Memorial Day Commemoration And 1868 Reenactment At Laurel Hill Cemetery In Philadelphia On May 29, 2011

On May 29, 2011, a Memorial Day Observance was held at the Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, PA. As you will see in the photographs and videos, there were many Living Historians and Military Personnel spanning various eras and conflicts.



The parade to the area where American Civil War General George Meade is buried:




Anthony "Andy" Waskie, professor and historian, is portraying George Meade:










Lieutenant-Colonel (LTC) Marc Young gave a speech:





The traditional Honor Volleys:


General George Meade's Grave:


This portion of the Observance featured the Dedication of a Tombstone for Civil War Veteran and Regiment Surgeon Dr. Silas Updegrove (of the 157th Pennsylvania Infantry Volunteers and 99th PA Vols and a Battle Of Gettysburg Veteran) ...





Andy is introducing Vietnam Veteran and Executive Director of the American Civil War Charitable Trust William S. (Bill) Vosseler (who is portraying General George Henry "Rock Of Chickamauga" Thomas):




The new Stone for Silas Updegrove:




A wreath supplied by Post 405 (Benjamin Franklin Post Of the American Legion):


A wreath supplied by the Post At The Union League (successor to Post 1 Society of the Meade Post):




Petals were placed on the Graves. This is a tradition of the GAR (Grand Army Of The Republic). What you see here is an 1868 Reenactment of that particular practice:






This portion of the Observance features the mass burial of 1,500 unclaimed bodies:




The Honor Volleys:








Here are the videos ...

Part 1: First the band played, there was a brief introduction including describing the Memorial Day Observance by the Post 1 of the GAR (Grand Army Of The Republic) followed by the Invocation. Then there was some music followed by a speech by Lieutenant-Colonel (LTC) Marc Young. Groups such as the Friends Of Laurel Hill Cemetery, the Cemetery Company itself, the General George Meade Society and Patriotic Order Sons Of America and the Union League Of Philadelphia among others were present.


Part 2: Wreaths were placed by General George Meade's Grave/Tombstone, the Honor Guard delivered the traditional Honor Volleys and "Taps" was played.


Part 3: First a speech is given by Vietnam Veteran and Executive Director of the American Civil War Charitable Trust William S. (Bill) Vosseler (portraying General George Henry "Rock of Chickamauga" Thomas) and then the petals are dropped onto the Grave of Civil War Veteran and Regiment Surgeon Dr. Silas Updegrove (of the 157th Pennsylvania Infantry Volunteers and 99th PA Vols and a Battle Of Gettysburg Veteran). This is a Dedication of a new Tombstone for him. Honors Volleys and "Taps" followed the Dedication.


Part 4: This video features the laying of two wreaths supplied by Post 405 (Benjamin Franklin Post Of the American Legion) and the Post At The Union League (successor to Post 1 Society of the Meade Post). Camp #1 placed petals on the Graves ... a tradition of the GAR (Grand Army Of The Republic). This was an 1868 Reenactment of that particular practice. Honor Volleys and "Taps" followed.


Part 5: This video features the mass burial of unclaimed bodies ... 1,500 of them! Honor Volleys and the beginning of "Taps" follow. The band played "Battle Hymn Of The Republic" at the end. This concludes Part 5 and the entire five-part series.


The Laurel Hill Cemetery's website: http://www.thelaurelhillcemetery.org
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World War II Encampment In National Park, New Jersey On May 22, 2011

On May 22, 2011, Red Bank Battlefield in National Park, NJ hosted a World War II Encampment featuring tents, vehicles, artifacts, Reenactors, Living Historians and some Veterans themselves. Below are many photographs of the event ...





















I like those records and that player:


















I met an actual Veteran of the Second World War at the Encampment. His name is Chester Karzynski. He served in the Philippines in the 33rd Division Field Artillery working in Wire and Communication. It is always great to meet and speak with the Veterans.


Here is his signature, with pertinent information, on an index card:




































The John Clark Big Band was at the Park performing music from the 1940s:


Here is a video of the Encampment. The sounds of the 1940s can be heard in the background.