About Arlington
Arlington National Cemetary is reserved for US armed forces who have died in combat, or retired and passed away. It was established in May of 1864 during the American Civil War. Before that it was part of the Arlington Estate of the Lee family.
The first Decoration Day, now called Memorial Day was held as a ceremony at Arlington in 1868. The original cemetery was 200 acres, but it is now over 600 acres in size and is the final resting place of over 400,000 US service members. It containes the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Grave of John F. Kennedy, the Arlington House, and the Memorial Ampitheater.
Fun Facts:
- The first person laid to rest at Arlington was William Christman, a Private from Pennsylvania. He was laid to rest on May 13, 1864
- The Cask of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was brought back to the United States from France by the Flagship USS Olympia. The cask would not fit inside the ships hold, so a special cradle was built, and a soldier was posted outside for the entire trip.
- The Unknown Soldier was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the Victoria Cross, the Medaille Militaire, and the Croix de Guerre
- The 3rd Infantry Regiment, also known as "The Old Guard" are in charge of guarding the cemetary and Tomb.