Monday - June 13, 2011

Today we traveled over to Arlington Cemetery with our friends from Q's End. A beautiful place although I learned it had regular grave sites as well as the white ones we are most familiar with. We visited the grave sites of President John F Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy and tow of their children, one who was stillborn and the other who died a short time after his birth. We also visited Robert Kennedy's grave site and the site of the Unknown Soldier. Apparently, they have determined the identity of the soldier who died in WW2, but his family wanted him to remain where he was with tow other unknown soldiers. The site is guarded 24/7/365 by present day servicemen and the duty is a highly sought after and only the best obtain the duty. They have to march back and forth continually in front the tomb, although I understand they are relieved every 1/2 hour. I wondered how long they could take the heat or in the winter the cold in carrying out their duties.



Kennedy Gravesite











After Arlington, we went down to Alexandria for lunch and do a little window shopping. At least Brenda and Linda did the window shopping. Tom and I waited for them in a local bar.

After Alexandria we traveled to the home of George Washington at Mount Vernon. This place is not a National Park, which surprised me. The group that owns it however has done a magnificent job keeping taking care of the home and grounds with several displays detailing the life of Washington and a museum with artifacts. I always thought that Washington was simply the general who led the troops that defeated the British and then because of that he became the first president of the the Untied States. He was a little more than that. After the war, he purposely resigned from the Army because his duty was done. He had no desire to become President. However, he was requested to accept the office as the politicians of the time could not determine who would be better. Many of the things he accomplished in office set the precedent for future presidents. His heart was not really in politics however but in agriculture. He experimented in growing crops and animals and seemed to be way ahead of this time. This apparently was his true love.