ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, Va., Feb. 25, 2015 -- Members of the Golden State Warriors NBA basketball team visited Arlington National Cemetery today to show support for an Army widow and pay homage to thousands of military members buried throughout the hallowed grounds.
Jane Horton, whose husband, Army National Guard sniper Spc. Chris Horton, was killed in action in Afghanistan Sept. 9, 2011, joined the towering team members, several of whom laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier before the group visited Horton's headstone.
Silent Salute
During the somber tour of the grounds, a hush fell over the Oakland, California-based team and staff as ice cracked beneath their shoes through rows of headstones, many belonging to service members, close in age to the athletes, who perished.
Steph Curry, Warriors point guard, described his attendance at the Changing of the Guard ritual and involvement in the wreath-laying ceremony as a "great honor."
"I'm here respecting the history of our country and people who have sacrificed for our freedom," Curry said. "Being here brings a lot of thoughts and a deeper appreciation for what they've done for us."
Power forward David Lee noted his personal connection to the grounds.
"My grandfather is actually buried here and just to be a part of something so special is amazing," Lee said.
Horton, 28, of Alexandria, Va., said the team's visit to Arlington National Cemetery where her husband and many of her friends are buried was "absolutely breathtaking."
"I'm really grateful that they're going to remember this … because if we don't give [the fallen] a voice, they won't have one … they're not here to tell their own story," she said.
Army Traditions
Army Maj. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan, commanding general, Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region/U.S. Army Military District of Washington, led the group. They later toured the Pentagon, and Buchanan explained the significance of the elaborate and meticulous Changing of the Guard ritual that ceremonially ensures the tomb is guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in any weather. Tomb Guard sentinels, all volunteers, are elite members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) headquartered at Fort Myer, Virginia.
Buchanan noted similarly familial ties in the athletic and military realms, and emphasized his gratitude to the Warriors for recognizing the ultimate sacrifices of heroes from across the decades who are buried at Arlington.
"To take time and pay such respect is a great honor for us and a great honor for the team," he said
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