QUOTABLE: “Carry out a random act of KINDNESS with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that someday someone might do the same for you.” ~ Princess Diana

Too funny not to share:

Mr. Wonderful (MW) and I spent about 10 days back at the barn, filled mostly with final chores and prep for the imminent departure. We aren’t usually in Sneedville this late in the spring, and it was nice to see the flowers start blooming and the bright greens as the trees filled out. The biggest job was solving our broken fridge issue. Prior to leaving for the recent road trip, it stopped cooling altogether. Thankfully there is a fridge in the barn, so we just put everything there. Knowing that repair was uncertain (some parts are not available), we opted to order a replacement. Given the location in the RV and size of the opening, we stuck with the same one from Lippert, scheduling it to be delivered to Don and Janice’s house while we were away. After several delivery delays, Don called to say that they actually just dropped it off at the hardware store in town, saying that they didn’t want to go down his road. Seriously??!! They didn’t even talk to him first!! Thankfully, Phil Harrison had no problem holding it for us. With much grunting and to be fair, a little cussing, the two of us got the old one out of the hole, down the RV steps, and into the barn. (These things are expensive, so if we can somehow repair that one, we will have a backup should there be another problem.) After the effort it took getting it out of the RV, I opted to call our neighbor Kobee to help MW get the new one up the steps. I’m old and have a bad hip, whereas that kid could probably pick the thing up on his own!! Once it was in and tested, we maneuvered it into the hole and MW replaced the wooden bar at the bottom that keeps it from rolling out. Whew! Everything was ready to go…we thought. My final chore was painting the island in the RV. I’d been planning it all winter, and just procrastinated. It came out great!

Thursday, May 6, we were finally ready to hit the road. Neither of us slept very well the night before, which is often the case as we begin a trip. That didn’t deter us from our departure plan. The new refrigerator, however, tried its best to cause delay. As I was pulling in the kitchen slide, it was apparent that the fridge front was going to hit the kitchen island. Now, how in the world did that happen??!! It was EXACTLY THE SAME as the one we took out! We double-checked all of the measurements! When MW installed it, he put it back in the place just like the other one had been and re-installed the front brace bar using the exact same holes. This one, however, was tilting slightly forward out of the hole at the last second, not allowing us to pull the slide in completely. WHAT THE HECK!!!??? (Breathe in the good, out the bad!!!) We pulled it out, checked everything behind, and discussed the problem at length, but neither of us could come up with a fix. We shoved, tilted, twisted, and repositioned to no avail. Finally MW did a little contouring on a couple of the wood pieces designed to keep it from bouncing off of the slide walls and a piece of pvc that protects the power cord. Then we shoved it back in, voila! After an hour and a half of messing with it, we had a little less than an inch to spare. We’ll take it. We hit the road and said a little prayer that it all stayed put. (It was a little close to the drawer handle when we parked later, so we started hanging the kitchen towel there for transport to keep from scratching the fridge door.)

We took our regular route over to Bristol, where we stopped for lunch at McAlister’s Deli. (Their Savannah Chopped Salad is my favorite.) Then we followed I-81 to Roanoke, Virginia, where we caught US-460 east all the way to Bedford. After that, we followed VA-122 to White House Road to Smith Mountain Lake Parkway and ended up at Smith Mountain Lake State Park. I truly love the Virginia countryside and mountain views, and it was a gorgeous day for a drive. After setting up, we relaxed outside and took a nice walk in the evening.

On Wednesday we enjoyed a quiet morning, then headed back up to Bedford where we stopped in at Bella Italian Grill & Pizzeria for lunch (pretty good pie), then checked out the main attraction for the day, the National D-Day Memorial. Wow, this place takes your breath away! Plaques, statues, and reliefs are scattered throughout a beautiful garden, all telling the incredible story of Operation Overlord, better known as D-Day. On June 6, 1944, allied forces began the largest amphibious landing ever with the goal of gaining ground in occupied Europe. Supporting the ~156,000 troops that stormed the beaches of Normandy, France, were in excess of 5,000 ships and 11,000 aircraft. Fighting against tremendous Nazi resistance, the allies made a monumental effort to secure the necessary real estate . It would be one of the most important battles of World War II and begin the march to VE Day (Victory in Europe) 11 months later, but the cost was very high. By the end of that DAY, nearly 10,000 soldiers would be killed or wounded, many never making it out of the water. Interviews with those who were there describe utter chaos when the landing craft assault carrier(LCA) ramps opened to a hail of artillery fire. As their buddies dropped like flies before them, they jumped into the fray. I cannot begin to imagine what it was like for the first to hit the beach or those that followed, leaping over bodies as they ran…the horrendous sounds and the smells of salt water, beach detritus, and mortar fire. I can think of no better display of courage. The memorial grounds have statues of many key players and soldiers as well as plaques about the contributions of various branches of service and organizations. The most moving area for me, though, was Gray Plaza. In this large, open circle are statues depicting soldiers in the water just out of the LCA, on the beach, and climbing up to the bunker. Fountains in the water are designed to fire like artillery and mortar rounds hitting from above, and of the eight soldiers depicted, one is already dead on the beach and another is about to fall from the climb. Compared to reality, it is very docile, but displaying it like they do is still haunting. Even more sobering is the memorial wall installed around the inside of the circle with the names of more than 4,400 Allied soldiers killed in action during the assault. (There is a register in the Gift Shop so that family members can find the names of loved ones.) This place is truly worth visiting although I thought it a bit odd to locate it in a small town in rural Virginia. That was before I found out about the Bedford Boys. Read on…

By 1944 every able-bodied man in the United States was fighting somewhere, and the small town of Bedford, Virginia, via their National Guard unit, Company A, 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Division, had contributed their share. The morning of June 6, their company descended from the SS Empire Javelin into seven waiting Landing Craft Assault boats (LCAs). Two of the seven LCAs never made it to the beach. The five that did dropped their ramps, and to the utter dismay of the occupants, the planned beach bombing to create trenches had not happened. The first wave onto Omaha Beach had no cover and a nearly impossible task…create a draw on the beach for landing vehicles. The Germans wasted no time ripping into the arriving troops, and in less than an hour, only a few of the initial 230 men from Company A remained. The small town of Bedford was home to 37 soldiers in Company A and 7 in other groups. They had 20 casualties and 4 wounded in the initial assault. That gave their rural, mountain hometown the sad distinction of losing more soldiers per capita on that fateful day than anywhere else in the country. Those lost became known as the Bedford Boys and were a national symbol for valor, fidelity, and sacrifice.

When we headed back to the campground, MW wanted to take a look at the dam (of course), while I needed to keep playing catch-up. He dropped me off at Priscilla and headed over on his own. It ended up being a bit disappointing I think, since he couldn’t get up close to actually see it. He did get a few stats, though. Smith Mountain Lake is 40 miles long with 500 miles of shoreline. The dam is 816′ long, 235′ high, and 30′ thick at the base.

Thursday I switched it up a bit and headed out to do laundry. I was going to a town about 40 minutes away when I caught sight of the Smith Mountain Laundromat as I waited for a stoplight. That saved me 25 minutes and was pretty nice and clean. Bonus! Afterwards I went to the Mayberry Diner right down the road to write a bit, then headed back to the campground. The weather had been great, so I visited with the neighbors a little in the afternoon, cooked salmon on the griddle, and enjoyed the outdoors. We even got a nice thunderstorm in the evening, which I always love.

Smith Mountain Lake State Park was really nice. Located on the east side of the lake in Huddleston, Virginia, it was not too far from Bedford and Altavista, and reasonably close to Lynchburg, Roanoke, and Rocky Mount. Facilities include a visitor’s center, office/gift shop, amphitheater, boat ramp, fishing pier, playgrounds, meeting house, picnic areas, and beach with concessions. Fishing and boating are the primary activities, but visitors can also take advantage of the Discovery Center, beach, and miles of easy to moderate hiking trails. Two- (19) and three-bedroom (1) cabins equipped with wood stoves, stocked kitchens, docks, picnic tables, and grills are available for rent, some with water views. A bunkhouse lodge is also available. The campground has 50 wooded sites of which 19 are 30′ back-in, 5 are 50′ pull-thru, and 26 are tent sites. RV sites have 30-amp electric and water. The bathhouse is clean, and there is a dump station available. We found this park pretty peaceful and liked the site layout, though they were still a bit close together. For this visit in May 2025, we paid a little over $131 for 3 nights.

Friday it was time to ease on down the road towards eastern Virginia, but first we drove around the park for pics, then I had a tax client to finish up with, so MW hooked up alone. (Hmmmm…so he doesn’t need me!) We made our way back to Bedford and took US-221 east to US-29 north. We then jumped on I-66 briefly and turned southeast on VA-234. At I-95, we went north and exited at Lorton. A jaunt southeast took us onto Mason Neck. With only quick stops in Charlottesville at Five Guys and a gas station, we made it to Pohick Bay Regional Park just before 3 PM. For supper we met our nephew, Alex, and his girlfriend, Aleesha, at Belle Haven Pizzaria in Alexandria, where we visited and made our plan for the coming weekend. (Alex flies Hueys in the Air Force and had to be in the Secure Alert Facility at Andrews AFB beginning on Monday, so we worked in a lot of time on the weekend.) The food was excellent, and the company even better. I managed to resist the ice cream that came highly recommended, though. By the time we made it back to Priscilla, we were ready to hit the sack.

Saturday Alex and Aleesha picked us up to head over to Quantico to check out the National Museum of the Marine Corps. It was awesome and very detailed. The entrance is a little modern, but is designed to simulate the shape of the Iwo Jima Memorial. Here are a few things I learned, plus pics:

  • The faces of the mannequins used in scenes throughout the museum are not random, but modeled after actual marines.
  • “From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli…” the opening line of The Marines Hymn refers to two specific events. The first was during the Mexican-American War in 1847, when Marines captured Chapultepec Castle, aka the Halls of Montezuma, in Mexico City. The second refers to a 521-mile march from Alexandria, Egypt, across the desert of North Africa to Derna, Libya, during the First Barbary War in 1805. Led by Lt. Presley O’Bannon, a small contingent of seven Marines and two Navy midshipmen of the USS Argus . Four Marines died during the crazy charge into the city, but news of their bravery stirred our nation. The sword that O’Bannon was presented for his bravery became the model for the Mameluke Sword, part of the Marine Corps officer’s formal uniform since 1825.
  • From the inception of the Marine Corps on November 10, 1775, Marines have filled a lot of boots. Originally planned as infantry troops for security aboard naval vessels, they outgrew that job and have mounted amphibious assaults, fought on both land and sea, and traversed great distances on the ground, on the water, and in the air. In war times, their contributions are incalculable, but that isn’t where their duties stop. They secure American embassies and presidential retreats, provide helicopter transportation to the President, Vice President, and members of the Cabinet, and VIPs. They have ridden camels across 300 miles of the Ethiopian wilderness as escorts, crushed an insurrection in the Philippines, defended Americans during the Boxer Rebellion in China, ensured the building of the Panama Canal, kept peace in Cuba, and landed in Nicaragua multiple times including in 1912 to help the government complete the rail line from Corinth to Managua and Granada. They are also called upon to assist civilian authorities and help with international rescues. They specialize in rapid-response, and are often the first to show up in a crisis. A Harper’s Weekly article in 1912 said “Where they are going isn’t the Marines’ concern. Their business is to be always ready to go.” They do the job, whatever the job may be.
  • The Corps was originally under the Department of Defense, but in light of its symbiotic relationship with the Navy, it was moved under the Department of the Navy in 1834.
  • All Marines are trained riflemen, and all officers are trained infantry platoon commanders. Some then go on to other jobs, but when the chips are down, they can revert to infantry. For instance, on Wake Island in WWII, all of the Marine aircraft were destroyed. Pilots then pivoted into ground officers, leading in a defensive effort.
  • You’ll sometimes hear Marines referred to as Devil Dogs. That title was bestowed upon them by the Germans during the Battle of Belleau Wood in 1918. Their reputations as long-range marksmen and assault troops only grew, those Teufel Hundan! (Some say the moniker actually appeared in print prior to that, but the German story sounds better, don’t you think?)
  • Within a few months after we joined WWII, the military knew that they needed a different way to secure communications in the Pacific. To meet that challenge, they recruited at three Indian boarding schools on or near the Navajo Nation. The first group of volunteers numbered 30, with almost half still in high school. They became known as the “First Twenty-Nine”since one recruit could not pass the physical. After boot camp in San Diego, Platoon 382, the first all-Navajo platoon, joined four more Navajo Marines for communications training. Those 33 men then went to work creating the first Navajo code for the Marine Corps. The second all-Navajo platoon (297) of 58 recruits came behind them. Due to critical need, Navajo volunteers after that were integrated into mixed platoons for boot camp in order to get them trained quickly. Those volunteers became known as Navajo Code Talkers and played a crucial role in Marine Corps’ offensive operations. They coordinated troop movements, directed fire, and reported reconnaissance while serving in every major Corps campaign from Guadalcanal to the Occupation of Japan. In total 417 Navajo volunteered, and in 1981, to commemorate their crucial role, another all-Navajo platoon was formed in their honor.
  • “Among the Americans who served on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue.” ~ Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, March 1945
  • One thing I found a bit appalling in the information there was this quote: “The United States’ reluctant entrance into the Second World War revealed a nation woefully unprepared.” We lost over 122,000 soldiers in WWI, for which we were very unprepared. Those who survived were greeted with no services, support, or pay when they made it back home, creating an additional crisis. How do we come out of that and 23 years later, we are STILL unprepared? The Great Depression could, of course, be partly to blame, but a period of disarmament and neutrality in the 20s and 30s already had us paddling up stream. Did you know that when WWII began in 1939, the United States was ranked only the 19th largest military force in the world? It wasn’t until tensions had already begun in Europe that President Roosevelt decided the armed forces needed strengthening. The kettle was already boiling over by then! George Washington said, “To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace.” President Reagan added, “In the real world, peace through strength must be our motto.” I certainly don’t want the pentagon spending $400 for a hammer, but I also think that we should never again be called UNPREPARED.
  • One Marine war hero from the Korean era weighed in at 900 lbs and was of the 4-legged variety. In “M*A*S*H”, Colonel Potter had a trusty steed that was mostly to remind him of home. It is possible, though, that the idea came from an actual horse named Reckless. Originally named Flame of the Morning, she was purchased from a race track in Seoul, Korea, for $250 by the commanding officer of a 1st Marine Division platoon. The terrain was very rugged, and 1st Lt Eric Pedersen thought she’d be an asset hauling ammunition. They built a bunker and fenced pasture for her and began her training. By the time she was done, she had made 51 trips to the front lines delivering ammo AND bringing wounded Marines back to safety. The media had already made her a star when she was shipped home in 1954. She retired from service as a staff sergeant, living at Camp Pendleton until her death in 1968. Assuming you can get on the base, you can visit her grave at the stables there.
  • A lot of famous people have been Marines e.g. Lee Ermey, Harvey Keitel, Bea Arthur, Gene Hackman, Hugh O’Brian, Steve McQueen, Glenn Ford, Brian Dennehy…the list goes on and on and includes athletes, musicians, and politicians, too. Most were ordinary Joes who did their stint and then became famous. Sometimes, though, someone who already has it made gives that up, at least for a time, to serve. That was the case with Ted Williams. In 1941, he was a star player with the Boston Red Sox and probably the best hitter in baseball history. That year he hit .406 for the season (the only player ever to top .400) and in 1942, led the league in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in (RBIs). Instead of continuing his streak or basking in that glory, Ted joined the Marines as a flight instructor. His country came calling again in 1952, and Williams flew 37 combat missions over North Korea, one of which ended with him crash-landing a jet on fire! After that, the “Splendid Splinter” came back home and rejoined the Boston Red Sox. I wonder what he considers his greatest accomplishment?
  • A year after their inception, there were 2,000 Marines. Today the elite Corps numbers 177,000…the few, the proud. The largest it has ever been, though, was at the end of WWII. As Pearl Harbor was bombed in 1941, there were 65,881 active Marines. On the day the Japanese surrendered in 1945, there were 485,883. Wow!
  • MW thought this museum was extremely well done. It is a very thorough presentation of all aspects of the history and mission of the Marine Corps. The layout was easy to navigate, with a center atrium surrounded by two concentric circles. As you followed the map, it took you from the beginning to modern day in a totally seamless manner. His one caveat…if you really want to learn everything they have to teach, plan on being there for at least an entire day. We were there for 3 hours because he was being nice to the non-Marines, but MW could have spent another whole day. They do include two places to eat, so they’ve got you covered for refueling. There is also a pretty nice gift shop and a theater.

The kids dropped us back off at Priscilla so that Alex could make a pre-scheduled golf outing with some of his squadron buddies. Later MW and I met them at their apartment building in Old Town Alexandria. They were running behind, so we didn’t make it to supper at Copperwood Tavern in Arlington (excellent) until around 9 PM. (Alex took the blame, and Aleesha said she would let him because it is her fault most of the time. LOL) After supper, we walked over to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream. Aleesha said it was excellent, and she was right. You know I’m not going to resist two nights in a row!! We finally made it back to Priscilla at about 11:15. These young people are going to wear us out!!

Sunday morning we met for breakfast at the Van Dorn Diner (also excellent), then headed over to their church, New Life Alexandria, for services. We left Big Jake there and rode together out to Dulles International Airport to spend a couple of hours at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. MW and I went there many years ago but wanted to revisit, and Alex and Aleesha had never been. Like the downtown portion of the National Air and Space Museum, this facility has a LOT of planes and information. I was disappointed that the air traffic control exhibit that used to be in the Donald D. Engen Observation Tower (he was a friend of my Dad’s) was not there. The place is pretty amazing, though. Here are some pics:

I feel certain Aleesha was airplaned-out by the time we left, but she was a sport about it. After being dropped back at Big Jake, we headed to the RV to put our feet up while the kids took care of their Sunday chores.

On Monday morning MW and I parked at the Franconia-Springfield Metro stop and rode up to Old Town to meet Alex for our final visit before he disappears onto the base. We met at Swing’s Coffee Roasters and chatted for a bit, then were joined by Aleesha, who was out walking her dog. Afterwards we jumped back on the Metro and headed to Arlington National Cemetery. I haven’t been to this hallowed ground since I lived in Maryland in the late 80s, and it still takes your breath away. We have been to several national cemeteries and recommend that every citizen visit one. It will change your perspective on the cost of our life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

  • Although the first burial took place at Arlington on May 13, 1864 (Pvt. William Christman), it did not officially become a national military cemetery until June 15 of the same year. As was the time, sections were originally segregated and were also separated by rank, officers versus enlisted. Due to large numbers being buried at the same time, some of the sections are all from a particular war. New burials, however, are not placed according to conflict. Contrary to what most may think, lots of Confederate soldiers are buried there, too.
  • When we arrived, MW had a list of graves he wanted to find, so the walk began. Along the way we found a few more, particularly Medal of Honor recipients, to look into. More than 400,000 people are buried in Arlington’s 639 acres, and there are an average of 27-30 burials Monday thru Friday and 10 on Saturday, week-in and week-out. During our visit we saw setups for at least three services, and waited patiently and observed from a distance while one of those was conducted.
  • President John F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and their infant son Patrick Bouvier Kennedy are all buried just down the hill from Arlington House. The eternal flame at the President’s head was lit by Jackie on November 23, 1963, during his funeral and has never been extinguished. Robert and Ethel Kennedy are buried nearby.
  • Lt. General Arthur MacArthur won the Medal of Honor for his actions at Missionary Ridge in Tennessee during the Civil War while a first lieutenant. The citation reads: “Seized the colors of his regiment at a critical moment and planted them on the captured works on the crest of Missionary Ridge.” But there is more to the story, according to the U.S. Department of Defense “Medal of Honor Monday” page. It seems the Union Army was looking at a possible retreat back to Chattanooga thanks to heavy gunfire from the Confederates. The standard bearer, who had carried the United States flag all the way from Milwaukee, was shot, and the flag fell to the ground. MacArthur picked it up, shouted a rally cry, and ran up the hill in the face of the opposition, shooting twice before planting the flat in the middle of their defensive fortifications. Seeing this, his men rushed up behind him, and an additional 15,000 or so behind them followed suit. They crushed the middle of the Confederate line, and the enemy quickly retreated back to Georgia. That was a pivotal battle in the war. As I have written previously, his son, General Douglas MacArthur, would also receive the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Pacific in WWII. They are one of only two father-son duos to receive the prestigious award. The other pair are President Theodore Roosevelt, for actions as an Army lieutenant colonel leading the “Rough Riders” in Cuba during the Spanish-American War, and his son, Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., who as an Army brigadier general stormed Utah Beach in Normandy in support of his troops. He carried only a pistol and a cane, and was the oldest person and only general to hit the beach in that first wave. Incidentally, he and his son were the only father-son duo to participate in the D-Day invasion…his son, Capt. Quentin Roosevelt II, landed at Omaha Beach.
  • Arlington cemetery has links to both George Washington and General Robert E. Lee. Martha Washington married George after the death of her first husband, Daniel Parke Custis. She and Daniel had two children, John Parke Custis and Martha Parke Custis, who became George’s step-children. Daughter Martha would die at the age of 17, but John grew up and married Eleanor Calvert. They had five children, one of which was George Washington Parke Custis. Here’s the link…he and his wife, Mary Fitzhugh became the proud parents of a daughter, Mary Anna Randolph Custis, who would later be called Mrs. Robert Edward Lee. In 1803, grandson George began building the Arlington Plantation on land he inherited from his father, John Parke Custis. (John, coincidentally, died at the end of the American Revolution at Yorktown. You’ll be hearing about that place in the next post.) Completed in 1818, the working plantation became a living memorial to our first president, and George W. P. Custis and his family, including daughter and son-in-law Robert lived in the house. After his death in 1857, the father left the plantation to his daughter Mary Custis Lee. In need of repair, Robert took a leave of absence to take on the task. The Lees had all but one of their children there and stayed until Robert made the decision to resign from the U. S. Army and take a command in the Confederate Army. During the Civil War, the mansion was used as U. S. Army headquarters. Later, as an excuse to seize the property, the government claimed that Mary Custis Lee did not pay her property taxes, requiring that she do it “on time and in person”. Mary sent an agent, who was turned away, so the seizure was overturned by the Supreme Court after the war. The property was returned to Mary’s heir, son George Custis Lee, who then sold the greek revival mansion and grounds back to the government.
  • Death is the great equalizer, but I still found it impressive that the likes of Audie Murphy, who received the Medal of Honor and I’ve written about before, and actor Lee Marvin were buried in the same, simple manner as hundreds of thousands of their comrades.
  • The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a big highlight at Arlington for good reason. Originally dedicated in 1921 with the burial of an unknown from WWI, unknowns from WWII and the Korean War were added in 1958 and one from the Vietnam War in 1984. In each case, multiple anonymous choices were presented and selection of the honoree was made by a highly decorated soldier. The Vietnam remains were later identified as Air Force 1st Lt. Michael J. Blassie and removed. (It took some doing to get the government to go along.) That empty crypt is now dedicated to all of the missing and unknown from Vietnam. The Army began guarding the tomb, albeit not around the clock, in 1926. By 1937, an order was issued that it be guarded 24/7, which began July 2 of that year. In 1948, a special unit called “The Old Guard” of the 3rd U. S. Infantry Regiment took up the task.
  • Not just anyone can guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Guards are handpicked and go through rigorous training, from which the majority wash out. If you make it through, you’ll be in the unit for around 18 months. Before you get down to the worker bees, there are the Platoon Leader/Commander of the Guard (COG), the Sergeant of the Guard (SOG), and the Assistant Sergeant of the Guard (ASOG). These are mostly administrative positions, but the SOG catches the heat for issues within the Platoon. For whatever reason on our visit we were treated to the COG, a first lieutenant, actually conducting the Changing of the Guard. Most of the time, though, he’s in civilian clothes mingling with visitors and watching the performance. There are three different “reliefs”, each with a Relief Commander (RC), Assistant Relief Commander (ARC), and Sentinels. Get this, each relief has its own height requirement: 1st are 6’2 to 6’4, 2nd are 6′ to 6’2″, and 3rd are 5’11’ to 6′. Guard reliefs currently work two 24-on/24-off shifts, then a 24-on/96-off. Like in minor league baseball, though, off doesn’t really mean off. It can take 8 hours to prep their uniforms for the next shift, then they have to work in PT, food, sleep, haircuts, and required training. This isn’t just standing guard or walking around; it requires serious discipline and stamina and exceptional attention to detail. Once on deck, a Sentinel walks 21 steps from one end of the mat to the other, faces the tomb for 21 seconds, faces the mat for 21 seconds, then walks 21 steps back, and finally faces the tomb on that end for 21 seconds. That’s the job in extreme heat and cold, blizzards, storms, and sunshine. Rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat…for 30 minutes a shift between April 1 and September 30 or 60 minutes from October 1 thru March 31 or 2 hours when the cemetery is closed. In a typical duty period, a group of four Sentinels will switch off the guard, but there have been times when numbers were short and guards walked every other shift. Wow!! We just watched for a few minutes and the changing of the guard in the sunshine on a beautiful day, and I was worn out!
  • One on MW’s list was David M. Shoup. I could write about him, but I’ll just show you the Medal of Honor citation: “For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of all Marine Corps troops in action against enemy Japanese forces on Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands from 20-22 November 1943. Although severely shocked by an exploding enemy shell soon after landing at the pier and suffering from a serious, painful leg wound which had become infected, Col. Shoup fearlessly exposed himself to the terrific and relentless artillery, machine-gun, and rifle fire from hostile shore emplacements. Rallying his hesitant troops by his own inspiring heroism, he gallantly led them across the fringing reefs to charge the heavily fortified island and reinforce our hard-pressed, thinly held lines. Upon arrival onshore, he assumed command of all landed troops and, working without rest under constant, withering enemy fire during the next two days, conducted smashing attacks against unbelievably strong and fanatically defended Japanese positions despite innumerable obstacles and heavy casualties. By his brilliant leadership, daring tactics, and selfless devotion to duty, Col. Shoup was largely responsible for the final decisive defeat of the enemy, and his indomitable fighting spirit reflects great credit upon the U.S. Naval Service.”
  • We ran across the grave of another Medal of Honor recipient, Matt L. Urban. In Renouf, France, during WWII, this Army Captain took a bazooka and made his way under heavy fire to take out two enemy tanks. Later the same day he took a hit in the leg from a 37-mm tank gun, but continued to lead his company until they were in a good defensive position for the night, then in another attack at the crack of dawn. He was hit again that morning, which forced his evacuation to England. A month later while recuperating at a hospital, he heard of the losses in Normandy and realized that his unit was in desperate need of battle-tested leaders, he voluntarily left the hospital and hitchhiked back to Saint-Lo, France, and retook command of his company. Later the still-limping Captain dashed through heavy enemy fire to get to one of his tanks that did not have a gunner or commander. He ordered the tank forward and, manning the machine gun himself, devastated the enemy. Captain Urban was twice wounded within weeks after that, but stayed with his unit. Then on 3 September during a battle on the Meuse River, he led a charge towards the enemy strongpoint. Seriously wounded in the neck, he still refused evacuation until the enemy was routed. This man was a super hero! Despite all of his wounds, Captain Urban made it back home. He eventually made lieutenant colonel, and lived until 1995. Man, wouldn’t it have been cool to talk to him!
  • You might recognize this name since his namesake Marine base in Jacksonville, North Carolina, is home of the expeditionary forces in readiness and the primary East Coast base for ground forces. John Archer Lejeune was on MW’s list for two reasons: he is a fellow United States Naval Academy alum, graduating in 1888, and a Marine. Not just any Marine, though. After graduation, he was assigned to the Navy in naval engineering. The Corps was his calling, though, and he lobbied through conventional channels and his senator. Finally the Secretary of the Navy relented and 2nd Lt. Lejeune reported for duty on July 25, 1890, at Marine Barracks, New York. Over the course of his career he served in the Spanish-American War, the Philippine-American War, the Mexican Revolution, WWI, and the Banana Wars in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, climbing through the ranks along the way. He was a brilliant commander and strategist and was praised during WWI as “a military genius who could and did do what the other commander said couldn’t be done.” Lejeune said, “The key to combat effectiveness is unity – an esprit that characterizes itself in complete, irrevocable, mutual trust.” In July of 1920, he took that philosophy with him to his new position, Commandant of the Marine Corps. During his 9 years in that position, he transformed the Marines from a 19th century naval infantry to a combined arms amphibious force. Outside of the military, he is credited with founding the United States Marien Corps League and was also a Freemason.
  • You’ve probably all seen PFC Ira Hamilton Hayes before. Born in Sacation, Arizona, this Akimel O’odham or Pima American was a member of the Gila River Indian Community. He grew up and enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1942, then volunteered to become a Paramarine fighting at Bougainville and Iwo Jima in the Pacific in WWII. How do you know him? He, along with PFC Franklin Sousley, PFC Harlan Block, PFC Harold Schultz, PFC Harold Keller, and Sgt Michael Strank, was in the iconic photo of the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima. That pic inspired the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, and Ira was there for the unveiling on November 10, 1954. Sadly, he suffered from PTSD and alcoholism, and would only live a couple of months longer. In late January 1955, he died of alcohol poisoning and exposure. He apparently passed out near an abandoned adobe hut after a night of heavy drinking. He was 32 years old. The “Ballad of Ira Hayes”, made famous by Johnny Cash, reached #3 on the Billboard Country Singles chart in 1964.
  • 2nd Lt. William Earl Barber of the 1st Parachute Regiment was wounded twice in WW11 while fighting at Iwo Jima, for which he was awarded the Silver Star. After promotion to first lieutenant, he relocated to occupied Japan and commanded the company. Back in the United States, he served at several posts. Then in October 1950, he was ordered to Korea. There, at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in November and December, now Captain Barber led Company F in defending the vital Toktong Pass for several days. Outnumbered 5 to 1, things looked grim. Despite a fractured pelvis from a hit on day two, Captain Barber and his men stood firm and kept plugging away, refusing to budge. With the help of air support and artillery, they held on despite constant sniper fire and relentless attacks on the line. When Lt. Colonel Ray Davis and his “Ridge Runners” they were finally able to retreat and get everyone out. A few days later Captain Barber was evacuated to Japan for medical help, then returned to the U.S. in March. Of the original 246 men of Fox company, only 82 were able to walk away from the battle. Only 60 of those made it to Haguru Ri on their feet. Major Barber was presented the Medal of Honor by President Truman. His last tour of active duty was in Vietnam in 1969, where he served as Psychological Operations Officer in the III Marine Amphibious Force.
  • Although we chose to walk (16,000+ steps no less!), there are easier ways to traverse the 639 acres. Tour trams and trolleys depart regularly from the Welcome Center, and in certain cases, they will let you drive, too. Know ahead of time, though, that it is easy to look up the location of a particular grave, but a little harder to actually find it. Arlington National Cemetery is truly what you make of it, so your visit could be an hour or fill several days.

By the time we finished walking there, then walked back to the Metro station, I was totally beat and my hip was not happy at all. It was good, and I would definitely do it again, but now it was time to get back to Priscilla and rest!

Tuesday was rainy and grey. MW wanted to check out the NRA museum, but my hip was still pretty much walked out. We had a quick lunch at Chick-fil-A and picked up a couple of things at Kohl’s. Then I dropped him off and found a spot to write for a while. Later we had supper at Yard House in Springfield, Virginia. (They have Lobster Garlic Noodles that are to DIE for!!)

Per MW, the National Firearms Museum was really good. They did a nice job of depicting the history of firearms and had an extensive collection of weapons, including many that are not often seen. In addition to the museum-owned exhibits, they also had a massive collection of one person’s personal firearms…thousands. One distraction was that many of the weapons were numbered, and you had to go to a kiosk to look up what they actually were. There were not enough kiosks, so you weren’t able to stand at a display, looking at the gun, and read about it. Also, the flow was a bit off and disjointed. However, admission was free, and anyone really interested in firearms would find it interesting. Here are a few cool things he saw:

  • In the 1700s and 1800s, nearly EVERY free man in rural America owned a rifle. Rifle shops were everywhere, and those gunsmiths forged the iron, carved the wood, cast the metal, rifled the barrels, and did the engraving. Depending on complexity, a rifle could cost between $5 and $30.
  • One of the arguments against the Second Amendment has been that the founding fathers were only thinking in terms of a citizen militia. However, while a militia is mentioned in every version of the initial amendment, James Madison’s original resolution began with “The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed”. That was first and foremost. By the time the House and Senate got through playing around with the wording, the militia line ended up as the opener, but all versions also say citizens have the right to bear arms. When the amendment was being discussed, Patrick Henry said “The great object is that every man be armed…Everyone who is able may have a gun.” Per Richard Henry Lee, “To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of people always possess arms and be taught alike especially when young, how to use them.” James Madison further wrote in The Federalist #46 in 1788 that Americans being armed was an “advantage” over other nations. Further, with regard to countries that do not allow their citizens to be armed that “the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.”

Wednesday my hip was still screaming a bit, so MW headed out in the morning solo to spend a few hours at the National Museum of the United States Army in nearby Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Like the Marine Corps museum, he thought they did a great job laying out the history of the Army. The layout was not efficient, with three floors that used more of a “rooms off of hallways” approach, hampering the flow. However, it was really good at showing changes over time like what soldiers carried, equipment, weapons, etc. This is another one he definitely recommends, but plan for a long visit if you want to thoroughly explore everything. Conveniently, they also have a cafe and a pretty nice gift shop, although MW said it was all Army stuff. Imagine that! For you jarheads out there, he did ask if they allowed Marines in when he arrived. They said “occasionally”, so you might want to see if it is a good day for entry before you go. He’s getting pretty good at taking pics, too.

  • They have a “Soldier’s Stories Gallery”, which has pillars with descriptions. Some are Medal of Honor recipients, while others are simply unique stories among the thousands. There were the familiar, like Sergeant York and Audie Murphy, both of whom I’ve written about before. Then there were new ones.
  • They had displays showing soldiers from various eras and the loads that they had to carry, which have changed drastically. During the Revolutionary War, a typical soldiers carried around 47 pounds, which included a musket, 20 rounds of ammo, and a knapsack/haversack. That didn’t change much by the Civil War, although they had an additional 20 rounds of ammo and a blanket, so maybe the rifled musket was lighter. By WWI equipment advances made them better prepared, but by the time they loaded up their M1917 rifles, 100 rounds of ammo, an M1917 steel helmet, and their personal gear, they were schlepping 54 pounds. WWII was the topper, though, coming in at 62 POUNDS!! In addition to their M1 Garands, those guys were also hauling ammo, grenades, M1 steel helmets, protective masks, and personal equipment. The modern soldier in Afghanistan had that load at a minimum, wearing body armor, night vision goggles, gps devices, and…and…and. I read an article that estimated they carry between 60 and 120 POUNDS, depending on the mission and their specialty. Wow! Today the Army is looking at a “squad as a system” approach with the goal being to get overall run weights down to 55 pounds. I hope they succeed, because just thinking about this makes my back hurt!!

When he came back, I left to ship a package, then parked myself at Panera to continue playing catch up. Later in the afternoon we headed over to National Harbor just across the Woodrow Wilson bridge in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Despite leaving before “rush” hour, the traffic to get there was ridiculous…75 minutes to go about 21 miles!! We first stopped at Tanger Outlets so I could find some walking shoes, then went to Cadillac Ranch to meet my friend Rose for supper. We’ve been friends since 1987 when we worked together at FAA headquarters D.C., but don’t get to see each other often. She is and always will be one of THOSE friends, though. You know, the special ones you call when the ca-ca hits the fan!

Since we were, once again, traveling on Friday, Thursday became laundry day, so I headed out in the morning to the Forest 24 Hour Laundromat in Mount Vernon. Afterwards I repositioned to Roy Rogers and wrote some more before heading back to pick MW up for our planned evening activity…some Chesapeake Baysox baseball! Not wanting a repeat of the traffic situation from Wednesday, we left at around 2:15 to drive to Bowie, Maryland. Thankfully, the roads were very crowded, but not nearly as slow. Arriving early, we popped in at Target for a few things, then went to Chick-fil-A to wait for the gates to open at Prince George’s Stadium. Baseball on a beautiful night is always good, but the Baysox did not fare well, losing 2-9 against the Akron RubberDucks. MW said they wouldn’t have scored the 2 runs in the 8th inning if he hadn’t put his rally cap on. I’m not convinced.

A couple of innings into the game, something on the cellphone tower just off of the field near the outfield first base line caught our eye. I thought it was a giant bird. Nope. It was a dude, who occasionally climbed, but sometimes dangled. Crazy!!

Pohick Bay Regional Park in Lorton, Virginia, was very nice, especially when considering how close you are to everything in the Washington, D.C. area. Located on the Mason Neck peninsula, it has easy access to I-95 and the metro station. (Make note, though, that if you approach from the south, there is a 13’4″ train overpass on US-1 just east of the I-95/US-1 interchange.) The park includes the Pirate’s Cove Waterpark, an 18-hole disc golf course, horseback riding/hiking trails, the Pohick Bay Golf Course, and the Occoquan Watertrail. Additional activities include kayaking/canoeing/peddle boating/paddleboarding on your own or rented equipment, fishing, paddle tours, and the Roving Naturalist Program. There are several picnic shelters available, and the park has a boat ramp, camp store, two bathhouses with laundry facilities, and play areas. Lodging options include both well-equipped and rustic cabins, group camping, and the regular campground. The latter includes 150 shaded sites, 50 tent and 100 with 50/30-amp electric. Most of the electric sites have water, less than a dozen are full-hookup, and 5 are pull-thru. For the location, this was a pretty quiet park. Our site was back-in, and due to the layout, we chose to circle opposite direction to get Priscilla in. Sites were not right on top of each other for the most part, and there was plenty of room to park both the RV and our truck. It rained a LOT during our stay, and between that and visiting with our nephew, we didn’t check out the trails. While we don’t really want to haul up to this area again because the traffic drives us nuts, if we do ever need to, we will return to this park. For this stay in May 2025, we paid a little over $418 for 7 nights, which given the location, we didn’t think was too bad.

Well, that was a LOT of history and touring! Next up we will be hanging with our Navy Alumni RV crowd, which should be fun. Look for another update soon. See you on the path!

Talisa

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