Our last stop on the first day was at the Air Force Memorial which is across the street and up the hill from the famous cemetery.
We had 3 bus loads of veterans and our tour guide is narrating this 6 minute video of part of the Arlington National Cemetery tour as only the tour bus has these privledges.
How many steps does the guard take?
The 21 gun salute tradition comes from: A ship coming into harbor in earlier times requests to the harbor permission by firing their 7 guns (away from land of course), the harbor answers by firing their 7 guns (out of harms way), and then the ship acknowledges by firing their 7 guns again — 7 x 3 = 21.
For a video of our Texas South Plains Honor Flight being the official representation of a veteran burial ceremony which includes playing the Taps and the 21 gun salute please visit my post about:
QUANTICO NATIONAL CEMETERY.
9:00 a. m. Changing of the guard.
Laying of the Wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the TEXAS SOUTH PLAINS HONOR FLIGHT, listen closely towards the end of the ceremony that the HONOR GUARD reprimands a visitor:
“DO NOT MOVE ACROSS THE CHAINS AND RAILS”.
After our chapter participates in the laying of the wreath: Another HONOR FLIGHT is there to greet us:
Most often greeting was; ” THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE”.
One of our famous TEXANS is interred across the street just behind the parking area for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
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