On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, the guns fell silent.

The Veterans Day memorial service for WWI Armistice Day Centennial was held at the Washington National Cathedral started with the boom of drums that sounded like the guns over Verdun or the Somme. 

Then they fell silent, and the progression of speakers – congressmen, religious leaders, a bagpiper of the UK’s 4th Batt. The Royal Regiment of Scotland, walked by. The Cathedral Choir sat in the rear. The Color Guard Company C, 8th Regiment, U of MD Army ROTC entered. The service began.

Joyce Kilmer’ “Rouge Bouquet” poetry was read aloud, “In Flanders Field” by John McCrae was read by a frail former Sen. John Warner, 91, and a passage from the Book of Ecclesiasticus 44:1-15.

Among the religious speakers were William Aiken (Buddhist), Harvey Pratt, Cheyenne/Arapaho (Native American), Fazia Dean of the Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center (Muslim), Leonard L. Hamlin Sr. (Christian) and Susan Sloan (Jewish). All called for Peace in their prayers.

(L-R) Susan Sloan (Jewish), Richa Agarwala (Hindu), Harvey Pratt (Native American)

(L-R) Speakers-Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr. (Christian), William Aiken (Buddhist), (Christian), Fazia Dean (Muslim)

During the prayers, I sent thanks to my grand-uncle Donald Chapman who served in World War I, came back safely, and was much loved by my grandmother.

After the congregation was dismissed, everyone wandered around in the bright light streaming through the stained glass windows. It was a cold but brilliant sunny day.

A lily was laid on the grave of President Woodrow Wilson. Outside a group of re-enactors from Historically Black Colleges had their pictures taken. I was told that the young men had come from all over the U.S. I took a picture for one trio in their uniforms.

World War I 100th anniversary Armistice Day service at Washington Cathedral, 11/11/18

As I was about to leave I saw two veterans talking. The one on the right was 82.