History, honor

Most everyone who visits a military cemetery has a tremendously emotional experience. Walking among the rows and rows of graves of fallen soldiers gives visitors a sense of the sacrifice that has been made on behalf of American freedoms. At the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo., that same feeling of respect leaves visitors with a sense of patriotism and pride.

According to its website, the Missouri Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield "conducted its first interment on Sept. 29, 2003. The cemetery has an approximate capacity of 27,000 grave sites. The cemetery is on 65 acres of the historically significant and scenic Crowley's Ridge in the bootheel of Missouri. The cemetery shares a common entry way with the historical Stars and Stripes military newspaper museum."

Together, the cemetery and the Stars and Stripes museum are must-see destinations for anyone interested in honoring those who have contributed so much to our military sacrifice. Parents who want to give their children a lesson on the effect of American history on Southeast Missouri should plan a visit to Bloomfield.

The museum offers a unique perspective on one aspect of the Civil War. The nearby cemetery reminds us of the human cost.