Photo By Elizabeth Fraser | Robert Christman, second to left, and his family visit the gravesite of Robert's...... read more read more
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Robert Christman sat in his walker-rollator in Arlington National Cemetery’s Section 27 as his niece handed him a wreath with a bright red bow on top. He started to lay the wreath at the headstone of U.S. Army Pvt. William Christman, his distant cousin, but paused. He then stood up, bent over and laid the wreath. When asked why he stood, he explained, “It’s a thank you and a promise to keep it going.”
Pvt. Christman, of the 67th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, served during the Civil War and died on May 11, 1864, from complications associated with measles. He never saw combat. Later that day, he became the first soldier buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Since discovering their connection through his and his wife’s genealogical research, Robert Christman wanted to visit his cousin's grave. However, as he became older, he worried he couldn't make the trip to ANC from his home in Allentown, Pennsylvania — until his son, Ray Christman, offered to drive him there on Robert’s birthday.
On Dec. 8, 2024, Robert and Ray, accompanied by Ray’s wife, Tajuanda Christman, and Robert’s niece, Chasitie Marcinkowski — herself an Army veteran — finally made it to Section 27. As Robert walked through the section, he counted the numbers on each headstone, anticipating reaching headstone 19. Sitting in his walker-rollator next to William Christman's headstone, he addressed his ancestor as if greeting a friend. “Hey buddy,” he said. “I hope you’re enjoying your rest.”
ANC Command Historian Dr. Stephen Carney explained to the family the history of the Christman family's ancestor, as well as the other Civil War soldiers buried near him and the origins of Arlington National Cemetery.
Like his ancestor, Robert Christman also served his country during a time of war. Robert served in the U.S. Air Force at Tan Son Nhut Airport in Saigon, Vietnam, from 1966 to 1968, staying an extra month in the country due to the Tet Offensive. He spoke about the Viet Cong blowing up a barracks filled with servicemen preparing to return to the United States. “I helped a lot of those boys go home the hard way,” he said, choking up a little. Robert later joined the Army National Guard and served for 16 years, retiring as a master sergeant.
Reflecting on his ancestor’s service, Robert said that it made him proud. “He was a young man at the time, and he may not have participated in battle, but he did serve,” Robert said. "That's what counts.”
For Ray Christman, the trip was the culmination of a promise he made to himself. “I vowed one day I’d get my dad here,” he said. Robert became excited when Ray called ANC and set up his father’s birthday visit. “It’s all he’s been talking about,” Ray said, who also honored his own connection to his Civil War ancestor. “How many people can say a collateral relative was the first buried at Arlington National Cemetery?”
As the family prepared to leave the cemetery and return Robert home, Ray mentioned that he plans to bring his son to visit Pvt. Christman’s grave, fulfilling Robert’s promise to “keep it going.”
| Date Taken: | 12.08.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.16.2024 14:01 |
| Story ID: | 487598 |
| Location: | ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, US |
| Hometown: | ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 14 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Descendants Visit Grave of First Soldier Buried at ANC, by Kevin Hymel, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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