Marine Sunset Parade

     In 1954 (on their 179th birthday), the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial was placed outside the gates of Arlington National Cemetery as a dedication to any individual who gave their life as a Marine.  How does the saying go?....Freedom comes at a price.  The statue was modeled after the photo of the flag raising on Mount Suribachi in Iwo Jima.  Since 1956, the Washington D.C. Marines have been performing a sunset parade every Tuesday in the shadow of this statue to commemorate those whose "Uncommon valor was a common virtue."  Might I add "OORAH!"

     When PDub and I move in a little over a month, we hope to have no regrets.  We hope to have done everything that we wanted to do before closing this chapter in our lives.  So how does one prepare for such a closure?  One first heads to TripAdvisor to make sure he has completed all of the highly rated things to do.  Thank goodness for this website because we didn't even know the Marine Sunset Parade existed.  To check this off our list, we loaded up our lawn chairs and (thankfully) rain jackets and headed for the Iwo Jima Memorial on our one and only free Tuesday.  I am grateful we sat through the rain to see this tradition and to give some respect to individuals who give their lives for the sake of our freedom.

U.S. Marine Corps Memorial, also known as the Iwo Jima Memorial.

Taking pictures at sunset is really tough.

The musical unit from the D.C. Marine Barracks.

Doo-woppin' at sunset.  Nothing better.

One of the marching units from the D.C. Marine Barracks.

Here comes the rain.  (That song would've been a fitting play at this time).

With rain, comes umbrellas.

These gentlemen never missed a beat or step.  If war cannot defeat them, then rain cannot either.