ANC Blog

WWII Bomber Pilot, Honored for Saving Civilian Lives, Identified and Laid to Rest

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:23:00 GMT

In 1945, nine-year-old June Laird saw U.S. Army soldiers ascending the 22 steps to her family’s home in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. They had come to deliver the news that her older brother, U.S. Army Air Forces Lt. Robert J. Barrat, had been reported killed in action over Germany. Lt. Barrat, the third eldest of six children, was only 20 years old when he died. What June did not know, at the time, was that her brother — laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) on May 27, 2026 — had died as a hero, whose brave actions during World War II inspired a German town to dedicate a monument to him and his bomber crew.

“Full Circle”: Secret Service Agent Clint Hill Laid to Rest at Arlington National Cemetery

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 20:59:00 GMT

On Nov. 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy’s motorcade was traveling through Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas, when the crack of a gunshot suddenly pierced the noise of the crowds lining the street. Within mere seconds, Secret Service agent Clint Hill jumped from the car following behind, leapt onto the trunk of the president’s convertible limousine, pulled himself inside, and threw his body, as a human shield, on top of the president and first lady. A second bullet had fatally struck the president in the head. Yet by all accounts, Hill’s swift and fearless actions likely saved Jacqueline Kennedy’s life. During the next four days, he would remain steadfastly by the grieving first lady’s side — from the limousine to the hospital in Dallas to Arlington National Cemetery, where President Kennedy was buried on Nov. 25.

Marine, Gravely Wounded in World War II, Lived to Be 100

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 16:39:00 GMT

On June 22, 1944, U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Vernon “Billy” Rigdon was advancing through the jungle on the Pacific island of Saipan when he and his fellow Marines encountered a group of Japanese soldiers. During the ensuing exchange of fire, an enemy bullet hit Rigdon’s left shoulder. “This felt like being hit extremely hard across the chest with a baseball bat,” he later wrote in a personal account. His rifle flew out of his hands and he hit the ground. He recalled thinking, “I’ve gotten myself into a hell of a mess.”

Vietnam Veteran Who “Loved History” Laid to Rest at Historic Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 15:35:00 GMT

On June 10, 2026, U.S. Navy Radioman Petty Officer 1st Class Louis Rine was laid to rest at the historic United States Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery (SAHNC) in Washington, D.C. A Vietnam War combat veteran, Rine spent his last years residing at the nearby Armed Forces Retirement Home (commonly known as the Soldiers and Airmen’s Home). Because only residents of the home are eligible for burial at the cemetery, funerals such as Rine’s rarely take place at SAHNC — which, along with Arlington National Cemetery, is one of two national cemeteries maintained by the Department of the Army.

On the Front Lines of History: Soldier Served at Checkpoint Charlie During Height of the Cold War

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 19:03:00 GMT

As the military police (MP) officer in charge of Checkpoint Charlie in West Berlin during the early 1960s, U.S. Army Capt. Roy Isaacson served at one of the most sensitive and strategic locations of the Cold War.

After Decades as an Unknown, World War II POW Comes Home to Arlington

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:47:00 GMT

In 2005, Sean Webb was watching “The Great Raid,” a movie about the liberation of the Cabanatuan POW camp in the Philippines during World War II. Many Cabanatuan inmates had survived the infamous Bataan Death March, a 65-mile trek under harsh conditions to POW camps further north. Webb’s 92-year-old grandmother, Lucy Irene O’Brien, was watching the film with him when she suddenly said, “My brother Malcolm was in it” — referring to the Cabanatuan POW camp. Her brief statement stunned Sean, who did not know he had a great-uncle, much less one who had been a POW.

Air Force Colonel Flew 700 Combat Missions Over Vietnam

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 13:01:06 GMT

During the Vietnam War, U.S. Air Force Capt. Harry Pawlak flew dangerous low-level reconnaissance missions over Vietnamese jungles in his Cessna O-1E, often within close range of enemy guns. He named his aircraft “Darlene,” after his wife. “He loved flying low and slow,” Darlene recalled. Pawlak served in the Air Force for more than 20 years, retiring as a colonel. On May 7, 2026, the decorated pilot was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.

World War II Bomber Crewman Who Lost His Life in the “Forgotten Theater” Laid to Rest

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 18:02:00 GMT

During an air raid on the city of Meiktila, Burma (today’s Myanmar), on Aug. 3, 1943, a B-25 bomber fell out of the sky and crashed. Only two members of the six-man crew managed to bail out, but they were captured by Japanese soldiers. The rest of the crew, including Lt. Henry “Harry” J. Carlin, the bomber’s 27-year-old navigator from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, went down with the aircraft. Local villagers discovered the crew’s remains and buried them in a common grave, all unidentified.

For Old Guard Soldiers, “Flags In” Is a Personal Mission

Thu, 21 May 2026 19:02:00 GMT

In the early morning dawn on May 21, 2026, soldiers of the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) marched into Arlington National Cemetery (ANC), their rucksacks packed with small American flags. Their mission: To honor America’s fallen heroes by placing a flag in front of each headstone and columbarium column — approximately 250,000 at ANC and 13,500 at the Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. This tradition, known as “Flags In,” takes place annually at both cemeteries on the Thursday before Memorial Day.

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.