OCR Text |
Show - - k , ' 1 ! r ' V ' i i V ' ' .- V" w- - VMS .. .. dMtMXHav Vi ! v. r r 7 we- i rpr 't L'rmr 4 - y'- t O' L v .. '. y V?.t f.y w" W03 Bill Hunt as he watched his soldiers exercise the horse. "I guess in a lot of ways thats better because then we dont have to break them of any bad ""Jr'r' J" ;T - - . - V 4 .. S. v around the arms out, Hunt said. That makes caisson riding different from any other type. ' There are 37 horses in the corral, either white or very dark colored and weighing about half a ton each. All except one are males. Theres one Arabian, a couple of quarterhorses, and the white" ones with the manes are the Lipizzans. Every horse looks lean and well groomed. Inside the bam a. few of the 30 caisson soldiers were throwing authentic 1920 cavalry saddles on horses inl. preparation for the next A couple of new guys were cleaning out stalls aftd soldiers turned the horses ftin-era- . . laying down hay. They do this routine almost everyday) Up at six y on Sunday). 12 later head hours Maybe are dual. roles home. Their Army. O . I 'flJ..-'- i The platoon stable and corral is nestled into a street comer between the post of-fice and the fire station. In and the office, wall rosters share the duty with an autographed photo of Roy Rogers and Trigger. Soldiers wear the standard battle-dres- s fatigue uniform with one exception; they wear spurs on their combat , (five-thirt- the hired hands, Theyre olive drab clip-boar- ds f . , : - ; s ?' : ' J SNmAA' Photo by Sp5 Steve Silvers their out, washing horses, polishing saddles, heaving hay; riding, their hands and faces grubby and their bodies reeking of sweat and horseflesh. Then a tee-shi- rt -- i ' 4 quick transformation and of ; boots. they're the living image "These guys here are all . volunteers, although some of them come here not know- ing which end of the' horse to feed, said platoon leader ; military spit and polish, politely showing visitors through the stalls, sitting up straight at a retirement parade, marching in a colorful caisson veteran ar SP4 Lane Hansen. "Sure, its very impressive and for the first few funerals your eyes are wide open. But then it becomes a job like anything else. Oh, you respect the person youre taking to be buried, but on top of the "Western is too relaxed and English is with both ken from the wagon and the ji'- - two-ye- on one. utes after arriving at the burial site, the coffin was' ta- around to head home. Home is the 3rd Infantry, the "Old Guard, caisson platoon. It is the last horse unit left in the it every day. "I try to stay awake, said corral. sand-fille- d Hunt explained how new be four or five funerals at the cemetery. Today there was only one. Within min- horse the temperature is twice that if you were standing on the ground. And its more restrictive. Youre sit. ting in an uncomfortable ..1, : . last quartermaster issue mount with the Army's U.S. brand. In his day. Blackjack attended the funerals of Kennedy, Hoover, Eisenhower, and MacArthur. His area is now a dignified little ' memorial with photographs and miniature American flags. One of the guys that it took an act of Congress to finally put Old Blackjack to sleep. Once the tack was on, the horses were put in the washroom, where somebody painted their hoofs with black pine tar mixture. One of the new guys patrolled the rear area with a shovel. After a while; the horses ex-:plain- . up, while the days squad buttoned their dress jackets and prepared to mount up. "Actually, people take this for granted, Jarmon said. or they wouldnt stay. I do, , "Yea. I love it. I feel like a "The agreed. Jarmon This has been going on for so long and people are always coming here telling me stories from way back. I'm a part of that. History dictates doing many things a certain way here, reaching way back when horses were Army is- , stopping at the chapel to pick up the casket, then becoming part of a daily procession moving slowly across the cemetery grounds; honor guard in - are entitled to the ri, last great riderless horse. t f, ks pretty began another job, moving down the shady post streets, and feed. And theres the riderless, caparisoned horse. Tradition of cosays that all officers lonel or above --- and presi- saber and boots reversed in the stirrups, symbolizing a fallen leader. The only unoccupied stall in the barn belongs to the ar.e. when thats going bn. On command the caisson left-sid- derless horse at their funeral, complete 'with officer's horses tic. So they drive by and honk their horns or slap the horses or something. Its kind of a statement of courage on how we ride even sue along with beans and bullets. Caisson soldiers ride e horses on a only the team, symbolizing the days when the riderless mount in each team carried provisions dents : unpredictable. Youve got to be in complete control or one might run away or something right in the middle of someones funeral. But people see us looking straight forward and think everything we do is automa- . part of history, ed were led outside and hitched po- your head But ob-- . fomard. straight viously a lot of people get satisfaction from doing this with sition 4 I a.., - Blackjack,, who was also, the marching . front. Mourners following behind in their cars. The men on the horses, the last real horsemen in the Army, sat rigid and silent. They did nothing to disturb the of the hoofs and dip-clo- p the gentle creaking of the wagon. I i4ka ;. -t- I. tant, PFC Derrell Jarmon said. "Well, it is. But we do . volunteers first go through two weeks of pure stable duty before even getting on a horse. For two weeks after that, they ride four hours a day just learning how to sit wagon. On some days there might I V . M- - But mostly there are the funerals. "People on post or on a tour at the cemetery see us passing by and think it must be something impor- horses into a fast trot dip-clo- A CAISSON soldier works.-ouone of the horses as PV2 Harold Cambell watches at the Ft Meyer, Va. stables. Photo by SPS Steve Silvers, ARNEWS V.- .v .: historical pageant. ha- bits. As the soldiers kicked the uniforms looked hot and itchy under the sun, yet the riders stared straight ahead and said nothing. As they passed row after row of tombstones, there was only p of the hoofs and the the gentle creaking of the Sgt. Brett Flora, squad leader. ARNEWS . -- Last caissons keep rolling along reins, the other stiff against their aide. Their dress-blu- e ' x Photo by SP5 Steve Silvers, ARNEWS Force Colonel. Soldiers riding the horses sat at attention in their saddles, one arm up to hold the s - cw isisJei'i(". flag-drape- 1 VV - -- -- - ar-r- ?? !' , Story and Photos by SP5 Steven Silvers Six white horses slowly pulled the black caisson across the manicured grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. Their heads bobbed lazily as if in solemn respect for their cargo - a d coffin with the remains of a retired Air M v' '." - THE CAISSON SQUAD at a funeral in Arlington National Cemetery. d . - . il |