Memorial Day - National Cemetery Philadelphia

This morning I thought that I would take pictures of the Philadelphia National Cemetery decorated. There were a few people visiting, but no flags. I hadn't heard why there weren't any, but it had been announce on the radio early last week. While I was there, I stayed for the Observance, which was organized by the Philadelphia County Council of the Disabled American Veterans. I took a few pictures of the ceremony and the cemetery.

In each picture, a flag among many graves. Click on the bottom picture, the flag is in the center below tree. I didn't feel right, walking over the graves to get closer.

A broader view.

Ceremony

 

I missed the Color Guard and the gun salute. I had run out of memory and had to delete some pictures in order to get these. Most veterans here were my generation or older. The members of the Disable American Veterans seemed almost a rag tag bunch, but all had such purpose and bemoaned the fact that there were no younger veterans. I found myself pissed that there not had been flags placed at each grave and hopefully can find and join some group that will do it next year. The picture above is the place the most recent veterans have been buried.

The ceremony itself was perfunctory, but the place is moving. It was a totally unexpected experience to be among the dead, veterans of war, since the Civil War.