Memorial Day at Fort Logan National Cemetery

In what has become a yearly tradition and honor for me, I rode to Fort Logan National Cemetery to pay my respects to the folks who've served and in a lot of cases, given their life in the service of my adoptive country.

This year, my 11 year old son Miles, accompanied me as we rode on Vikki, my Suzuki V-Strom sidecar rig, which made the occasion that much more special for me.  He's now old enough to understand what the cemetery represents in terms of the costs of America's role in her past wars.  I hope he'll grow to appreciate the sacrifice that the men and women buried at our national cemeteries and elsewhere did as part of their service to our country.

Our first stop was at SSGT Bryan Joiner's grave site.  He was the son of a friend of mine.  Bryan died in his early 20s while serving in the United States Air Force.

 Bryan J. Joiner, SSGT, USAF

 Miles stands at SSGT Joiner's grave, you'll note what used to be empty ground has 

now been filled with more grave sites

 Section 44, SSGT Joiner's piece of the large grounds used by this National Cemetery

Miles and I walked amongst the rows upon rows of veterans and their spouses, with me pointing out a grave stone here and there.  I tried to get him to see how all the branches of the military were represented, what war  or was each person fought in and their ranks and units where it was listed.  Miles asked me if there were any WWI soldiers buried there, so we sought them out. 

 This was the first grave site we found of a WWI soldier, soon after this one, we found many more

I told Miles of the cemeteries in France and other European countries, where American soldiers

had been buried and are still honored by those countries they help to free.

 Along the core section of the cemetery, there is a small lake, here are some of the grave sites

along a section called Memorial Walk.

 Still along Memorial Walk, I found this view of the National Colors through the trees

Miles, taking one last look at the "Gardens of Stone"

He seemed to have taken in the words I said and hopefully will take away an idea

of the lives lost and what it costs at times to make America they way it is 

and the freedom under

which we live.

My thanks to all the men and women who've served in our nation's armed forces; in war or peace, they all served.  

 "All Gave Some, Some Gave All"