National Cemetery (Arlington)
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| National Cemetery (Arlington) | |
|---|---|
| Name | National Cemetery (Arlington) |
| Established | 1864 |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Arlington County, Virginia |
| Type | Military cemetery |
| Size | 639 acres |
| Graves | ~400,000 |
| Website | Arlington National Cemetery |
National Cemetery (Arlington) is a United States military cemetery located in Arlington County, Virginia, adjacent to Potomac River and the Pentagon. Established during the American Civil War in 1864 on the grounds of the Arlington House estate, it serves as the final resting place for servicemembers from conflicts including the American Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican–American War, American Civil War, Spanish–American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), and the Iraq War.
History
The cemetery was created on the grounds of the Custis family estate, the former home of George Washington Parke Custis and later occupied by Robert E. Lee before the Civil War. Lands were confiscated under the Confiscation Acts and used for burial of Union dead, with early interments including soldiers from the Army of the Potomac and casualties from the Battle of Gettysburg, Battle of Antietam, and the Siege of Petersburg. In the postwar era, the cemetery expanded through acquisitions and Congress of the United States legislation, evolving amid legal challenges culminating in a 1882 Supreme Court decision in United States v. Lee that returned Arlington House to Custis heirs and subsequent purchase by the United States Department of War. During the 20th century, burials included veterans of World War I, World War II, and the Korean War, with ceremonial interments of figures associated with the Supreme Court of the United States, United States Congress, and presidential administrations. The cemetery's role broadened with interments of astronauts connected to NASA and recipients of the Medal of Honor.
Design and Layout
Landscape designers and architects influenced the site, including plans reflecting Garden Cemetery Movement traditions and influences from Monticello-era plantations and the work of landscape architects linked to the Commission of Fine Arts. The layout incorporates axial drives, terraces, and rows of graves aligned with vistas toward Arlington House and the United States Capitol. Distinct sections accommodate burials from the Civil War era, family plots such as those of the Custis and Lee families, and sections reserved for recipients of the Medal of Honor and veterans of specific conflicts like World War II and the Vietnam War. Notable features include the terraced approach, alignments with the Lincoln Memorial sightline, and spatial planning for ceremonial processions to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Arlington National Cemetery Old Post Chapel.
Notable Interments
Interred persons include senior officers from the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, United States Air Force, and United States Coast Guard, as well as civilians affiliated with Department of Defense leadership and diplomatic corps such as Secretaries linked to Department of State. Presidents with nearby associations include figures connected to the Lincoln administration and veterans like John F. Kennedy whose family plots are well known. Aerospace figures include the Mercury Seven and astronauts like John Glenn and Alan Shepard; jurists from the Supreme Court of the United States and members of Congress are also interred. Recipients of the Medal of Honor, leaders from World War II such as fleet admirals and five-star generals, and decorated aviators from Vietnam War and Korean War rest here. Cultural figures with military service, including actors who served in World War II and musicians associated with wartime performances, have graves alongside Medal of Honor laureates and veterans of the Persian Gulf War.
Monuments and Memorials
The cemetery contains national memorials and sculptures honoring service in conflicts such as World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a focal monument with ceremonies tied to Arlington National Cemetery Guards and presidential wreath-laying traditions associated with administrations such as those of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Other memorials commemorate regiments from the Union Army, Confederate States Army dead reinterred elsewhere, unit memorials for the Regular Army, and monuments dedicated to groups such as the 34th Infantry Division and U.S. Colored Troops. Sculptures and tablets honor events like the Attack on Pearl Harbor, the Battle of Normandy, and the September 11 attacks victims who were service members; additional memorials recognize humanitarian missions and Cold War service.
Operations and Management
Operations are administered by the Arlington National Cemetery administration under the auspices of the United States Department of the Army and guided by law passed by the United States Congress regulating burial eligibility for veterans, dependents, and certain dignitaries. Procedures include interment scheduling, ceremonial honors provided by units from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), and maintenance managed with preservation practices influenced by the National Historic Preservation Act. Security coordination involves agencies such as the United States Secret Service for presidential events and the Department of Homeland Security during national emergencies. Management has addressed challenges including capacity constraints, necessitating policies informed by veterans’ organizations like the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Cultural Impact and Commemoration
Arlington serves as a locus for national ceremonies, including Memorial Day and Veterans Day observances attended by presidential administrations, members of Congress, and international dignitaries, reinforcing rituals associated with casualty commemoration since the Reconstruction era. It features in literature about the Civil War, biographies of statesmen linked to Arlington House, and cinematic works depicting funerary and state rituals. The cemetery’s imagery appears in news coverage by outlets such as The Washington Post and in documentaries produced by PBS and History (TV network), contributing to public memory practices studied by scholars in institutions like the Smithsonian Institution and Library of Congress. Annual wreath-laying by organizations including the Boy Scouts of America and ceremonies honoring units such as the United States Marine Corps and United States Navy continue to shape its cultural resonance.