Places 2 – Arlington National Cemetery; 16 August 2011

I know.  You see a disturbing trend in my topics lately.  While it’s easy to believe that my preoccupation with cemeteries is creepy, I’ve tried to justify it from historic and aesthetic perspectives.  But today was just plain special.

I was ready to go off in other directions…and I will…later.  Today, I attended my first military funeral at the crown jewel of our national cemeteries.  Having said that, I realize I can take this essay in any number of directions. 

This is, ostensibly, a photography blog and I can wax poetic about trying to capture that iconic view of a field of identical markers that are perfectly-spaced among grand trees and go on forever.  Getting that image just right involves composition, the right light from the right direction, the absence [or inclusion] of people, depending on the kind of image you seek, and other considerations.  We’ll have to do that later.

Arlington National Cemetery (3 April 2011)

I certainly could sing the praises of Arlington National Cemetery as a must-see place for anyone interested in our nation’s post-Civil War history.  You can find two presidents, four Supreme Court Chief Justices and scores of military heroes among the 330,000 graves there.  I could rail against our current war time situation since there are many new graves at Arlington being filled too soon.  Not here.  Not now.

I did not know Charles DeShields very well.  He was one of many guys I see at the gym in the morning and almost nowhere else.  The one time we met at another place, I joked that I didn’t recognize him with his clothes on.

Col. DeShields on the caisson that carries him to the grave site

He was always friendly and amiable and, while I knew he served in Viet Nam, I had no idea he was 80 years old.  He served in the Korean conflict as well.  I’m sure that was no cakewalk in the newly de-segregated army since Mr. DeShields was one of the darkest men I have ever known.

Folding the Flag

This is not a sad story of early loss or lifelong damage from war.  Charles was a great soldier.  He was one of the most highly decorated pilots of the Viet Nam era, having earned three Distinguished Flying Crosses and 29 Air Medals.  I was told the North Vietnamese had a special bounty out for ‘The Black Colonel’ when he commanded 3,000 troops in the 82^nd Airborne Division.  After retirement, he went on to a successful second career in business.  He was married to the same woman for 56 years.      

Presenting the Flag

Anyway, he was a really nice guy…always positive and engaging.  It was important that we be there when they laid him to rest.  Besides, it allowed us to witness this fine ceremony.  The precision and choreography of a full scale military funeral is special…not that I wish it on anyone.  However, at the end of a long, distinguished life, it’s an exceptional way to say good-bye.

Final Salute