CNN 2010-06-04

When we think of paying respects to the grave site, we think of, perhaps, saying a prayer or perhaps laying flowers, but at one very special section of Arlington National Cemetery¹, we'll find some very personal mementos² left by comrades of the fallen. CNN's Barbara Starr is there at Arlington National Cemetery. Barbara, I imagine you're talking about section 60?

 

Indeed, Brooke. We are here at section 60 this morning at Arlington National Cemetery where hundreds of troops who have fallen on the battlefield of Iraq and Afghanistan have been laid to rest, and their history is being preserved.

 

Here at Arlington National Cemetery, section 60, a tradition of not just paying respect but leaving something to honor those who have fallen on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. For years, flowers, photos, letters, teddy bears, all kinds of remembrances have been left. Army curator, Roderick Gainer, is here on a labor³ of love in a place full of grief.

 

Tell me about section 60.

 

This is where many of the casualties in the current military operations are buried. And so you can see sort of the real cost of war when you're here.

 

For the first time, the army is gathering⁴ up and preserving mementos.

 

You're really recording⁵ the history of this place and these people?

 

Yes, very much.

 

Gainer and volunteers recorded bag some very personal remembrances.

 

We actually recovered letter saying, you know, I was lucky I got out of here, you know, don't think about trouble times. We are going by grave to grave on a weekly basis recovering items that have been left here. And we, basically, these items into a database and photograph the grave.

 

You see an awful lot of personal things left here.

 

Yes.

 

Very personal.

 

Very personal things. I've seen everything from report cards to an Alabama football ticket stub from crimson⁶ tide. Obviously, the sea (ph) service person was a tide fan. Letters. Hotel keys I've seen. Many jewelry⁷, lots of things.

 

Let's look at some of the things that you're going to be collecting here now.

 

We mentioned the bracelet⁸ before, Sergeant⁹ David Cristoff. It was his sort of remembrance bracelet. Obviously. The name of this soldier. And here appears to be a letter. Here you have the grave of Shane Adcock. You can clearly see a bronze star has been left on here. His birth date was May 24th which was a few days ago, so these things were left here for his birthday. We will gather these items because it's after his birthday.

 

There is also a letter.

 

It looks like it says, happy birthday, bro. Stay safe. And I'll see you on the higher ground.

 

Yes. And Shane, thanks for looking over me. I love and miss you. We'll meet you again in heaven. Sure snap.

 

Buddies¹⁰ who came by one last time. And you'll personally take that.

 

Yes, we'll take all of these items.

 

Ok.

 

On some graves, we now see photographs have been permanently¹¹ attached.

 

Yes, you see several places around here.

 

What's your sense of why families are doing this, trying to affix¹² somewhat of a permanence to this?

 

Remembrance. I mean, nothing says remembrance like a face. You know, when you read Justin Ray Davis, private first class of the United States army, born 1987, and died at 2006, this really drives that home.

 

There is a face here. This is a person.

 

Young man, 19 years old.

 

STARR: The army isn't sure yet what it will do with everything it's collecting, but one thing is certain, families and friends will come every Memorial Day, and young men will stand at attention for those who didn't make it.

 

And Brooke, we wanted to keep ourselves out of the picture and just show the viewers this morning at section 60, parents, family, friends, young children, all here to pay their respects to the fallen on Memorial Day 2010 -- Brooke.

 

Walking through Arlington, it just gives you goose bumps of gratitude¹³. Barbara Starr, excellent, excellent report. Thank you.
 

1 cemetery   

n.坟墓，墓地，坟场

参考例句：

• He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。
• His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。

2 mementos   

纪念品，令人回忆的东西( memento的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The museum houses a collection of mementos, materials and documents. 博物馆保存着很多回忆录以及文献资料。
• This meant, however, that no one was able to retrieve irreplaceable family mementos. 然而，这也意味着谁也没能把无可替代的家庭纪念品从火中救出来。

3 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

4 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

5 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

6 crimson   

n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色

参考例句：

• She went crimson with embarrassment.她羞得满脸通红。
• Maple leaves have turned crimson.枫叶已经红了。

7 jewelry   

n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝

参考例句：

• The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
• Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。

8 bracelet   

n.手镯，臂镯

参考例句：

• The jeweler charges lots of money to set diamonds in a bracelet.珠宝匠要很多钱才肯把钻石镶在手镯上。
• She left her gold bracelet as a pledge.她留下她的金手镯作抵押品。

9 sergeant   

n.警官，中士

参考例句：

• His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
• How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？

10 buddies   

n.密友( buddy的名词复数 )；同伴；弟兄；（用于称呼男子，常带怒气）家伙v.（如密友、战友、伙伴、弟兄般）交往( buddy的第三人称单数 )；做朋友；亲近（…）；伴护艾滋病人

参考例句：

• We became great buddies. 我们成了非常好的朋友。 来自辞典例句
• The two of them have become great buddies. 他们俩成了要好的朋友。 来自辞典例句

11 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

12 affix   

n.附件，附录 vt.附贴，盖(章)，签署

参考例句：

• Please affix your signature to the document. 请你在这个文件上签字。
• Complete the form and affix four tokens to its back. 填完该表，在背面贴上4张凭券。

13 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。