![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXrrfXe-Ttujt0NL7-pvITh6eeIi7uifN8iBFByEv0iodhCaOjybxh_N_HUxhHBJJG_CDvBhyNPauhgOMRl9HBPF86v4ENbJXv43Zu-1n983MGAX9FVVjfYjB8A0sfVq1tuXOal0IRv1Q/s400/1+Los+Angeles+National+Cemetery.jpg)
The Los Angeles National Cemetery is located in Westwood, less than a mile west of UCLA. Over 80,000 Veterans - including 10,000 from the Civil War - are buried here.
Two years ago, my son (at the time a Webelos Scout) and I were there to participate and help.
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Waiting for things to begin.
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Scouts from all over Los Angeles were there to help. There were Scouts from as far away as the high desert community of Lancaster. After introductions, an opening prayer, and a flag salute we went off to different parts of the cemetery.
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A Scout Leader giving my son further directions.
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Each boy read the name of the Veteran out loud, placed an American flag in the ground, observed a brief moment of silence . . .
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. . . . and saluted.
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One of the 80,000 Veteran's grave markers, in this case from World War I.
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Rows of flags with Scouts and parents in the distance. My son and I feel very privileged to have been part of this, and it gave us something significant to talk about on the way home.
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Within a hour, the entire cemetery was decorated with thousands of American flags. In the distance, the office buildings along Wilshire Blvd.
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This is not original with me:
"If you can read this, thank a teacher.
If you can read this in English, thank a Veteran."
Happy Memorial Day.
View Los Angeles National Cemetery in a larger map
© 2012 www.experiencingla.com - originally posted 5/29/2010
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