Feelings ran deep as the US Army’s 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) honored the commitment and contributions of President John F. Kennedy to the Special Forces Regiment during a wreath-laying ceremony Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024 at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
ARLINGTON, Va. — Under Thursday’s perfect blue skies, soldiers from the 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) gathered to honor President John F. Kennedy at his gravesite in Arlington National Cemetery during a wreath-laying ceremony.
At the solemn event, four men had the honor of placing the wreath at the headstone: JFK’s grandson Jack Schlossberg, Command Chief Warrant Officer of the 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) Felix Mosqueda, 7th Special Forces Division Sgt. Maj. Mike Clayton and Commander of the 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) Maj. Gen. Lawrence Ferguson.
Command Chief Warrant Officer of 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) Felix Mosqueda, center left, shakes hands with John F. Kennedy’s grandson Jack Schlossberg at the conclusion of the U.S. Army’s 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) wreath-laying at the gravesite of President John F. Kennedy, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
Command Chief Warrant Officer of 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) Felix Mosqueda, left, 7th Special Forces Division Sgt. Maj. Mike Clayton, Commander of the 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) Maj,. Gen. Lawrence Ferguson, and President John F. Kennedy’s grandson Jack Schlossberg return from laying a wreath during a wreath-laying ceremony to honor President Kennedy, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
Members of the U.S. Army’s 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) honor the commitment and contributions of President John F. Kennedy to the Special Forces Regiment during a wreath-laying ceremony, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, at Arlington National Cemetery, Va. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
Medal of Honor recipient Master Sgt. Earl D. Plumlee attends a a wreath-laying ceremony by the U.S. Army’s 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) to honor the commitment and contributions of President John F. Kennedy to the Special Forces Regiment, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, at Arlington National Cemetery, Va. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
Sgt. Maj. Clayton then placed his beret on the headstone before descending the steps with the others. A moment of silence followed, broken only by the piercing cries of a bagpipe rendition of Taps filling the air.
Bass vocalist Sgt. 1st Class Heath Sorensen sang “The Ballad of the Green Berets” (perhaps forgetting a phrase of the lyrics during the song) accompanied by the brassy timbre of two trumpets, a French horn, a euphonium, and a trombone.
A bagpiper prepares to perform before the U.S. Army’s 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) to honor the commitment and contributions of President John F. Kennedy to the Special Forces Regiment during a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Va., Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
Bass vocalist Sgt. 1st Class Heath Sorensen, left, and the U.S. Army Band performs ‘The Ballad of the Green Berets’ as the U.S. Army’s 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) honors the commitment and contributions of President John F. Kennedy to the Special Forces Regiment during a wreath-laying ceremony, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
A bagpiper plays as the U.S. Army’s 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) honors the commitment and contributions of President John F. Kennedy to the Special Forces Regiment during a wreath-laying ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, at Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Va. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
Attendees put their hands over their hearts as the National Anthem is played by the U.S. Army Band during a wreath-laying ceremony to honor the commitment and contributions of President John F. Kennedy to the Special Forces Regiment on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
An honor guard stands at attention as the U.S. Army’s 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) honors the commitment and contributions of President John F. Kennedy to the Special Forces Regiment during a wreath-laying ceremony, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
Members of the U.S. Army’s 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) honor the commitment and contributions of President John F. Kennedy to the Special Forces Regiment during a wreath-laying ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
After the “Army Song” by the brass band and a benediction from a chaplain, members of the public were allowed to approach the gravesite to pay their respects, take pictures — some with selfie sticks — and preserve the special day in their memories.
Members of the public photograph the gravesite of President John F. Kennedy following the U.S. Army’s 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) wreath-laying at his headstone, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
Members of the public photograph the gravesite of President John F. Kennedy following the U.S. Army’s 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) wreath-laying at his headstone, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
The beret of 7th Special Forces Division Sgt. Maj. Mike Clayton that he laid on the headstone for President John F. Kennedy during a wreath-laying ceremony performed by the U.S. Army’s 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) to acknowledge the commitment and contributions of Kennedy to the Special Forces Regiment, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
The wreath laid by the U.S. Army’s 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) to honor the commitment and contributions of President John F. Kennedy to the Special Forces Regiment during a ceremony, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
