REAL ID Requirements

Beginning May 7, 2025, all individuals over the age of 18 who are authorized to drive onto Arlington National Cemetery should be prepared to present a REAL ID at the security checkpoint.

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

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How to Get to the #Tomb100 Flower Ceremony

By on 10/28/2021

Are you planning on attending the Public Flower Ceremony as part of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Centennial Commemoration? If so, this blog post is for you! Below is everything you need to know about how to get to Arlington National Cemetery and how to participate. 

ANC Public Affairs Office
Ashley Topolosky

The Centennial Flower Ceremony: Meaning, Symbolism and History

On November 9 and 10, 2021, the public will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to commemorate the centennial of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by participating in a special flower ceremony at the Tomb. Rife with meaning, this special event references significant moments and symbols from the Tomb’s history.

Teaching and Learning About the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

As part of Arlington National Cemetery’s new Education Program, an educational module on the history and significance of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is available at https://education.arlingtoncemetery.mil. The module is a resource for teachers, students and adult “lifelong learners.” It includes lesson plans, assignments and primary source readings for elementary, middle and high school students, as well as self-guided walking tours that can be used to explore the cemetery either virtually or in person. Lesson plans align with national and state social studies standards and can be easily adapted for homeschooling or virtual learning.

Andre Maginot: The French Patriot Who Bade Farewell to the Unknown Soldier

By Kevin M. Hymel on 10/22/2021

On October 25, 1921, France’s Minister of Pensions, André Maginot, stood before the flag-draped casket of America’s Unknown Soldier on the dock at Le Havre, France. Flanked by members of the American and French military, civilians, and cameramen, he concluded his remarks by speaking to both the American Unknown Soldier and the French Unknown Soldier: “We can no more separate you than we can separate the two flags which the enemy brought together,” he stated. Then, tall and erect even while leaning on a cane, Maginot placed the French Legion of Honor medal on the casket before it was borne on the shoulders of American sailors and marines for the journey home aboard the USS Olympia.

Kevin M. Hymel
Contract Historian
Kevin M. Hymel

A Humble Sergeant: Edward F. Younger and the Unknown Soldier

By Tim Frank, ANC Historian on 10/20/2021

On October 24, 1921, when Sergeant Edward F. Younger entered City Hall in Châlons-sur-Marne, France, and gazed upon the four identical caskets that lay before him, he embarked on a task that forever linked him to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

ANC Historian
Tim Frank

Patton and World War I’s Unknown Soldier

By Kevin M. Hymel on 10/20/2021

In 1921, Major George S. Patton Jr. held an important role during ceremonies for America’s World War I Unknown Soldier. The man who would become an iconic general, known for commanding victorious armies in World War II, was then the commander of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment’s 3rd Cavalry Squadron. On November 9, 1921, Patton helped escort the Unknown Soldier’s casket from the USS Olympia to the U.S. Capitol, where the Unknown would lie in state for two days. On November 11, the day of the Unknown’s burial ceremony, he marched in the procession that escorted the casket to Arlington National Cemetery.

Kevin M. Hymel
Contract Historian
Kevin M. Hymel

The American Battle Monuments Commission and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

By on 10/18/2021

For one hundred years, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has represented America’s eternal dedication to honoring not just the unknowns buried there, but all unknown dead from the nation’s wars. The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) shares in Arlington National Cemetery’s mission to honor and remember unknown U.S. service members. 

Public Invited to Honor the Centennial of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

By Kevin M. Hymel on 10/13/2021

Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) is inviting the public to participate in honoring the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier centennial. This November 11 will mark 100 years since the Unknown Soldier from World War I was laid to rest in the newly constructed Tomb on the plaza of the cemetery’s Memorial Amphitheater.

Kevin M. Hymel
Contract Historian
Kevin M. Hymel

From Manila Bay to Philadelphia: The Life and Service of USS Olympia

By Tim Frank, ANC Historian on 10/12/2021

To commemorate the 2021 centennial of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, as well as the U.S. Navy’s 246th birthday on October 13, we honor the USS Olympia—the legendary Navy ship that brought the World War I Unknown Soldier home to the United States from France in 1921. 

ANC Historian
Tim Frank

Zitkala-Sa: Civic Leader, Writer, Advocate for American Indians

During National Native American Heritage Month, we are proud to honor the life and legacy of Zitkála-Ša (Gertrude Simmons Bonnin), who is buried in Section 2, Grave 4703. Zitkála-Ša, whose name means “Red Bird,” was one of the most important American Indian activists and writers of the 20th century.

Historian
Jenifer Leigh Van Vleck
PhD