Friday, November 11 2011
By Christian Davenport | The Washington Post
The headstones wear Hawaiian leis and Mardi Gras beads. They are festooned with bottles of Yuengling, flasks full of Jack, boxes of cigars.
In Arlington National Cemetery’s Section 60, where those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan lie, the graves aren’t just markers of remembrance; they are canvases decorated with stones, shiny balloons and handwritten notes. In this corner of the nation’s most sacrosanct military burial ground, all manner of ornamentation abounds — one headstone is covered in lipstick kisses — bringing a colorful poignancy to an otherwise monochromatic place of mourning.
Above all there are faces. Arlington may officially consecrate the
fallen by marble and etched lettering, but the families of Section 60
have rejected those protocols, covering the graves with photos of the
dead. Here they are as children. Here they are with their battle
buddies. Here they are with their families...
Mr. Davenport's article continues with a photo gallery and video at washingtonpost.com...
The headstones wear Hawaiian leis and Mardi Gras beads. They are
festooned with bottles of Yuengling, flasks full of Jack, boxes of
cigars.
In Arlington National Cemetery’s Section 60, where those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan lie,
the graves aren’t just markers of remembrance; they are canvases
decorated with stones, shiny balloons and handwritten notes. In this
corner of the nation’s most sacrosanct military burial ground, all
manner of ornamentation abounds — one headstone is covered in lipstick
kisses — bringing a colorful poignancy to an otherwise monochromatic
place of mourning.
