come in and use your starbucks gift card any day through january 5th for a chance to win starbucks for life. usa! >> on this week's "taking the hill," take a journey with us to america's most hallowed ground and meet the man whose patriotism has sparked a national institution. >> i think it hits a nerve with so many people. people don't want their loved ones to be forgotten.

♪ i'm patrick murphy. welcome to the special edition of "taking the hill." today, we'll devote our entire program to an organization that does extraordinary work. we have a veterans in our country, by an act of congress today is national wreaths across america day. and that long line of trucks they're the men and women of wreaths across america. each year for the last 23 years they've come to arlington to place remembrance wreaths on the markers of veterans buried in america's most hallowed ground. this year tens of thousands of volunteers will place more than 700,000 wreaths in all 50 states all to fulfill the organization's mission to remember the men and women who gave their lives for our country, to honor them and teach the next generation of americans

something about the price of freedom. it's a story about a small group of individuals can make a huge impact on all of us and it all starts with one man in the far reaches on down east maine. >> from rural worcester, where winter comes early and the peak season for his business is november and december. worcester is a wreath maker and he grows on the land that spills down the hill from his driveway as far as the eye can see. >> i leave the -- leave the house by quarter of 6:00. almost every morning go to the same restaurant to eat breakfast. >> one of the largest manufacturers of wreaths in america and the only one that grows his own.

for an idea which all started when he was a news boy during the morning edition of the local paper he still reads every day. >> i was a paper boy for the bangor daily news back when i was 12 years old. and the news ran a contest and if you gained a certain number of new customers, you became eligible for a trip to washington. i was one of the news carriers at the time that went on that trip. one of the things that really stuck with me is arlington national cemetery, and i just was taken by that. i never forgot it. i thought about arlington when we had the wreaths left over back in '92. that year we had a very good year. but we just bought too many wreaths. there was about 5,000 give or take a few hundred. it was an entire trailer load of wreaths. i didn't want to throw them away.

i thought about arlington because of that trip. and so we took those wreaths to arlington. it made such an impact. i can't believe, you know, how that looked and how it was so well received and so on. that i said you know, we're never going to stop doing that. we're going to give those 5,000 wreaths away every year. it was just our family's personal gift to the military. no fanfare, nothing. >> we overdo christmas. >> his wife karen and their kids continue to bring 5,000 wreaths to arlington national cemetery every year for 15 years until one day a photographer snapped an iconic image that changed everything. >> and he stumbled on the area that we had just placed the wreaths. and he took the photograph. and put it on the internet. with a poem, and it just went around the world.

we literally had millions of people that saw that worldwide. i'm not great on computers, that's for sure but i had like 6,000, 7,000 e-mails of people sending us money and everything else. and we sent it all back because we weren't able to take it. that's how wreaths across america started. >> the photograph generated national attention. they created a nonprofit organization to allow what had been a family tradition to grow into a national institution. today, wreaths across america has a much bigger footprint, but is still headquartered in tiny columbia falls and still seeks to teach the value of freedom one story at a time. >> i love what we do at wreaths across america because families take their kids out, and they -- they touch something. something living. and they give this gift and they read a name and they make a

connection. it's a hand and a heart and a story, and a real connection. about 600,000 people will go into 1,000 cemeteries all over the country. they get it and they pass it on to somebody else. and we don't lose many people. because once you do this you get it and get how important it is. when we come back how do you make and move more than 60 tractor-trailer loads of wreaths from one tiny town in maine in just a few weeks right after this.

welcome back to "taking the hill," this special edition of "wreaths across america." whose thousands of volunteers are placing wreaths at the grave sites. that same gesture of respect is happening at cemeteries across the country. more than 700,000 wreaths and all. this annual ritual takes precise planning hard work and almost 3

million pounds of fresh balsam. >> when you're in the wreaths business it's all about the balsam, and the almost 3 million pounds of it to make the wreaths has to be cut by hand. it's called tree tipping. cutting from the newest growth from the branches without damaging the tree. >> what you want is at least three years of growth, if you can. right there, right here. always leave enough green, though, that it's going to come back three years time you come back and tip the same piece again. >> for six weeks a year, the population at columbia falls swell as the company brings the seasonal workers to tip trees and make the wreaths. it's labor-intensive, hard work on rugged land. and with short daylight hours, there's no time to waste. >> number 41 on the 18th of november.

spread out all across the land there are parcels devoted to veterans and their families. a christmas tree stands as a tribute to veterans of the battle of the bulge. and nearby there's a grove of trees where families are encouraged to come and claim a tree for a lost veteran. >> you can pick any tree you want and it doesn't matter what the tree is or how far away it is. when you pick the tree, you take and you put your chain, the dog tag in close to the trunk of the tree so that when we tip the trees, we're not going to hurt the dog tag or the chain. >> i was fortunate enough to pick out a tree just for my dad and to put his dog tags on the tree and a red white and blue ribbon. and every three years those trees will be tipped. so it's exciting for me because you know, in the years to come the wreaths that we place here are actually going to be from my

dad's tree in maine. >> inside the manufacturing plants workers play a game of beat the clock as they rush to make hundreds of thousands of wreaths in just weeks. that's just part of the challenge. those wreaths still need to be delivered from rural maine to locations all over the country. and for that wreaths across america gets a huge helping hand for america's trucking industry with truckers donating their time equipment and money to deliver the wreaths to all 50 states. the effort is spearheaded by the truck load carriers association. >> at about 1 in 13 people employed by the trucking industry and that surprises some people. so your typical truck driver is probably one of your neighbors and you may not know what he does but a lot of people don't realize the emotion isn't just for us that are connected here, but i was in the convoy several years back and our lead driver, the first truck coming through into arlington got on the cb and said may have some safety issues here. i'm having trouble seeing.

he was crying so hard. as a truck driver when he pulled into arlington national cemetery and the military was lined up saluting him and the other truck drivers, it was something that he'll never forget. and he continues to talk about that. and it touches every one of us that were on that channel listening. it's a tough career. and having that opportunity to be perceived in such an honorable way, it just touched all of us. and i think he spoke for every one of us because we were all having safety issues getting the kleenexes out and making sure we could see out the windshield. but it's not what you may have thought about the typical truck driver. >> wreaths across america also gets a huge boost from walmart who not only donates cash but hundreds of thousands of trucking logistics, this year sending dozens of trucks from maine to arlington for the private fleet. >> anything we can do to help wreaths across america out and offset those expenses is a big

deal to us. i think the act of laying a memorial wreath is a great way to honor those that have given so much for the freedoms that we enjoy here in the united states. if we wouldn't have a walmart, we wouldn't have a washington, d.c. if it weren't for those veterans. when we come back we'll meet the grand marshal of this year's convoy and see her extraordinary tribute to her brother, lost 70 years ago at the battle of the bulge. right after this.

welcome back to "taking the hill." it's the 150th anniversary of arlington national cemetery. and it's reach across america's goal this year to place a wreath on every marker. over 220,000 in the 23 years this group has been coming here they have never been able to

raise enough money to cover every section of arlington. and when they left maine earlier this week, they were trying to raise enough money to get the job done. >> we'll see you in arlington. >> after countless hours of preparation, it's finally time for the wreaths to begin their long journey from columbia falls to arlington. there'll be many stops along the way, including liberty. as the final boxes are loaded he closes one last door. >> this is a special load. this is the one that contains the wreaths that's going to the statue of liberty. >> okay guys, we're ready up front. ready to roll. >> leading the convoy is this

year's grand marshal, edith knowles. during the battle of the bulge when edith's brother gave his life. buddy's fearless and selfless heroics on a cold, snowy battlefield earned the high esmil tear declaration, the congressional medal of honor. but for edith, it's that stolen holiday 70 years ago that makes this time of year bittersweet. >> the last letter i got from my brother was how he wanted to be home for christmas. that was written to me in november. and bud was killed the 21st of december, four days before christmas. >> many christmases have come and gone since bud's passing. a middle school now stands in the farmland where they played together as kids. edith spent a lifetime trying to pass what she learned from her

brother about freedom to others. and when she saw that iconic photograph of arlington, she knew she found kindred spirits. >> when i first saw the pictures with all the christmas wreaths, i had to find out about it. that was just mind boggling to see that. i wanted to be part of it. >> edith. how are you? >> shared passion for the project with her long time close friend and founder. together the two were helping wreaths across america to reach to hearts of millions. >> one day edith walks in and said she found out about this organization from maine called wreaths across america. and i was very interested. our mission statement as a company is giving, making a difference in someone's life. we give to give. and it's not for the tax breaks it's not for any reason but because it's part of our culture, it's part of what we do. >> peter has been very instrumental in helping us visit

many more grave sites than we wouldn't have been able to do if it wasn't for the generous donations that he personally and all his stores have contributed. >> placing the wreath on the tomb of the unknown soldier i was asked to do that. i said to myself this was a life moment. and how strong the feelings were were emotions for me. you know for so many lost soldiers and the cause they gave was just incredible. >> as a tribute to her brother bud, edith went to find the courage to overcome a huge fear just as he had done and soar to new heights, literally with the help of the all veterans group, the same sky diving team that jumped with former president bush edith knowles took to the skies. >> this is how we do it in the south. >> yes. >> i'm not only doing it for bud, but also to hopefully ask

others if i'm doing this what are you going to do to try to help a fallen and remember and honor and teach the young children? >> okay. we got you. look at that! >> a special wreath laying ceremony took place in the shadow of one of the most eye cobbic symbols, the statue of liberty. with new jersey governor chris christie in attendance, edith placeded a medal in honor of her brother on the symbol of our freedom. >> it is a great honor to know people like you and the leaders of wreaths across america will continue to remind us of the service, sacrifice and enduring

warm withth that comes from remembering. >> when we come back an historic milestone for our veterans and the organization that honors them, right after this.

welcome back to taking the hill. juan amazing last minute effort wreaths across america was able to raise must have money to cover all of arlington national cemetery. the first time the group has been able to honor every veteran in the same year. it's something the group has resolved to do every year. we listened to the people who were truly touched by the simple act of laying a wreath. it's clear why it is important to so many. ♪ >> i was carrying a wreath in to a location for a special request. as i walked by there was a gentleman standing looking down at a grave stone. as i walked by, he stopped me and said you know excuse me. could you tell me what's all the wreaths here? so i stopped, told him about wreaths across america, what we have done. he looked down at me.

he said what about my son? i looked down and he's looking at a grave where his son was. it just happened that those extra wreaths that had been placed ended where his son's stone was. i said i'm sorry. we only have so many wreaths. we didn't have enough to cover it. i made it a promise to myself that we are going to cover them all. we don't want to have that person come here and not see a wreath on the grave of their loved ones. a lot of people think the government does this. we rely on individual sponsorships and donations from corporations to help us put the wreaths down. >> i would like to tell you about my son christopher. when he decided to enlist in the army to become a ranger he was in ranger school when 9/11 happened. he called and said he stepped off into a ditch on night

maneuvers and sprained his ankle severe ly. he tried to tough it out for four more days without telling anybody. until he couldn't put his boot on because his ankle was so swollen. so they sent him back to the ranger battalion with a cast on. when the call went up on october 9 for his battalion to be in the fray he cut his cast off to be with his buddies and help protect them. i was up watching cnn. the little scroll that goes across the tv said two rangers, killed aboard the helicopter crash. i thought, oh those poor families. not knowing that the next day when the han in the green uniform showed up i was one of those two families. my son gave me a different

journey in life. i was hoping for grandchildren. i got this journey which is called being a gold star mother. i fell into the volunteer vortex and started to do things like the newsletter. but my very first experience was being one of the volunteers who showed up at arlington five years ago, waiting for a couple of hours just to get a wreath and be a part of the whole experience. there was such a quiet, dedicated energy that day of people just waiting to get maybe one or two wreaths to take to a head stone to place and to honor the sacrifice and the memory of these fine veterans who were buried at arlington. i watched this mother and a little boy place a wreath on oh one of the stones. i remember thinking some day

when the words in his name are worn off, there still will be someone who will come by and pay their respects to my son's memory. this is the impact p and the reason why i continue to work with wreaths across america in order to find one's self you must lose yourself in helping others. >> wreaths across america will be done here soon. their work will continue all year. reaching out to schools with educational programs to remember, honor and teach. the beginning of a long process of preparation for next year's journey to arlington. for my part, i'm headed to section 60 to see my fellow iraq and afghanistan veterans and place a wreath at the resting place of marine travis manning from pennsylvania for taking the hill i'm patrick mu murphy. thank you for watching. >> to get more information on wreaths across america and to find out how to get involved please visit their website.

www.wreathsacrossamerica.org. ♪

this sunday, the senate torture report. >> we have failed to live by the precepts that make our nation a great one. >> the report concludes the cia misled the public the congress and the bush white house over the use of controversial interrogation tactics. >> it produced little useful intelligence to help us track down the perpetrators of 9/11 or prevent new attacks and atrocities. >> there's no shortage of cia critics. but former vice president dick cheney is unapologetic. he insists the program saved american lives. >> we did exactly what needed to