AUTHORS

JENIFER LEIGH VAN VLECK

“A Marine’s Marine”: Commandant Gen. Alfred Gray Laid to Rest at ANC

By Kevin M. Hymel on 8/1/2024

The U.S. Marine Corps bade farewell to one of its esteemed leaders when Gen. Alfred Gray, the 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps, was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on July 29, 2024. Cannons roared, Harrier jump jets flew a missing-man formation and a Marine Corps firing team fired three volleys during the funeral service in Section 35.

Kevin M. Hymel

Standing Tall at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

By Kevin M. Hymel on 7/31/2024

When Spc. Malachi Hamber walks out to relieve the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, he always draws attention. Standing at 6 feet 9 inches tall, Hamber is the tallest current Tomb Guard Sentinel, and possibly the tallest Sentinel in the Guard’s history.

Kevin M. Hymel

Beloved Cavalry Commander Laid to Rest at ANC

By Kevin M. Hymel on 6/28/2024

Almost 100 people came to Section 78 of Arlington National Cemetery on June 25, 2024, to bid farewell to retired U.S. Army Col. James “Glenn” Snodgrass, who fought in Vietnam and served in Germany at the height of the Cold War.

Kevin M. Hymel

After Over 82 Years, a Navy Radioman’s Legacy Lives On

By Kevin M. Hymel on 5/30/2024

U.S. Navy Radioman 3rd Class Starring Winfield had been married for only six weeks when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Winfield perished on the battleship USS Oklahoma. The Navy later raised the ship and removed the remains of its crew. However, Winfield remained unaccounted for, and a military board later classified him as non-recoverable.  

Kevin M. Hymel

A Tomb Guard’s Special Duty: Honoring the Unknowns During Memorial Day Weekend

By Kevin M. Hymel on 5/29/2024

With the slow, measured steps typical of a Tomb Guard, Spc. Jeffrey Potter carried four small American flags to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. He wore a raincoat over his ceremonial dress blue uniform to ward off rain from the light showers that had soaked the Tomb plaza.

Kevin M. Hymel

Old Guard Continues Memorial Day Tradition of Placing Flags at Arlington National Cemetery

By Kevin M. Hymel on 5/24/2024

Memorial Day weekend starts early at Arlington National Cemetery. At dawn on the Thursday morning prior to Memorial Day, soldiers of the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (the Army’s official ceremonial unit, also known as The Old Guard) lead this revered tradition known as “Flags In.”

Kevin M. Hymel

Historians Commemorate ANC's 160th Anniversary with a Special Tour

By Kevin M. Hymel on 5/20/2024

To commemorate the 160th anniversary of the establishment of a military cemetery at Arlington, ANC’s History Office led a public tour in Section 27 on May 13, 2024. Command Historian Dr. Stephen Carney and Senior Historian Dr. Allison Finkelstein described how the Civil War led to the cemetery’s creation and early development. 

Kevin M. Hymel

Sailor Who Dove off the USS Oklahoma Identified Eight Decades Later

By Kevin M. Hymel on 5/20/2024

During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, 20-year-old Seaman First Class Frank “Cremo” Hryniewicz dove off the battleship USS Oklahoma to escape strafing enemy aircraft. He never resurfaced. Although his remains were later recovered from the ship, they could not be identified and were buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii.

Kevin M. Hymel

Fielding Relationships: ANC Horticulture and Interment Operations Team Up with Nationals Park Grounds Crew

By on 5/20/2024

On Monday, May 13, members of Arlington National Cemetery’s Horticulture and Interment Operations directorates teamed up with the grounds crew at Nationals Park, home of Washington D.C.’s Major League Baseball team, the Washington Nationals.

Miss America—and Air Force Officer—Madison Marsh Pays Tribute to Our Nation’s Military at ANC

By Kevin M. Hymel on 3/7/2024

Laying a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was doubly special for Miss America Madison Marsh, who also serves her country as a 2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. Not only was she honoring the sacrifices of the nation’s fallen; she also came to visit the grave of her grandfather, Col. Arthur Henry Marsh, who had served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam as a U.S. Army chaplain.

Kevin M. Hymel