2 years ago when celebrating both my FIL's and Danielle's ( my youngest son Jim's, girlfriend) Birthdays, my FIL was showing us pictures of a trip he made to Washington, D.C. to the War Memorials.

Both my sons expressed a desire to go if there was another trip scheduled.

My FIL, Joe's Dad, is a Korean War Veteran

He was first drafted to play Major League Baseball with the St. Lewis Cardinals but never realized that Dream because he was then drafted to serve in the Korean War.

He was a Marine and is a Purple Heart recipient.

He frequently has Editorials published in the local newspaper about and on behalf of Veterans.

This is one such Editorial:

Barna: I am a survivor

Published: July 27, 2013

Editor:
July 27 is a day when there will be no parades, no picnics, no speeches, and no flags displayed. But to a very special group of people who served and fought for America, July 27, 1953, is the day that the Korean War ended. Those families who lost a loved one in that far-off country will not celebrate, but remember the prayers, pain and tears shed for their loved ones that were lost so long ago.
Many of you who are reading this may not have been born at the time of the Korean War. You will rightly think that 60 years is a long time ago. In Korea, I fought in a war in which I was wounded. As I was bleeding heavily from a bayonet wound, a Navy Corpsman looked into my eyes and told me that if he did not stop the flow of blood, I would bleed to death. He sewed my wound and bandaged it up. And I went back to my brothers in the battle. A few weeks ago, I was attending a funeral dinner when a teenaged boy, whom I did not know, came up to me and showed me a picture of that Navy Corpsman on his phone. My mind went back 60 years to that night when this 22-year-old man gave me six more decades of life. This particular Corpsman was Congressional Medal of Honor Winner John Kilmer, Seaman Second Class, U.S. Navy. This true hero gave his life three weeks after saving mine when he died while saving three Marines. I will never forget July 27, nor will I ever forgot Navy Corpsman John Kilmer.
I will never forget the Korean people. I lived among them for more than a year. I saw what war can do to a country. I saw the South Korean people trying to pay us back for coming to their defense as the North Koreans and the Chinese swept over their towns and villages. The cost to America in lives and money was great. No one ever said, "Was it worth it?" You would have to ask the people of South Korea who live there today. In almost every battle, where Americans were being killed or wounded, Korean civilians, mothers, fathers, children and even grandparents would go among our dead and wounded and carry them down off the hills. To see four young children try to carry a soldier or Marine, each holding an arm or leg, is a sight one never forgets.
I pray that we never see this in our country.
During the summer of 2011, I was able to visit the Korean War Memorial in Washington, D.C. During my visit to the memorial, two Korean families approached me. They saw my Marine Corps hat and shirt. I told them that I was in their country many years before. They spoke in broken English or translated by their tour guide, but I knew everything they tried to say. They couldn't thank me enough. One woman thanked me for giving her the family that she has now. We talked and then we cried openly and unashamed. No words can describe the hugs, the bows, and even a few kisses that I got that day. I guess, at least for me, the question, "Was it worth it?" can be answered. Yes, it was.
Please do not believe that I write trying to glamorize myself. I was only one of about one million Americans who found themselves in the Korean War. These included the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marines. Approximately 1/3 were killed, wounded or missing in action. I do not want to portray myself as a hero, only a survivor.
I write to tell people of the lives and the sacrifices that are part of Veterans lives. I want our citizens today to recognize what war means to a veteran and what it means to all our current military men and women who are serving our country today. I am proud to have served with so many young and not-so-young Americans. For me, the war provided a small but important part of my life that I will never forget. No one can see death and destruction in such a short period of time and ever forget it. Life is full of memories, some good and some bad, and I feel that I have had my share of both.
Joseph Barna
Freeland
USMC, Korea 1952-1953

I did a post titled "Letter from a Korean War Veteran" last year. Please click HERE if you would like to read it.

On Thursday, April 24, 2014, Four Generations of the Barna family took a Bus Trip, sponsored by the VFW in Freeland, Pa., to Washington, D.C.

My oldest son, Joey, Danielle and my youngest son, Jim getting off the Bus at Arlington National Cemetery, first stop on the Tour.

Let me start by saying that I did not go as I can not travel because of health issues.

Hubby Joe, my son Joey, my son Jim and his girlfriend, Danielle , my FIL and my MIL and 4 of my in law's Great Grandchildren went on the trip.

Hence, 4 Generations!!

Pictures are courtesy of Hubby Joe and Danielle.

The Official Website of Arlington National Cemetery

The Entrance to Arlington.......

You can see that they had a beautiful day!!

Joe took these pics to show me that the flowers are blooming somewhere even though they are not blooming yet in NEPA!!

First stop was President John Fitzgerald Kennedy Gravesite

John Fitzgerald Kennedy

The Eternal Flame

Jaqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis

Son- Patrick Bouvier Kennedy

Jim, Joey and Danielle in front of Edward Kennedy's Tombstone

This is Arlington House

Taken from Wikipedia....

" Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial, formerly named the Custis-Lee Mansion, is a Greek revival style mansion located in Arlington, Virginia, USA that was once the home of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. It overlooks the Potomac River and the National Mall in Washington, D.C. During the American Civil War, the grounds of the mansion were selected as the site of Arlington National Cemetery, in part to ensure that Lee would never again be able to return to his home. However, the United States has since designated the mansion as a National Memorial to Lee, a mark of widespread respect for him in both the North and South. Arlington Woods, located behind Arlington House, contains the oldest and largest tract of climax eastern hardwood forest that still exists in Arlington County."

Edward Moore Kennedy

Sorry it is so light.....

A Memorial to Joseph Kennedy, Jr.

He is not actually buried there.

Truly, a beautiful day!

Former Heads of State.....

I was amazed at this!!

Arlington Memorial Amphitheater

Joey and Joe climbing the steps.....

Joe said it was spectacular , reminding him of something that you would see in Rome!!

All marble!!

Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier!

HERE RESTS IN HONORED GLORY AN AMERICAN SOLDIER KNOWN BUT TO GOD

Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.

On the ABC evening news, it was reported recently that, because of the dangers from Hurricane Isabel approaching Washington, DC, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They refused. "No way, Sir!"
Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment; it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a service person. The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.

Click HERE to read the Story from ABC News

A frequent site in Washington, D.C.!!!

Love this!!

What a skyline!!

This is the lady, Mary Pagano, who was taking a picture of the whole group on the Tour!!

I LOVE the background!!

And Here is the picture she took.....

2 Buses- 84 people!!

The US Marine Corps War Memorial or The Iwo Jima Memorial

Breathtaking against the clear sky!

My FIL on the far right in the red shirt, with some of his Buddies!

It is especially significant for him.......

Joey taking a picture of 4 of my in law's Great Grandchildren that came on the trip!!

My Barna Boys!!

The 3 Musketeers!!

Danielle and Jim

Ha! Ha!

You can tell that both of my sons are quite funny!!

Joey, Danielle and Jim and my MIL, Eleanore

In the distance, The Lincoln Memorial

Joe took a photo of a plane!

Ha Ha!!

The amazing Vietnam Veterans Memorial

I was astonished at the expanse of The Wall........

The Washington Monument in the distance

So many names........

Danielle, Jim and Joey

A Grandfather and his only Grandsons

Joey, Joe and Jim

My Boys!

Danielle and Jim

This one really struck me......

The Women's Vietnam Memorial

I was really touched by this Memorial!

Danielle has pointed out to me that someone took the time to place a real fresh flower in the soldiers hand.......

The National World War II Memorial

Unfortunately, They did not have a lot of time at this Memorial.

Joe said it was very beautiful!

Each pillar is a State represented....

Joe would have liked to have gotten a photo in front of the Pennsylvania Column but it was all the way over on the other side and time did not allow.

I specifically wanted a picture taken of my family at this Memorial ....

For my Dad, who was a Master Sargent in the Army in World War II

He would have loved to have been able to visit this Memorial......

My Heart

My Pride

And My Joy!

The entrance......

Finally, The Korean Veterans War Memorial

I was awestruck by this Memorial!

This was taken from Wikipedia.......

"The figures represent a squad on patrol, drawn from each branch of the armed forces; fourteen of the figures are from the U.S. Army, three are from the Marine Corps, one is a Navy Corpsman, and one is an Air Force Forward Air Observer. They are dressed in full combat gear, dispersed among strips of granite and juniper bushes which represent the rugged terrain of Korea."

To think that these figures represent my FIL ..........

Takes one's breath away, don't you think?

3 Generations.........

A Marine and his Grandsons........

The Korean War.....

DEAD

USA- 54,246
UN- 658,833

The Memorial Wall at the Korean War Memorial

A Grandfather and 4 of his Great Grandchildren........

There are pictures on the Wall....

Sorry for the reflection.......

Danielle, my MIL, Jim

Taken from the bus on the way out of Washington......

The National Mall

I hope you enjoyed your "Tour" of the some of our Nation's War Memorials brought to you by the Barna family!!

I have to give Joe credit for the pictures he took especially because he NEVER uses the camera and I had to show him how to turn it on!!!!!

HA! HA!!

If you missed my first post in my Spot Light On Series, please click HERE
The post is about my Bloggy Friend, Kim Poovey!

I will be linking up to these great parties this week:

Patriot's Palooza Linky Party

Ladies Only Blog Share link Party: Memorial Day Reflections

MONDAY
Inspiration Mondays
Blue Monday

Amaze Me Mondays
Making Monday Link Party
Motivational Mondays
Busy Monday

What'd You Do This Weekend?

Inspire Me Monday

Mod Vintage Mix Monday

Metamorphosis Monday

The DIY'ers
Make It Pretty Monday
Monday Link Party
Inspire Me Monday

TUESDAY

Show Me What You Got Tuesdays

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Tuesdays At Our Home

Inspire Me Tuesdays

Tweak It Tuesdays