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March 2009
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Washington D.C.
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Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia is a military cemetery in the United States, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna (Custis) Lee, a descendant of Martha Washington. The cemetery is situated directly across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. and near The Pentagon. More than 290,000 people are buried in an area of 624 acres (2.53 km2). Veterans and military casualties from every one of the nation's wars are interred in the cemetery, from the American Revolution through the military actions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Pre-Civil War dead were reinterred after 1900. Arlington shares with Mill Springs National Cemetery, the only other open cemetery in the system, the distinction of being the oldest military burial ground in the United States. The first soldier to be buried in Arlington was Private William Henry Christman on May 13, 1864.
(All pics by EAF51_Bear)
The Flying Tigers, AVG and 14th Air Force memorial stone
The Unknown Soldier Memorial
"HERE REST IN HONOURED GLORY AN AMERICAN SOLDIER KNOWN BUT TO GOD"
The Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery is also known as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It stands on top of a hill overlooking Washington, D.C. It was initially named the "Tomb of the Unknown Soldier." Other unknown servicemen were later entombed there, and it became known as the "Tomb of the Unknowns", though it has never been officially named. The soldiers entombed there are: Unknown Soldier of World War I, interred November 11, 1921; Unknown Soldier of World War II, interred May 30, 1958; Unknown Soldier of the Korean War, also interred May 30, 1958; Unknown Soldier of the Vietnam War, interred May 28, 1984, and were identified as those of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael J. Blassie, whose family had him reinterred near their home in St. Louis, Missouri. It has been determined that the crypt at the Tomb of the Unknowns that contained the remains of the Vietnam Unknown will remain empty. The Tomb of the Unknowns is perpetually guarded by the U.S. Army. The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment ("The Old Guard") began guarding the Tomb April 6, 1948.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy grave
"AND SO MY FELLOW AMERICANS, ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU. ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY. MY FELLOW CITIZENS OF THE WORLD: ASK NOT WHAT AMERICA WILL DO FOR YOU; BUT WHAT TOGETHER WE CAN DO FOR THE FREEDOM OF MAN"
Robert F. Kennedy grave
FUORI DA ARLINGTON
OUTSIDE ARLINGTON
The Cuban War Veterans Memorial The 101th Airborne Division Memorial
The Seabees Memorial
"WITH COMPASSION FOR OTHERS WE BUILD WE FIGHT FOR PEACE WITH FREEDOM"
The Pentagon
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