On May 13th, 1864, the Civil War was entering its 3rd year and sadly, cemeteries in Washington D.C. were filling up. So the remains of Pvt. William Henry Christman were laid to rest in a new burial ground across the Potomac from the capital, in Virginia. This land, which had once belonged to Confederate General Robert E. Lee, was to become Arlington National Cemetery. Today it covers more than 624 acres and contains more than 300,000 graves.
 

Morning Breaks at Arlington (originally a poem written by Sen. Orrin Hatch) is a tribute to this hallowed ground and the heroes buried there. Impossible for me to listen to this song without a box of tissues nearby.

(This version features David Osmond/Osmonds Second Generation.)

Those who gave so much for us
Bravely said, “In God We Trust”
Now they are safe in His eternal care
“Thank God for those who rest in honor there”

“Until you’ve actually seen them in action, you have no conception of their courage.”
~ Bob Hope speaking of our troops.

Bob Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) star of vaudeville, radio, movies and television, was probably best known – and loved for his USO shows – entertaining our troops around the world. He performed his first show 70 years ago, on May 6, 1941, at March Field, an army base in Riverside, California; it was a life-changing event. For more than 50 years, Hope went wherever the military was fighting, performing for our troops. As John Steinbeck said in one of his columns: “He gets laughter wherever he goes from men who need laughter.”

In 1997, Congress officially declared Hope the “first and only honorary veteran of the U.S. armed forces.” He said it was the greatest honor he ever received.

Bob was real HOPE – a guy who sincerely loved and appreciated our military heroes.