Christmas wreaths at Arlington

[Duty Honor Country]

This story is more than just news, its respect by those who have never served to those who have fallen in combat. Take the time to read and comment. It's well worth it.

Doody

Gift of wreaths touches nation

By Rick Hampson, USA TODAY
ARLINGTON, Va. — The rows of gravestones stretched out before him like time itself. But when John Lechler saw the date on one particular tombstone, he knew where to lay his wreath. And for a moment, Army Air Corps 2nd Lt. Gordon H. Sterling Jr., who died on Dec. 7, 1941, lived again.

The balsam fir wreath was from Maine — made by hand, decorated by hand, wrapped, boxed and loaded on a truck by hand, then driven 750 miles to Arlington National Cemetery.


This is the miracle of Arlington. "When you first look at that sea of stones, you don't get the impression of individuality," says Tom Sherlock, the cemetery historian. "But if you stop for just a moment and look at the name on the stone, in that moment they're thought of again, and they live again."


Lechler was one of about 600 volunteers at the cemetery Thursday for what has become a new holiday tradition: placing Christmas wreaths — supplied by a Maine businessman who never got over his first sight of the cemetery — on more than 5,000 veterans' graves.


"It's great that we came together to show our gratitude, considering how tough it is for everybody with this war going on," says Lechler, 42, an Ashburn, Va., resident who runs a sports training business and who never served in the military.

Every December for the past 15 years, Morrill Worcester, owner of one of the world's largest holiday wreath companies, has taken time in the midst of his busiest season to haul a truckload of wreaths to Arlington from his small Downeast Maine town of Harrington.


For years, he and a small band of volunteers laid the wreaths in virtual obscurity. But in the last 12 months that has changed, thanks to a dusting of snow last year at the cemetery, an evocative photograph, a sentimental poem and a chain e-mail. And this year, Worcester went national. A new program, "Wreaths Across America," shipped a total of about 1,300 wreaths to more than 200 national cemeteries and vets' memorials in all 50 states...

the rest of the article is on the link below. Its worth the few minutes to read it. Take a look at the picts too. My respect goes out to my fellow Mainer's for doing such a thing.


http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-12-14-wreaths-cover_x.htm

 

[Team Infidel]

yeah, that is pretty cool. i have to go by Arlington on Monday, I will see if I can get a current pic. No snow here yet.

 

[tomtom22]

Read more about this story here: http://www.military-quotes.com/forum/rest-easy-sleep-well-my-t29209.html?highlight=wreaths
and here: http://www.military-quotes.com/forum/gift-wreaths-touches-nation-t29885.html?nojs=1#usercptools

 

[A Can of Man]

I used to live across the street from Fort Meyers which maintains it.

 

[Rob Henderson]

The rest of the article is very touching. Its things like these that makes me proud to be part of the human race.

 

[Chief Bones]

The other thread that relates to this can be found at:
http://www.military-quotes.com/forum/rest-easy-sleep-well-my-t29209.html?

It is because of people like Mr Morrill Worcester that those of us who have fought on the battlefields round the world don't feel our sacrifices were in vain. He honors those who have given the last full measure and for that I thank him from the bottom of my heart. I thank him for all of my former friends, family and fellow warriors who are no longer able to personally tell him how they feel. As long as there are people like Mr Worcester, they will NOT be forgotten.

His honor and his work, honors them.