How many gravestones are in arlington national cemetery

The government-issued headstones have evolved over the years. Originally the government used wooden grave markers, but they quickly realized that the cost to replace the wood, over time, would be astronomical.

The government chose two cost effective materials—marble and galvanized iron coated with zinc. Meigs was in charge of providing headstones for fallen soldiers. Eventually the marble marker won out over the iron one. The original marble marker was a smaller version of what you see today. Each year for Memorial Day, a flag is placed by every tombstone, monument, and columbarium row in the cemetery.

Volunteers continue this practice during the holiday season with wreaths instead of flags. Infantry Regiment, also known as The Old Guard. Formed in , The Old Guard is the oldest active-duty infantry unit in the Army.

Kennedy became the second on November 25, By the s, to prevent the cemetery from running out of space, the U. Columbarium courts were also created for above-ground inurnments. Today, approximately , veterans and their eligible dependents are buried at Arlington National Cemetery. As a result, the history of our nation is reflected on the grounds of the cemetery.

Privacy Statement Disclosure. I Accept. ANC is open daily from 8am-5pm. Phone: Kennedy Gravesite Robert F. Kennedy Gravesite President William H. Longtime Superintendent John C.

Metzler is reprimanded. He is able to keep his job until his retirement date of July 2, July 14, - The cemetery announces that Thurman Higginbotham, second-in-command at Arlington, filed paperwork in the previous week to retire retroactive to July 2, He had been placed on administrative leave in June pending disciplinary review for improper handling of burial records, and was accused of botching dozens of contracts.

July 29, - Senator Claire McCaskill, chairwoman of an oversight panel on the Senate Homeland Security and Government Reform Committee, says that her investigation of the cemetery has revealed that between 4, and 6, graves may be unmarked or mislabeled on cemetery maps.

December - The Army launches the first criminal investigation into the misplacement of remains at Arlington National Cemetery after discovering the cremated remains of eight people dumped in a single grave site. December 23, - According to the Army Inspector General's report, of the , graves audited, , were checked. The consequences are that in 64, cases, the information on the headstones is incorrect when compared to the paper or electronic records.

January 26, - Former Marine Corps reservist Yonathan Melaku is sentenced to 25 years in prison for attempting to desecrate graves at the cemetery. The entire process takes up to a year. June 15, - The th anniversary of the cemetery. July 17, - Philanthropist and billionaire David M. Buried at Arlington.