Service Complex Gate Closed

The Service Complex Gate is currently CLOSED to family pass holders and visitors, due to necessary construction on the Southern Expansion project.

Published on: Thursday, April 30, 2026 read more ...

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Arlington National Cemetery Commemorates “America 250” with History Hike

How does Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) connect to the American Revolution, which began 88 years before ANC became a national cemetery in 1864? This question was answered during a special “America 250” public walking tour on April 10, which helped kick off Army National Military Cemeteries’ (ANMC) commemoration of the nation’s 250th birthday — marked by the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.  

Unknown World War II “Bataan Death March” Survivor Identified and Laid to Rest

By Kevin M. Hymel on 5/4/2026

“Do not worry, I am all right,” U.S. Army Air Forces Sgt. James “Jimmy” Murray wrote to his fiancée, Donna Young, after the Japanese bombed Clark Field, a U.S. base in the Philippines, on Dec. 8, 1941—one day after the attack on Pearl Harbor prompted the United States to enter World War II. Young never heard from him again.  

Kevin M. Hymel

Service, Sacrifice and Sisterhood: Veterans Honor Their Own

By Kevin M. Hymel on 5/4/2026

More than 50 women veterans from multiple military service branches visited Arlington National Cemetery on April 14, 2026, to honor fallen friends and the Unknown Soldiers.  

Kevin M. Hymel

King Charles III and Queen Camilla Honor a Shared History of Service and Sacrifice

On April 30, 2026, cannons fired a 21-gun salute as King Charles III and Queen Camilla entered Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) for an Armed Forces Full Honors Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The ceremony took place on the final day of the royal couple’s state visit to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence. 

Cosmic Roots: The Story of Arlington National Cemetery’s Moon Tree

By Kevin M. Hymel on 4/23/2026

Arlington National Cemetery is home to many unique trees to explore on Arbor Day (April 24), but only one has roots in outer space. The “Moon Tree,” an American Sycamore, is a second-generation tree descendant of seeds that orbited the moon. 

Kevin M. Hymel

Children of Military Families Visit ANC and Reflect on Meanings of Service

When the Senate Youth Program visited Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) on March 13, the experience held special meanings for two students, both children of military service members. Their visit to ANC preceded the Month of the Military Child, observed every April. This observance recognizes that while service members wear the uniform, their children share the unique challenges and sacrifices that come with military service.  

“Operation Mincemeat,” the Musical, Visits Arlington National Cemetery

The bright lights and bustling theaters of Broadway might seem unrelated to the mission of Arlington National Cemetery (ANC). But a recent engagement revealed a surprising connection. On March 9, 2026, five actors from the Broadway musical “Operation Mincemeat” visited ANC to honor the real American airman portrayed in one of the show’s songs.  

A Love Forged in War

By Kevin M. Hymel on 4/14/2026

They met on a train during World War II. Navy Lt. Griffith “Griff” Way and Lt. junior grade Patricia “Pat” O’Sullivan were both heading from Seattle, Washington, to a Japanese language school in Boulder, Colorado. His mother had given him a newspaper clipping about Pat, with a picture, and told him to look for her since they both hailed from Seattle. Their meeting on that train led them to fall in love and eventually spend the rest of their lives together. On March 31, 2026, the couple was laid to rest in a dual funeral service at Arlington National Cemetery

Kevin M. Hymel

Navy Nurse Saved Lives at Sea During the Vietnam War

By Kevin M. Hymel on 4/6/2026

Navy Lt. Anne Jay saved countless lives during the deadliest years of the Vietnam War. As an intensive care unit (ICU) nurse from 1968 to 1969, she served on the USS Repose, a hospital ship that cruised along the South Vietnamese coast, receiving helicopters filled with soldiers, Marines and civilians wounded by war.  

Kevin M. Hymel

Last Surviving World War II Triple Ace Laid to Rest

On March 30, 2026, more than 100 people gathered at Arlington National Cemetery to honor and remember aviation legend Col. (Ret.) Clarence E. “Bud” Anderson, the last surviving World War II triple ace and one of the most distinguished fighter pilots in American history. (Shooting down five enemy aircraft qualifies a pilot as an ace.) Anderson, who passed away at age 102, was laid to rest in Section 38, joining his beloved wife of nearly 70 years, Eleanor “Ellie” Cosby, who was buried in 2015.