11.11.2010

Honoring Veterans: Thank You George Archer

I'm fascinated with old cemeteries. Not in a spooky, Halloween-y way... I just think they can be really peaceful (during daylight). Everyone there has a story and I start thinking about what role they might have played in someones life or in our history. Nowhere is this more true than at Arlington National Cemetery.

Last September 11, a friend and I went for a walk and decided to try to locate his uncle's grave at Arlington. I snapped a bunch of photos (more after the jump) of graves that looked to me to contain interesting folk. After downloading them, I Googled to find out more about the men behind these memorials and what I found was fascinating.


This is Second Lieutenant George Archer of Cushing, OK. He was part of a crew of American servicemen whose plane went down over New Guinea during World War II bombing mission.  He left behind his wife Charlotte and a two month old daughter. By the time his remains were found and returned to the US, he would have had three grandchildren.

I imagine flying a bombing mission through a tropical storm halfway around the world was difficult and, in George's case, deadly, but he did it. He and his family made the sacrifice and kept the world free.

So in addition to all of my friends and family who served, I'd also like to thank George, Charlotte and their daughter Elaine who paid the ultimate price for freedom.

More photos from Arlington National Cemetery after the jump.



 Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

 Section 60: Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans
 Veteran, President & Inspiration: John F. Kennedy

1 comment:

Karry Dawes said...

Thank you for your interest in my Great-Uncle's story. I'm not sure anyone but the families of the other men found after so many years could understand the closure it gave my Grandfather as well as Charlotte and Elaine, they are wonderful people. My grandfather is the only remaining sibiling and was so afraid that he would not live to find out if it was really his brother. Being the one to go give DNA to get the possitive ID. I believe going to Washington DC for that funeral was one of the highlights of his life! I have many stories of family history to be proud of but seeing this all unfold has been one of my favorites.