I went out to visit Camp Nelson National Cemetery today. Most people that I have spoken to are vaguely aware that it is out there, but have never visited. I was completely unprepared for the impact that the experience would have on me.
There are thousands of men and women buried out there who died to procure and defend our freedom and our freedoms. And thousands of them died without anybody knowing their name. Men who died in the Spanish American war lie beside those that died in Korea, Vietnam, and World War II. Men that I don't know, with names that clearly came from several continents, died so that I can enjoy my freedoms.
If you have not been out there, I encourage you to visit, and pay your respects to the men and women who sacrificed everything for you.
Been there...
Done that...
You are correct... a moving experience once you think about it. Last I checked, it is still an active cemetary... which means that it has space available to accommodate casketed and cremated remains.
Also, if my memory serves me... a LOT of "colored" soldiers from the Civil War are buried there.
Oh, was doing a google search on Camp Nelson and I found this which is just too cool, I think. Rich you should enjoy it!
-=Moose
I'm reminded of the spring & summer I spent working at the Lexington Cemetary. It is home to the much smaller, but still moving, Lexington National Cemetary. I learned a lot about the special treatment that those graves receive.
I always knew that they were all situated so they faced the flag in the center but that's about where my knowledge ended. But there are also federal standards that state that the headstone must be a certain height and distance from the ones next to it, that the footer that supports the stone must be one and a half times as deep as would normally be required for another stone that size, and that you can't trim the grass around it (part of my job) with a string trimmer so as not to stain the white marble. It was interesting.
But the two most profound parts were (1) walking among the graves and seeing quite a number of them with only one word - "Unknown" - and (2) helping to place a small American flag in front of each one early Memorial Day morning.
Posted by: phydeaux on May 5, 2003 08:24 AMCamp Nelson National Cemetery is still an active cemetery. Both of my grandparents were buried there, one in 2002 and one in 2000.
It is a beautifully moving place, and at this time of year it's particularly photogenic.
Posted by: k. koontz on November 11, 2003 08:16 AMMy mother was buried at Camp Nelson Jan 10 2003. My dad was buried there Oct 11, 2002. I am plaining on visiting their graves this Sat. It is a very nice place. My dad was a world war 11 vet and korean war vet. He was in the Berlin Air Lift. IM proud of my dad and the things he fought for.
Barbara Cooper Dick