All gave some. Some gave all.

Christmas
Arlington National Cemetery
Washington, DC

You may be interested to know that these wreaths, some 5,000, are donated by the Worcester Wreath Company, of Harrington, Maine. The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He's done this since 1992. Also, most years, groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip to DC with this event to help out. Making this even more remarkable is the fact that Harrington is in one of the poorest parts of the state.

A Christmas Poem

For America's Finest

'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY THE MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND.
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

I SAW MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
WHEN A SOBERING THOUGHT
CAME INTO MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I'D FOUND THE HOME OF A MARINE,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE MARINE LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, AND ALL ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

HIS FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN DISORDER,
NOT HOW I'D PICTURED
AN AMERICAN SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR HIS BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I'D SEEN THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO MARINES
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE MARINES,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP BUT WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT OF THEM
BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES,
AND I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AS I STARTED TO CRY.

THE LEATHERNECK AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
'DON'T CRY, SANTA,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE.'

'I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE.
MY LIFE'S FOR MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, THE CORPS.'

THEN THE MARINE ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED BACK TO SLEEP.
I COULDN'T CONTROL MYSELF,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I WATCHED OVER HIM AN HOUR,
SO SILENT AND STILL,
I EVEN GOT THE SHIVERS
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF FREEDOM
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN AGAIN HE ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
HE WHISPERED, 'CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS! ALL IS SECURE.'

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
'MERRY CHRISTMAS, MY MARINE,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.'

   

       

God's Web

SEAL The Mission

Born Again American

America The Beautiful

Christmastime At Arlington

America's National Anthem

The After-Death Experience

A Tale of Six Boys On Iwo Jima

Look, Listen and Experience Peace

In The Finest Tradition of The Corps

A Tribute To The Greatest Generation ... "Before You Go"