Freedom - Day 146 #CY365

The price of freedom is high. So thankful for the men and women who paid it. Hampton National Cemetery. Olympus OM-D E-M1 1/250 sec @ f/13.0, ISO 200.

Veterans Day

Veterans Day had its beginnings back in 1919 when President Wilson proclaimed November 11th as the first commemoration of Armistice Day marking the one year anniversary of the cessation of hostilities generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.” In 1954 President Eisenhower issued the first "Veterans Day Proclamation" and the date become the Veterans Day holiday. A law was passed in 1968 to ensure three-day weekends for Federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on October 25, 1971. President Ford signed a new law in 1975 changing Veterans Day back to November 11th. Since 1978 when the new law took effect Veterans Day has been observed on November 11th, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. Canon G10, 1/320 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 200.

Yankee Clipper

Neil Armstrong the first man to step on the moon died today. We boomers grew up during the "space race" and his passing brings back many memories. I took this photo of the Apollo 12 space capsule, nicknamed the "Yankee Clipper" at the Virginia Air & Space Museum a while back. Armstrong's first assignment in the Apollo program came as the commander of the back-up crew of the Apollo 8 mission, though he had been originally scheduled to back-up the Apollo 9 mission. Had he remained as the Apollo 9 back-up commander he would have been slated to Command Apollo 12, not Apollo 11. Thanks for taking that one giant leap for mankind. Canon 40D, 1/40 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 400, 17mm focal length.

Cold War

- This is a static display of an old Nike Ajax surface to air missile. Developed and deployed in the 1950's these missile systems resulted in my Dad's transfer to Fort Bliss in El Paso Texas where he was assigned to the Air Defense Command. There he became a trainer of National Guard troops operating Nike sites throughout the country. He remained involved with the Nike systems though his retirement from the Army in 1966 and then with the Civil Service maintaining the radar tracking systems until they were deactivated in the mid 1970's as part of the SALT I treaty. This one still points to sky at Air Power Park in Hampton Virginia. Canon 40D, 1/100 sec @ f/16.0, ISO 100.

Daniel Fire-Cloud

- I have long had an interest in old cemeteries and for the past five years I've been fulfilling photo requests for the Find a Grave website. Today I had occasion to stop by the small cemetery on the campus of Hampton University for a photo request but I was unable to locate the grave I was looking for. I did however spend some time walking among the graves of Native Americans who were students at what was then Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute. The "Indian School" existed from1878 through 1923 and many young Native American men and women from western tribes attended the school. Some like Daniel Fire-Cloud a Sioux from South Dakota died while attending school. His grave is marked by a traditional stone and a more fitting massive cedar tree. Canon G11, 1/125 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 200, converted to black and white in Lightroom 3 using the Silver Efex Pro 2 plugin.

Decoration Day

- Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day, which was first observed by Freedmen in Charleston, South Carolina in 1865 to remember the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War. Today Memorial Day is a time for us to remember and honor all of those who have fallen in the service of our freedom. Hampton National Cemetery was created in 1862 by the Union Army to bury Civil War dead. While most were Union casualties there are several hundred Confederate dead buried there as well. Today almost 30,000 veterans rest here from all conflicts of the past 150 years. The cemetery also holds the graves of 29 German sailors killed during the sinking of the U-85 just off Oregon Inlet North Carolina in April 1942. Canon 40D, 1/1600 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200, 200mm focal length.

Thankful

Thankful for blue skies, fall colors, red roses, and the freedom to enjoy it all. Canon G11, 1/400 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 100.

The Fallen

- In honor of all of our Veterans. Canon 40D, 1/125 sec @ f/9.0, ISO 100, 55mm focal length.

Happy 400th!

From 2010 Blog

- Happy 400th Anniversary to the City of Hampton Virginia. Founded on July 9, 1610 - yes that's right 16-10, 10 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. This is a picture inside of the fourth St. John's Parrish Church built in 1728. The town was originally called Kecoughtan after the Native American community located on the same site, it was later renamed to Elizabeth City, then Southampton and finally Hampton. Canon G10, 1/60 sec @ f/4, ISO 400, with flash.

Fortress Monroe

From 2010 Blog

- Completely surrounded by a moat, the six-sided stone fort in Hampton Virginia is the only one of its kind left in the United States that is still an active Army post. Unfortunately Fort Monroe is one of several posts selected to be closed by September 2011. Robert E. Lee, a young first lieutenant and engineer was stationed there from 1831 to 1834, and played a major role in the final construction of the fort. In 1828 a private going by the name of E. A. Perry, better known today as the famous author Edgar Allan Poe was stationed at the garrison rising to the rank of Sergeant Major for Artillery. The granite walls and moat looked much the same today as did when Robert E. Lee and Edgar Allen Poe served there. Canon G11, 1/250 sec @ f/7.1, ISO 400.

Old Point Comfort Lighthouse

From 2010 Blog

- The lighthouse at Old Point Comfort in the Hampton Roads Harbor was built in 1802. It sports an unusual color pattern of white, red and green and is located on the grounds of Fort Monroe. The lighthouse is just outside of the fort's moat and massive stone walls whose construction was overseen by a young army engineer named Lt. Robert E. Lee. The Fort and the grounds around the lighthouse are open for visitors and it is well worth the trouble of going through the security check point to see them. Canon Rebel XTi, 1/200 sec @ f/14.0, ISO 200.

Chapel

From 2010 Blog

The Marquand Memorial Chapel is a Romanesque Revival red brick chapel with a 150-foot tall tower located on the historic campus of Hampton University. A 15-acre portion of the campus along the Hampton River, including many of the older buildings, is a U.S. National Historic Landmark District. The Hampton University Museum is one of the oldest museums in Virginia with an amazing collection of African American and Native American art. It's well worth a visit. Canon 40D, 1/40 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 800, 8mm fish eye lens.

356 - Holiday Honors

From 365 Project

2500 wreaths adorn the graves of fallen veterans at the Hampton National Cemetery in Hampton Virginia. The wreaths were placed as part of the Wreaths Across America project and honor veterans from the Civil War to the present who rest at the historic and beautiful Hampton National. Canon G10, 1/200 sec @ f/6.3, ISO 200.

315 - 11th

From 365 Project

Veterans Day in the U.S. is also celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world, falling on November 11, the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice to end the "Great War" on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. The day is of particular meaning to me as my father was a decorated Army combat veteran of WWII and the Korean War. I took this photo yesterday since the forecast for a major Nor'easter ruled out today. The Hampton National Cemetery was in tip top shape for the holiday. Canon G10, 1/250 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 200.

273 - Reach for the Sky

From 365 Project

This crane appears to be reaching for the sky. It was actually lifting new roofing materials to the top of Virginia Air & Space Center in Hampton Virginia. With the cooler weather this week, we have had deep blue skies and lots of amazing fluffy clouds. Canon G10, 1/250 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200. Taken through an open sun roof while sitting at the stoplight at Settler's Landing Rd and Bridge St.

210 - Guardian Gulls

From 365 Project

These two gulls stand watch at the Phoebus Section of the Hampton National Cemetery in Hampton Virginia. The gulls can often be seen perched on the perfectly aligned rows of grave markers and even though they can be spread out across the tens of thousands of markers, every perched gull is facing in the same direction. Canon 40D, 1/250 sec @ f/10.0, ISO 200, 400mm focal length.

167 - Prime Corners

From 365 Project

This is an extreme angle look at the southeast corner of City Hall in Hampton, Virginia. The 1976 modern stone building is a striking architectural landmark in one of the country's oldest cities dating 1610. The unique design creates many more prime "corner offices" with great views of the harbor and downtown. Canon G10, 1/500 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200, 11mm equivalent focal length, converted to black and white using Silver Efex Pro plug-in in Photoshop Elements.

146 - Marching to Infinity

From 365 Project

These fallen soldiers will march on in perfect ranks for infinity. The Hampton National Cemetery, Phoebus Annex on the day after Memorial Day. Some of the 28,000+ flags still fluttering in the early morning breeze pay tribute to the memory of those who served our country. This section dates from the early 20th century and contains many Civil War veterans who died at the Hampton Old Soldiers Home - now the Hampton V.A. Hospital. Note the designation U.S.C.T. on Alvin Went's marker in this photo link. There are thousands of these markers at Hampton. Post a comment if you know what it stands for. Canon 40D, 8mm fish eye lens, 1/1600 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.

139 - Judy Lane

From 365 Project

The Judy Lane at the Hampton harbor in Hampton Virginia. While the harbor now houses many large yachts, sailboats and sport fisherman, it is still home to many of the boats of working waterman. The Judy Lane is a Chesapeake deadrise workboat, for over 100 years the craft of choice for local waterman tonging for oysters, pulling in crab pots or fishing nets. While the mountain of oyster shells that once marked Hampton's waterfront is gone, commercial fishing struggles to stay alive. Canon 40D, 1/125 sec at f/18.0, ISO 100, 70mm.