ANC Blog

World War II Sailor Killed at Pearl Harbor “Died Too Young”

Fri, 15 May 2026 17:12:00 GMT

“He was Uncle Paul,” Rebecca Schmale said about U.S. Navy Seaman 1st Class Paul E. Newton, the uncle she never knew but whom her mother would speak about, “and when we talked about him, it was that he died too young and did not have an opportunity to experience so many things in life.”

Arlington National Cemetery Commemorates “America 250” with History Hike

Wed, 06 May 2026 19:51:00 GMT

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

Mon, 04 May 2026 18:29:00 GMT

“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.

Service, Sacrifice and Sisterhood: Veterans Honor Their Own

Mon, 04 May 2026 14:38:00 GMT

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.

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

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 20:17:32 GMT

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

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 19:39:00 GMT

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.

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

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:56:00 GMT

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

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 19:16:13 GMT

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

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:48:00 GMT

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

Navy Nurse Saved Lives at Sea During the Vietnam War

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 20:33:00 GMT

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.

Last Surviving World War II Triple Ace Laid to Rest

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 20:37:00 GMT

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.

“A Place of Honor to Rededicate Ourselves”: Medal of Honor Day at Arlington National Cemetery

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 20:32:00 GMT

Twenty Medal of Honor recipients visited Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) on March 25, 2026, for the annual Medal of Honor Day ceremony, each with the blue-ribboned Medal of Honor draped around his neck. The Medal of Honor is the United States’ highest military award for valor for an individual serving in the armed services in action against an enemy.

Missing for 82 Years, American POW Who Defended the Philippines in World War II Laid to Rest

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 19:01:00 GMT

U.S. Army Pvt. Leonard “Buddy” Jackson, from Great Falls, Montana, survived fighting in the Philippines during the first year of American involvement in World War II, but died in a POW camp on Oct. 31, 1942, just one day shy of his 20th birthday. His fate would remain a mystery for more than 80 years until he was identified and later laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery on March 9, 2026.

U.S. Army Soldier Fought to Liberate Rome During World War II

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 13:07:07 GMT

On a cold night in Anzio, Italy, in 1944, U.S. Army Cpl. Thaddeus Pecorak was too tired to dig a foxhole, so he crawled under an American tank and fell asleep. When he woke up the next morning, the tank’s belly was touching his nose. The tank had sunk in the mud overnight, forcing Pecorak to wiggle himself out from underneath. “If it was real super-wet ground I wouldn’t be sitting here today,” he recalled in a 2017 Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) interview about his experiences in World War II. “I doubt anybody would have heard me under that tank.”

Son Honors Air Force Father Who Was MIA in Vietnam for 52 Years

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 15:41:00 GMT

Richard A. Kibbey Jr. was only 12 years old when an Air Force chaplain, a lieutenant colonel and an enlisted airman knocked on his family’s front door. “I knew immediately it was not good news,” he remembered. His father and namesake, Col. Richard Kibbey, had been serving in Vietnam as an HH-3E “Jolly Green Giant” helicopter pilot, rescuing downed flight crews.

Tomb Guards, Past and Present, Bid Farewell to a Fallen Brother

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 14:42:00 GMT

U.S. Army Spc. 4th Class Michael “Mike” Vinson loved guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. From November 1980 to July 1981, as a member of the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) he walked in sharp, steady steps on the mat in front of the Tomb, his uniform perfectly creased and clean, and his medals shining. According to his fellow Tomb Guards, he always strove for perfection.

A Legacy of Courage: U.S. Army Helicopter Pilot Survived Two Tours in Vietnam

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:16:00 GMT

U.S. Army Col. John “Jack” Islin flew helicopters into harm’s way during two tours in Vietnam. He constantly faced intense enemy fire but managed to keep himself and his crew alive.

A Borinqueneer's Final Salute

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 18:46:00 GMT

U.S. Army Col. Manuel Felix Siverio served his country during three wars. On a cold and windy Jan. 20, 2026, Siverio’s family and friends gathered at his funeral service in Section 60 at Arlington National Cemetery to say their final goodbyes. Chaplain (Capt.) Raymond Akeriwe reminded Siverio’s loved ones that his dedication to his country “has earned his place here.”

“All Hands on Deck”: Funeral Services Continue Despite Snow and Ice

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 21:56:00 GMT

In the wake of a major snow and ice storm that blasted the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, multiple Army National Military Cemetery (ANMC) teams worked around the clock to ensure they completed its mission of laying service members to rest with dignity and honor at Arlington National Cemetery (ANC). The storm blanketed the area with seven inches of snow, topped by a four-inch layer of ice— and, for safety reasons, necessitated the cemetery’s closure to visitors and family pass holders for more than two weeks.

“A Few Brave Souls Can Change the Course of History”: Remembering the Battle of the Bulge

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 09:43:00 GMT

Members of the Battle of the Bulge Association and the ambassadors of Belgium and Luxembourg came to Arlington National Cemetery on Jan. 23, 2026, to remember and reflect on those who gave their lives for Europe’s freedom during World War II. The group laid wreaths at the Battle of the Bulge Memorial in Section 21 and at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.