A MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE

Today my husband and I visited the National Memorial Cemetery in Phoenix. As we turned into the driveway, I became emotional as I looked around and saw the thousands of American Flags throughout the landscape. Every Memorial Day weekend the boy scouts put one flag at each headstone. It was windy making it a perfect day to see our American Flag. Large and small flags were standing at attention with the steady wind. There were larger American Flags on both sides of the entrance/exit driveway. The largest American flag located in the middle of the cemetery on a tall flag pole waved proud. There were American Flags as far as the eye could see.

We parked our truck to get out and walk around. We do not know anybody at this cemetery. My husband and I wanted to remember those who lost their lives for our freedom. As we walked through the many rows of headstones and flags, we noticed flags lying on the ground. The wind was too strong for some. We both felt every soldier should have a flag waving proud at their gravesite. We started to pick up the fallen flags and stake them stronger into the sandy ground next to the headstones. We started at one end and continued across the street to the other side. I believe I myself re-staked about 50 flags and my husband did about the same. Looking back at the many rows of flags waving was inspiring to me. There were no flags lying on the ground.

As we were walking through the rows and re-staking flags, I watched some of the people who came to visit their loved ones. I observed one elderly woman sitting on the sandy ground next to what I believe was her husband’s gravesite. She was brushing the dust and sand to get it clean. She was by herself. After she was done cleaning the headstone she remained on the ground to be with her husband. Another elderly woman with a younger man were picking up objects around one gravesite. I suspected it was probably her husband’s. As they were picking up around the site they talked about what a great man this soldier was and how his life impacted theirs. Other people were walking around and looking at each headstone like my husband and I. We were reading the thousands of names of soldiers who served in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq. This put things into perspective. In every direction there were people paying tribute to our fallen heroes. 

Michael Williams died in March 2003 in Iraq. He was from Phoenix. His brother spoke at last weeks Support Our Troops rally. Notice Michael's birthday would have been this Tuesday.

Today was a very emotional and proud day for my husband and me. We ended our trip to the Memorial Cemetery by passing the eternal flame. Our soldiers will never be forgotten.