Chapter 14 - Restoring The Father’s Fallen Honor At Arlington
On a crisp, sunny morning in May, a full military honors ceremony took place at Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery.
Under the shade of ancient oak trees, six white horses drew the caisson carrying a ceremonial memorial casket honoring Captain Thomas Parker.
The Secretary of the Army stood before the gathered crowd of four-star generals and cabinet members, presenting Ethan and me with the Distinguished Service Cross and the Presidential Medal of Technology awarded posthumously to our father.
A twenty-one-gun salute echoed across the rolling green hills of Arlington, followed by the haunting, beautiful notes of Taps played by a lone bugler beneath the American flag.
I knelt down, resting the gold medal on the polished granite headstone engraved with the words:
CAPTAIN THOMAS PARKER
Beloved Father, Patriot, Hero of the Republic
His Light Reclaimed by His Children
May you like
Ethan stood tall beside me, completely healthy, strong, his chest broad, wearing the uniform of a freshman cadet at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Harrison stood at attention beside us, his hand resting gently on my shoulder, his eyes shining with unbridled pride.
