The Wandering Disciple

It isn't just the official start of summer filled with beaches, beer and BBQ's, it is a day to remember those who gave their lives so we can enjoy holiday's with our families. These brave men and woman laid down their lives to preserve the freedoms we enjoy as an American. So while you enjoy your holiday festivities, do not loose sight of the real meaning of Memorial Day. Thank you to those who paid the ultimate price to ensure our freedoms, we are forever grateful for your service.

Sitting high atop the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington House has a storied history.  Formally called the Custis-Lee Mansion, estate was built by George Washington Parke Custis began construction in 1801 and wasn't completely finished until 1818. It was built high above a peak just outside the nation's capital on what would later be known as Mount Washington. But the home is mostly widely known for its last resident, Confederate General Robert E Lee. Lee was a colonel in the US Army until the Civil War when he defected to his native Virginia and became the general for the Confederate Army. President Lincoln viewed this as being a traitor to his country so the US government seized the property and turned it into a national cemetery. Today the Arlington House still overlooks the Arlington National Cemetery from atop the peak and serves a memorial to Robert E Lee and his efforts to promote peace and reunion following the Civil War.  (Photo: Februar...

Like soldiers at attention, the fallen soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery are laid to rest with the same level of perfection that they served the country with during their service.  Created on the grounds that were once the estate of Confederate general Robert E Lee, the Arlington National Cemetery was established in 1864.  Today the cemetery has grown to 624 acres and is the final resting place of over 400,000 heroes.  (Photo: April 29, 2004)

A statue of a noble eagle guards the entrance to the Arlington National Cemetery.  It is only fitting that the symbol of our great nation be one of the icons seen while driving into the final resting place of many of the nation's great warriors.  (Photo: February 15, 2009)

A giant sword rising from the ground at Arlington National Cemetery pays tributes to the soldiers who enlisted in the Canadian armed forces in Europe. The Canadian Cross of Sacrifice was proposed by Prime Minister William Lyon in 1925 to honor the brave American soldiers who joined the Canadian military to fight in World War I before the US entered the conflict. (Photo: April 29, 2004)

A monument to the flight crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia sits among the memorials at Arlington National Cemetery. On Febrauary 1, 2013, the Space Shuttle Columbia exploded upon reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere following the STS-107 mission, killing the entire crew. (Photo: April 29, 2004)

High atop an overlook at Arlington National Cemetery is the Arlington House. Once the home of confederate general Robert E Lee, the Arlington House and its ground were eventually turned into the national cemetery on orders from the Federal Government. (Photo: February 15, 2009)

“Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God” is the the inscription on the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. Here lies the remains of three unidentified soldiers guarded by Sentinels of the US Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment. (Photo: April 29, 2004)

The monument of “The Hiker” stands guard over Memorial Drive at the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery. Officially known as the United Spanish War Veterans Memorial, the Hiker pays tribute to those who served during the Spanish-American War from 1898-1902. (Photo: February 14, 2009)

Located in the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery is a memorial to the crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Challenger exploded shortly after take-off in April 1986, killing the seven member crew. Remains of two of the crew members were unable to be identified and were buried below the memorial in Arlington. (Photo: April 29, 2004)

Memorial Drive at Arlington National Cemetery is a fitting entrance to such hallowed grounds.  Opened during the Civil War, the cemetery is the final resting place of over 380,000 heroes.  (Photo: February 15, 2009)

This Memorial Day we take a moment to honor those who give their all to ensure our freedom. Thank-you to all the men and women of the armed services who sacrifice themselves each and everyday to help keep us safe and maintain the American way of life. (Photo: April 29, 2004)

A member of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment performs a wreath presentation ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers. The regiment known as "The Old Guard" stands guard over the tomb 24 hours a day, 7 days a week regardless of weather. Serving in the regiment is one of the highest honors in the Army, with only a handful of soldiers being awarded the Tomb of the Unknown Solder Guard Identification Badge. The badge is the second rarest award issued in the US Army. (Photo: April 29, 2004)

Arlington, Virginia: Spanning from the Lincoln Memorial to the Hemicycle, Memorial Drive is not only the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery but also a symbolic link between the Union and Confederacy. Memorial Drive was dedicated by President Herbert Hoover in 1932. It begins with the Memorial Bridge. The symbolic bridge spanning the Potomac River connects the North and South into one nation. The eastern entrance of the bridge is guarded by the “Art of War” sculptures, Sacrifice and Valor. On Memorial Drive between and the cemetery gates lie several monuments that are not officially a part of the cemetery. These monuments include: • Seabees Memorial • Armored Memorial • United Spanish War Veterans Memorial • Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd Monument • 101st Airborne Division Memorial • 4th Infantry Division Monument Once you pass through the memorials, you are now at the Hemicycle that makes up the western boundary of Memorial Drive. The walls of the Hemicycle make up the Women ...

Arlington, Virginia: The 624 acres of Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for over 300,000 men and women of our armed forces serving the United States from the Civil War through today’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The land that is occupied by the cemetery was initially purchased in 1802 for the construction of the Arlington House. The estate was eventually passed down to Robert E. Lee. Lee declined the offer by President Lincoln to lead the Union troops and became the commander of the Army of Northern Virginia in the Civil War. After Lee’s surrender at McLean House, Union officers decided to make Lee’s estate a graveyard for Union soldiers as a penalty for his disloyalty to the Union. As the United States Soldier’s National Cemetery began to fill up, the need to expand was evident. In 1864, General Montgomery Meigs declared 200 acres of the Lee estate be used as a cemetery. By the early 1900’s the cemetery continued to grow. In 1913, Congress authorized t...