GLAA conducts 22nd Annual Wreath Laying, invited to Twilight Tattoo

At 11:35 a.m. on Tuesday, May 29, 2001, the day after Memorial Day (observed), the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance of Washington, DC will conduct its twenty-second annual wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery. U.S. Army veteran Franklin Kameny (who fought in World War II) will lead a small group in placing a wreath at the Tomb in memory of all who have died in the military service of the United States, including gay men and lesbians. It is a solemn and dignified event.

The ceremony has been held every year since 1980, when Kameny won the right for the Gay Activists Alliance of Washington, DC (as the group was then known) to conduct the ceremony under its own name.

GLAA has also been invited to attend the Twilight Tattoo, a military pageant, on the Ellipse near the Washington Monument on Wednesday, May 30th beginning at 7:00 pm. Enter on the south side of the Ellipse, away from the White House.

In 1979 the idea of a gay group honoring veterans was highly controversial. However, GLAA founder and WWII combat veteran Frank Kameny pushed the military into accepting our participation. In 1980, Kameny won the right for the Gay Activists Alliance of Washington, DC (as the group was then known) to conduct the ceremony under its own name. Every year since then, GLAA has fully participated and enjoyed the recognition that the military has been obligated to give us as we honor those who have served.

We used to cause considerable stir and gasps from the audience as our name was announced by the honor guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns. In recent years we have been accorded private tours of the honor guards' quarters and facilities. This year we are also being invited to attend a "Twilight Tattoo" performance by the 3rd U.S. Infantry and the U.S. Army Band "Pershing's Own". We have been offered limited reserved seating for the event in addition to our being mentioned during the program.

We invite you to join us for both events. Due to the limited number of participants allowed in the actual wreath laying ceremony, only invited individuals may participate. The audience for both events is, of course, open and welcome to all.

-- Bob Summersgill, GLAA President