Rand McNally on the Road

‘Flags-In’ at Arlington National Cemetery for Memorial Day 2008 by Army.mil

Before everyone takes a “sick day” on Friday and skedaddles for Memorial Day weekend, I ask where people are going. Mostly I hear about barbecues, beaches, and bare feet, but once in a while, it’s a grandparent’s or parent’s or another relative’s grave.

Since this post-Civil War order, flags have decorated the graves of the fallen all over the United States on Memorial Day, including one of the largest ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

The blog Enduring Wanderlust put up a few pictures of another aspect of Arlington: the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where a guard is posted around the clock to honor and protect the memory of unnamed servicemen and women. The custodians of the tomb do ask you to respect the ceremony by quietly observing. They will remind louder crowds of this.

Of course, if you don’t have plans to go to Washington already, you probably aren’t going. You may not be lucky enough to make it to Hawaii for the stunning Lantern Floating Ceremony either.

You’ll find a ceremony: where there are soldiers laid to rest, there will be people to honor them. — Andy Dost