and keep it mowed, but they passed away in the early 90's. They were the last close relatives of anyone buried there, and since they died the forest has taken the place back.

I can understand that taking place for private resting places, but the one being discussed is a National Veterans cemetery on the register of historic places. Those interred there deserve much better from the country they served.

Perhaps folks should write a letter expressing their concern to the NCA.

 

[Teegate]

I can understand that taking place for private resting places, but the one being discussed is a National Veterans cemetery on the register of historic places. Those interred there deserve much better from the country they served.

.

Nobody disagrees with that thought, but the fact remains when the relatives of Veterans interred there die off or have more recent relatives who have died in another Veterans Cemetery, visit's to the former location are less and less.

Guy

 

[46er]

Nobody disagrees with that thought, but the fact remains when the relatives of Veterans interred there die off or have more recent relatives who have died in another Veterans Cemetery, visit's to the former location are less and less.

Guy

That's expected, but the maintenance of the grounds are not.

 

[Teegate]

That's expected, but the maintenance of the grounds are not.

I agree.

Guy

 

[MarkBNJ]

I can understand that taking place for private resting places, but the one being discussed is a National Veterans cemetery on the register of historic places. Those interred there deserve much better from the country they served.

Perhaps folks should write a letter expressing their concern to the NCA.

You make a good point. It's not like this is a lost site. Are veteran's cemeteries in the care of the park service? My own view of their custodial abilities with regard to the sacred or historically meaningful is a dim one.