Arlington National Cemetery - A National Treasure and A Moving Experience

November 18th, 2007 Categories: Area Attractions, Arlington Dirt

Arlington Cemetary 11-17 036 Yesterday I had the distinct honor and pleasure of visiting Arlington National Cemetery. My grandfather, who served in Korea and in WWII is buried there, as is my grandmother who preceded him in death by almost 30 years – so we went to visit their gravesite and take in a little history, too. It is a beautiful and peaceful place – the rows so precisely laid out, the beautiful fall colors around us and it was a gorgeous day. There is so much ceremony here and I thought I would share with you some of what we saw – both with some facts and some photos. First, you will see signs like the one to the left - and it’s nice - because it keeps the chit chat down and really serves as a reminder that we’re in a cemetery to honor those who have served our country.

There are veterans buried here from every war that has involved our nation – over 290,000 servicemen and their family members have been laid to rest here

About 24 burials are conducted every weekday

When the Civil War casualties flooded the hospitals and land in and around Washington DC there was a proposal to take 200 acres of the Lee family property and dedicate it for use as a cemetery. By the end of the Civil War, over 16,000 burials had already occurred on the grounds surrounding the Lee Mansion (aka Arlington House). Arlington Cemetary 11-17 139 Now, the cemetery covers 624 acres.

Just below the Lee Mansion lies the grave of President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. His grave is surrounded by Cape Cod stones and the eternal flame.

There are many other memorials that have been constructed here on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery:

A Nurses Memorial, Spanish-American War to the present

The Mast of the USS Maine which sunk in Havana harbor in 1898 is here and marks the graves of sailors who lost their lives in that tragedy

A Memorial to the crew of the space shuttles Challenger and Columbia

An Iran Rescue Mission Memorial for servicemen killed in the hostage rescue attempt

The Tomb of Unknown Civil War Dead holds the remains of 2,111 Union Soldiers

One of the most visited sites at the cemetery, though is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers. Here a sentinel of the Third US Infantry maintains a 24 hour a day vigil over the sarcophagus of the WWI Soldier who was entombed here in 1921. There are also unknowns from WWII and Korea who lie in crypts flush with the paving.

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Watching this soldier guard the tombs is a mesmerizing sight. He paces 21 paces down the mat, pauses for 21 seconds and then returns. He also maneuvers his rifle and claps his feet – it’s a reminder how rich our military is with ceremony and respect. The inscription here reads, “Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God.”

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One final note – a funeral conducted with full military honors is a moving experience. An honor guard accompanies the American flag-draped coffin drawn by matched horses. A band plays solemn marches while muffled drums beat the cadence for the procession. A squad fires three rifle volleys and a bugler plays “Taps.” The flag is then folded and presented to the next of kin. I have attended such a ceremony and I can tell you that it is in fact a very special experience.

Here is my daughter at the gravesite of my grandfather:

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