Facebook Post by Veteran Belinda van Fleet 11.12.23
SAMVOTA Chairman Alex Harkess recently received notification from Arlington National Cemetery that a tree has been planted as living memorial adjacent to the grave of Lt Victor Potgieter in Section 2 of the cemetery. Lt Potgieter was one of 12 Allied soldiers who died in an aircraft accident in Greece on September 10th, 1944.
The Arlington Cemetery Forester chose a Coral Bark Willow (Salix alba subsp. vitellina 'Britzensis'), the genus of which (Salix) is native to South Africa. Since it is currently winter in the United States, the tree is dormant and not particularly impressive. However, as spring breaks and the tree grows, it will display its unique orange bark, while casting dappled shade from its feathery leaves in the summer.
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