REAL ID Required as of May 7

Beginning May 7, 2025, all individuals over the age of 18 who enter Arlington National Cemetery in a vehicle should be prepared to present a REAL ID at the security check point. 

Published on: Tuesday, April 29, 2025 read more ...

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The Navy Legacy at Arlington National Cemetery

By on 10/13/2020

As the nation commemorates the 245th birthday of the United States Navy, we take a moment to reflect on those sailors and civilians who faithfully served the Navy and were laid to rest in the hallowed ground of Arlington National Cemetery (ANC). 

“The Monitor Is No More:” Honoring the Lost Men of USS Monitor

By on 10/12/2020

As part of the 245th anniversary of the birth of the United States Navy, we are highlighting a small monument at Arlington National Cemetery that honors the sixteen men from the Civil War ironclad USS Monitor who perished in the sinking of the vessel in a gale off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina on New Year’s Eve, 1862.

A Latino Legacy in the Air Force: Hector Santa Anna

To commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month, as well as the recent birthday of the United States Air Force (USAF), today we honor the service of one Latino USAF veteran buried at Arlington: Hector Santa Anna, a decorated World War II B-17 bomber pilot, Berlin Airlift pilot and career military leader with a memorable last name. Santa Anna happened to be the great-great nephew of Mexican general Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, who famously led the siege of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution of 1836. But this Santa Anna fought for the United States—beginning in the Army Air Corps during World War II and continuing with the Air Force after its establishment as an independent service branch in 1947.

Commemorating the United States Air Force Birthday

On July 26, 1947, President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947, which created the Department of the Air Force as an independent branch of the U.S. armed services. The act went into effect on September 18, 1947, making September 18 the official birthday of the United States Air Force (USAF).

Education Program Highlight: The Spanish-American War

Although the Spanish-American War lasted for only a few months in 1898, the legacy of this brief yet transformative conflict is marked on the landscape of Arlington National Cemetery. Arlington has more Spanish-American War memorials and gravesites than any other single place in the United States. Learn why—and gain insights into the broader history and legacy of the Spanish-American War. 

Renovations for Sections 33 and 60

By on 8/7/2020

If you ever notice sections of Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) stripped of their lush green grass, just know that they appear that way for an important reason. “It’s turf renovation,” explained Stephen Van Hoven, who has been ANC’s chief of horticulture for the last nine years. “We do about 30 acres every year.” As a national shrine, and a Level III Arboretum, ANC maintains its grounds to national shrine standard.

Lest We Forget: The Coast Guard War Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery (Part 2)

Today, August 4, is the 230th birthday of the United States Coast Guard. In honor of those Coast Guardsmen who gave their lives during World War I, a memorial was erected at Arlington National Cemetery in 1928.

Lest We Forget: The Coast Guard War Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery

As part of the United States Coast Guard’s (USCG) 230th birthday celebration, we are highlighting the history of the Coast Guard War Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery with a series of guest blog posts from the USCG. These posts tell the story of the Coast Guard War Memorial and its significant role in honoring and remembering the heroism and ultimate sacrifices made by Coast Guardsmen during the First World War.

Arlington National Cemetery Launches Education Program

By on 7/28/2020

Arlington National Cemetery is proud to announce its new Education Program, developed for virtual and in-person learning. Audiences of all ages may now discover the diverse history of the United States through the unique lens of ANC. 

Secretaries of State at ANC: Alexander Haig, Four-Star Diplomat

Eight secretaries of state are buried at Arlington National Cemetery. In honor of the State Department’s birthday, today we examine the life and legacy of Alexander Haig (Section 30, Grave 418-LH), a four-star general who served as President Ronald Reagan’s first secretary of state. 

Historian
Jenifer Leigh Van Vleck
PhD