Appreciation from the Community

7 months ago

Appreciation from the Community

Alexa Fish Ward

I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to you for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the Flowers of Remembrance Day at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It was an honor. I learned. I grew through experience, gained knowledge and deepened my understanding. I had the opportunity to meet extraordinary men and women: Current and former Tomb guards; Gold Star Mothers; Daughters of the American Revolution; the ANC historian; service men and women, those who came to visit the TUS from around the country; and volunteers like myself.

I experienced precious moments while engaging the visitors. I could see and feel how much the history of the flowers impacted them. I could tell how much they wanted their children and grandchildren to connect to this history, and feel its weight as they placed their flowers by the tomb.

Thank you for the precious opportunity to place flowers as a family. Three generations of the family of Hamilton Fish III came together and stood side by side as the flowers were placed: 1. Alexa Fish Ward, granddaughter; 2. Rebecca Ward Brock, great grand- daughter; 3. David Brock, Rebecca’s husband; 4. Great great grandchildren: Caroline (age 5), Ben (age 21 months) and Jack (age 1 month). My grandfather would have been so proud and deeply moved. He would have cried.

Thank you for the precious opportunity to place flowers as a family. Three generations of the family of Hamilton Fish III came together and stood side by side as the flowers were placed: 1. Alexa Fish Ward, granddaughter; 2. Rebecca Ward Brock, great grand- daughter; 3. David Brock, Rebecca’s husband; 4. Great great grandchildren: Caroline (age 5), Ben (age 21 months) and Jack (age 1 month). My grandfather would have been so proud and deeply moved. He would have cried.

Thank you for sending me the content of the address given by John Hamre, Deputy Secretary of Defense, 1997-2000, when he spoke to the Tomb Guards in 1999. In his words, “Why is the Tomb such a Special Place?” “What do we think about when we look at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier? I think that it, more than probably anything else, manifests our nation’s deepest hopes and, honestly, some of our deepest fears when we call young men and women to serve this country.” “There is a very deep powerful force inside all of us, [a longing] not to be forgotten. I think that is what the Tomb is actually all about. It’s that linkage between one’s identity and one’s sacrifice.”

Sincerely, with respect, Alexa Fish Ward