Arlington National Cemetery

With more than 260,000 people buried, Arlington National Cemetery has the second-largest number of people buried of any national cemetery in the United States. Each year, Arlington National Cemetery conducts approximately 5,400 burials. The largest of the 130 national cemeteries is the Calverton National Cemetery, on Long Island, near Farmingdale, N.Y. That cemetery conducts more than 7,000 burials each year.

Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton designated Arlington Mansion and 200 acres of ground immediately surrounding it officially as a military cemetery June 15, 1864.

Veterans from all the nation's wars are buried in the cemetery, from the American Revolution through the Persian Gulf War and Somalia. Pre-Civil War dead were reinterred after 1900.

Arlington National Cemetery and Soldiers Home National Cemetery are administered by the Department of the Army. All other National Cemeteries are administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, or the National Park Service.

The flags in Arlington National Cemetery are flown at half-staff from a half hour before the first funeral until a half hour after the last funeral each day. Funerals are normally conducted five days a week, excluding weekends.

In addition to in-ground burial, Arlington National Cemetery also has one of the larger columbariums for cremated remains in the country. Four courts are currently in use, each with 5,000 niches.

When construction is complete, there will be nine courts with a total of 50,000 niches; capacity for 100,000 remains. Any honorably discharged veteran is eligible for inurnment in the columbarium.

Funerals, including interments and inurnments, average 20 a day.

NEARBY: Women in Military
Service for America Memorial

The Women In Military Service For America Memorial, at the Ceremonial Entrance to Arlington National Cemetery, is the only major national memorial honoring all women who have defended America throughout history. Their patriotism and bravery are a part of our nation's heritage and are now recognized.

Visitors to the Women's Memorial experience the collective history of women in the military along with the individual stories of registered servicewomen. The Women's Memorial recognizes all women who have served in or with the United States Armed Forces—past, present and future; documents the experiences of these women and tells their stories of service, sacrifice and achievement; makes their contributions a visible part of our history; illustrates their partnership with men in defense of our nation; and serves as inspiration for others.

The Memorial site is the 4.2-acre Ceremonial Entrance to Arlington National Cemetery. A 30-foot high curved neoclassical retaining wall stands at the entrance. Ms. Weiss and Mr. Manfredi's splendid design placed the 33,000 square-foot Education Center in the cemetery hillside behind the existing retaining wall. The Memorial incorporates a reflecting pool on the plaza in front of the curved gateway, or hemicycle, with an arc of glass tablets on the upper terrace.

The Register, which serves as the "heart" of the Women's Memorial, is a computerized database of information about the women who are registered. Visitors can access the photographs, military histories, and individual stories of registrants by simply typing names into a computer terminal. The Register serves as an active resource, creating an on-going record of history as it is made. The Foundation is actively seeking to register as many veterans, Active Duty, National Guard and Reserve servicewomen as possible. (Women from service organizations who served overseas during time of war, as well as Cadet Nurses, are also eligible.) Approximately 250,000 of the two million women eligible have been registered thus far.

The Women's Memorial was dedicated on October 18, 1997, and is endorsed by the Departments of Defense, Transportation, Veterans Affairs and Interior.