March 20, 2007.  Today I flew to Washington, DC to attend a very emotional and moving full-military funeral for my very good friend Graham Milner.  Graham was 85 when he passed.  I helped him write his autobiography detailing his WWII adventures as a B-17 pilot and POW.

Meeting for a brunch at the Hamilton Crown Plaza in downtown Washington for a celebration of Graham's life. 

Graham's son Jack and his daughter Ann's husband Jack.

His daughter Ann

Friends Marilyn and Everett Feltham.  You can see behind them the 2 tables where Ann had laid out copies of old photo's from her collection over the years and we were allowed to take any that we wanted.

Ann's son Eric and his wife Jen.

Scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausage and bacon, cereal, and some pastries which we washed down with lots of coffee and juice before heading out to Arlington Cemetery.

We go thru a security checkpoint to arrive at the Arlington administration building.  We met here to review the procedures, and for the family to tell the Chaplin a little about Graham for his gravesite talk.

Inside the administration building.

Following the limo thru Arlington.

We arrive at the staging point.

The caisson and the soldiers are waiting for us.

The band (to the right) plays a slow hymn.

Then everyone starts to form up for the walk to the gravesite.

The band and the soldiers then march out to lead the caisson.

The caisson starts and we follow on foot.

Coming up to a left turn to continue to the gravesite.

Arriving at the tent for the service.

The tent for the family during the service.  The bugler is off by himself on the left.  The firing squad for the 21 gun salute is out of the picture on the right.

The flag is held in this position until the Chaplin finishes telling us some highlights of Graham's military service.

A 21 gun salute.  It happens so fast I couldn't get a picture of them firing.  Seven soldiers fired 3 times.

The flag is starting to be folded while the band plays America The Beautiful.

The bugler.

The folded flag is then passed to the left and handed to the senior officer.

Then a slow salute.

Then the flag is given to the Chaplin with another slow salute.

He then kneels down to hand it to Graham's son and daughter.

Then does a slow salute.

Graham and his wife's (Betty Jo) ashes.  Also, this is a representative from Arlington giving Jack and Ann her card in case they ever need anything in the future.  She also presented a letter of appreciation from the Department Of Defense for Graham's service.

We then move to where they will be permanently placed.

The soldiers march off for their next ceremony.

A family photo.... (Eric, Jen, Jack, Ann, Greg, Leslye, Jack, Greg, and Graham's dog Huck) then it was back to the hotel for a few minutes and then back to the airport to fly home.  An 18 hour day that I will remember for the rest of my life.  Goodbye Graham and Betty Jo.  We will meet you both again in heaven.

UPDATE MARCH 1, 2008

Here is Graham's tombstone.

Betty Jo's name is on the back of the stone.