USS Serpens
About 70 years ago on January 29th, a terrible commotion took place off Guadalcanal. Those involved in the explosion are memorialized in Arlington National Cemetery. The U.S.S. Serpens memorial is an ideal wreath laying choice for McGee Middle School’s eighth graders, as it has significantly changed the history of America. In Virginia, there is a national cemetery visited by thousands a year. This graveyard is called Arlington National Cemetery, a home to a variety of tombs and memorials in order to remember those who have lost their lives. Furthermore, certain deceased veterans and medal of honor winners are buried here. Arlington was built in order to aid families with not enough money to send their soldiers home. Powers writes,
…show more content…
Serpens ship had its devastating final sail. The ship suddenly exploded in Guadalcanal and near Lunga beach. There were more than 250 sailors on board the U.S.S. Serpens, and just like any regular day, they were carrying explosives and other goods. JR Potts writes in “ USS Serpens (AK-97),” “No one knew if this was an accident or an enemy attack, but after a long investigation it was classified as unknown [...]" (Potts). Sadly, it was only an average Monday when these sailors would unknowingly take their last breath. Similar to that, only a few of the many on board lived after the event. The U.S. Coast Guard writes in the text, “U.S.S Serpens AK-97,” “Only two of those on board, Sn 1/c Kelsie K Kemp and Sn 1/c George J Kennedy, who had been in the boatswain’s locker, survived” (U.S. Coast Guard). That being said, only around 1% of the people on board survived. Around 60 dock-workers, a physician, and almost 200 crew members were wiped out. This terrifying explosion on the U.S.S. Serpens ship changed the way the U.S. Coast Guard runs, …show more content…
Serpens, Arlington National Cemetery donated an octagon shaped memorial to the members of the crew. The monument is located in section three of the cemetery. On top of the memorial are the names of each person who lost their lives in the event. Dr. Laura Wood writes in her text, “U.S.S Serpens Memorial,” “This octogonal granite memorial commemorates the 250 lives lost with the explosion of the USS Serpens ammunition ship on January 29, 2945” (Wood). Underneath the memorial, many of those who lost their lives in the explosion are buried. 250 people passed in the event, who are the ones under the memorial. Some of those include, Alexander Helement, Perry P Headrick, Edwin A Ables, Frank Kadilak and Roy G Anderson (Arlington National Cemetery). The monument was dedicated to the USS Serpens about 65 years ago in the early afternoon on the 16th of November. The monument itself is very important as it remembers the people who died on the USS Serpens ship. The memorial helps those who view it honor the poor victims of the
By the second torpedo, all the men on The USS Indianapolis were wide awake. Things were starting to go wrong on the USS “Indy.” Flames were venting and all the power h...
When people see “Old Glory” flying, the experience should take their breath away. From the Omaha beaches in Normandy, where over three million soldiers stormed the German Nazis, to Iwo Jima, where the exhausted marines raised the proud flag, to the h...
The Korean War Veterans Memorial Research Paper: The Korean War Veterans Memorial is an ominous depiction of an American squad on patrol alongside a 164 foot mural wall, to show that freedom is not free. The memorial is dedicated to those who served in the Korean War but more importantly those of them who were killed in action, are still missing in action, or were held as prisoners of war. The memorial was created by Frank Gaylord and Louis Nelson. The objective of the memorial is to remind the public of the dedication to the United States of the men and women who served in the Korean War. The memorial was designed to show the trials and tribulations that many of the military personnel faced during the war.
A time to remember those who died, those who served, and those who carry on.” ~Unknown. Servicemen make sacrifices daily. During 9/11, the Manhattan firefighters were responding to a gas leak when they heard the explosion from one of the twin towers. Policemen and firefighters from all around New York and surrounding areas came to help rescue the victims. They searched through rubbish and raced with time to check the buildings before and after the buildings collapsed. There were clouds of smoke, dust, and debris flying through the streets; blinding the bystanders. Hundreds of servicemen died that day, including military personnel in the Pentagon who were also hit by the hijackers. I had a cousin named Johnnie Doctor Jr who was in the Navy. He was killed in the Pentagon. I never got to know him, but from what I heard he was a great person to be
On March 4th, 1921, Congress approved the commissioning of a tomb of an unknown soldier of World War 1, this soldier will be buried in the new Memorial Amphitheater (“The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier”). On Memorial day 1921, U.S. Army Sgt. Edward
... Vietnam Women's Memorial. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial honors members of the U.S. armed forces who served in the Vietnam War. The main part of the memorial was completed in 1982 and is located in Constitution Gardens on the National Mall, just northeast of the Lincoln Memorial. The Memorial is maintained by the U.S. National Park Service, and receives an estimated 3 million visitors each year.
In the midst of one of the busiest cities in the world there lies a sanctuary. There lies an area where all men are equal, where poverty is non-existent, where all men are united under two things; the first being death and the second being America. Arlington National Cemetery is a tribute to all of the fallen heroes, the patriots, the soldiers, the pioneers, all who have cried American tears. I have been forever changed since visiting Arlington National Cemetery and it is a visit that every American should make.
As the birds are singing their sweet melody, the terrain of Arlington National Cemetery is filled with sadness. Although the brilliant rays of sun are shinning through the thick colossal treetops, there is a chill in the air. While watching the mourners, the feeling of their sorrows is all too real.
I chose the easy route of interview my grandpa (Dean Randel) who served in World War II as flight deck operator that signaled the aircrafts and got them ready for flight. He was station in San Diego on the USS Wisconsin which was of course a aircraft carrier. As I grew up he always told me stories of the good times he had with buddies and just living the good life. This is a first for me to sit down one on one with him and hear about what went on. Before I could even get a word in my grandpa ask me, “Do you know how Veterans Day was brought about?” I was so shock he was into doing this that I just shut my mouth and listened. He continued by saying in 1921, an American soldier -his name "known but to God "-was buried on a Virginia hillside overlooking the Potomac River and the city of Washington, DC. The burial site of this unknown World War I soldier in Arlington National Cemetery symbolized dignity and pride for all American veterans. Similar ceremonies occurred earlier in England and France, where an "unknown soldier” was buried in each nation’s highest place of honor (I later researched and found out it was in England, Westminster Abbey; in France, the Arc de Triomphe). These memorial gestures all took place on November 11, giving universal recognition to the celebrated ending of World War I hostilities at 11 a.m., November 11, 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month). The day became known as "Armistice Day.”Armistice Day of...
Washington, DC is a spectacular place. This being my first time in DC, I was in awe of everything and all the historical places I encountered. The presence of the monuments and history is what made the capitol so magnificent. Having only read about the Lincoln memorial, I never had the chance to experience the sensation of being inside such an honorable place of importance. The imposing white marble walls of the memorial and the many people surrounding it could be seen from afar. Arriving at the location, an unknown feeling came over me. I was experiencing history in a whole different level. When I think about a memorial, the term remembrance comes to mind. Seeing the statue of Abraham Lincoln brought pieces of memories from history class and evoked thoughts of what it might have felt like to be in his shoes. I was astonished by the statue’s enormousness and how grand Abraham Lincoln looked in his chair. The size of the statue compared to pictures from books and elsewhere was surreal. Abraham Lincoln was a very “powerful and prominent individual” in the history of our nation, the statue’s design and size reflected upon that. Looking around me, I wanted to know what the others thoughts were on seeing his statue and how they felt in that building. I finally had the courage to ask one or two people what they thought; they all had the same appreciation as me. Hearing about an important person or learning about them in a history book gives you vast knowledge but it doesn’t evoke the feeling of utter appreciation as the memorial does. When Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, many people wanted to build a memorial in honor of him. They wanted to be able to show how important he was to shaping our nation and to “honor his existence”. Ce...
rocket propelled grenades, but its American crew of about 20 successfully blockaded themselves in the engine room and warded off the attack with evasive maneuvers…. The U.S. plans to send an envoy to an April 23rd conference on piracy in Brussels.” (MSNBC News). The pirates, abandoned and even in some cases committed suicide from the overwhelming force of America. The U.S. Navy was on th...
At the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C. lie the remains of four hundred thousand soldiers, but only four are given the title the unknown soldier. The tomb of the unknown soldier, also known as the Tomb of the Unknowns, is a monument that opened on November eleventh nineteen twenty-one. The tomb contains the remains of four unidentified soldiers from World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The tomb is a reminder of America 's pastime. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a vital part of American history because it represents all the men and women who have selflessly given their lives for American freedom.
Not only are military heroes buried at Arlington, but memorials have also been built to honor others who have given their lives for America. The memorials that are located throughout Arlington tell a story about people throughout American history (Reef 43). Each year families walk the endless rows of white head stones at Arlington in order to pay their respects to the ones that have given their lives for America.
History has a strange way of coming back around when it comes to human civilization. It has been said repeatedly that those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it. However, just because there is a potential for danger in the future, this does not mean that humanity must ignore what once was. History is normally remembered through what is known as a memorial. When a memorial is put into a physical representation, it is then known as a monument.The need to memorialize events or people is complex; in some cases, monuments honor moments of great achievement, while in other cases, monuments pay homage to deep sacrifice. A monument's size, location, and materials are all considerations in planning and creating a memorial to the past. Examples of such feats are the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and even Mount Rushmore. For the latter of the
... If the eligible parties wish to be buried in a private cemetery the VA will provide a head stone, marker or medallion at no cost, the only cost the parties may see is from the cemetery for the installation fees if they will accept a government furnished headstone. (VA) As stated previously, the VA operates the nation’s largest healthcare system with more than 1,400 medical sites of care. To be eligible for VA health care you must have served in the active military and been discharged or released on conditions other than dishonorable.