“Heaven Is Waiting For a Delivery” – Ouachitas

Fort Smith National Cemetery

Fort Smith, Arkansas July 7, 2013

When the first Fort Smith was laid out in 1817, land was set aside for a military cemetery. Granted national status in 1867, the 21-acre U.S. National Cemetery contains almost 10,000 graves — among them Judge Isaac Parker and “Darby’s Rangers” founder William O. Darby. The colorful “Avenue of Flags” is displayed each year on patriotic holidays. It is the oldest national cemetery in the country and one of only two National Cemeteries in the South where both Union and Confederate Soldiers are buried, including some side by side.

This photo was taken a couple days after the fourth of July, but to me it was still an overwhelming experience, there is more than 10,000 headstones of soldiers going back over 200 years representing sacrifices that gives us our freedom today. When our freedoms our challenged I think it is very important to remember what has been given by our soldiers and there families. Maybe a visit to a place like this should be something that we all should be doing I’m glad that I did. This photo in black and white backlit by the sun is to date one of my favorite photos, haunting yet with the shadows very patriotic, I hope as you view this photo it stirs something inside you as it did me, and it makes you proud to be an American.