Memorial Day: Arlington National Cemetery
2020-05-25
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1Memorial Day is a national holiday observed in the United States on the last Monday in May.
2It is the day when Americans honor the women and men who have served in the military.
3The Memorial Day holiday was first observed in 1868. The holiday was called Decoration Day.
4The observance was at what was then known as the National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.
5It is now known as Arlington National Cemetery.
6More than four million people visit the cemetery every year.
7It is the most famous national burial place in the United States.
8It includes about 250 hectares of rolling hills, and trees that were planted hundreds of years ago.
9There are more than 8,000 trees of 300 species in the cemetery.
10Up and down the hills are lines of simple white headstones marking the graves.
11About 400 of the markers have gold letters on them.
12These are the burial places of those who have been awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military honor.
13Among those buried at the cemetery are military and political leaders, cabinet officers and Supreme Court justices.
14Astronauts, explorers and athletes are also buried there.
15So are chaplains, nurses, slaves and even war correspondents.
16Arlington is on the land that once belonged to George Washington Parke Custis, a step-grandson of George Washington.
17The cemetery holds the graves of soldiers who died in every war in American history.
18Some who fought and died in the Revolutionary War in the 1700s were moved there from a nearby cemetery.
19The first military burial was on May 13, 1864 for Private William Christman, who died in the Civil War.
20On May 15, 1864, two unknown Union Soldiers were buried at Arlington.
21They were the first of almost 5,000 unknowns who are now buried at the cemetery.
22On March 4, 1921, Congress approved the burial of an unidentified American soldier from World War I.
23It is now the site of the famed Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
24Nearly 4,000 former slaves are buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
25One of them is James Parks. He dug the first graves in the cemetery.
26And he is the only person buried there who was also born on the property.
27Two American presidents are buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
28William Howard Taft was president in the early 1900s.
29John F. Kennedy was president in the 1960s.
30More people have visited his grave than any other in the United States.
31Other famous people buried at the cemetery include Joe Louis.
32He was an Army sergeant in World War II.
33He was a world champion boxer. Robert E. Peary discovered the North Pole.
34Dr. Anita Newcomb McGee founded the Army Nurse Corps.
35And the remains of the seven astronauts who died when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded are buried in Section 46.
36Sixty-five foreigners are also buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
37Britain has the most, with 26.
38South Vietnam has 10, including nine unknown soldiers.
39Not everyone who gave military service to the United States may be buried at the cemetery.
40Those who can be buried there include anyone who died while serving on active duty or who retired from military.
41Also eligible are those who received high military awards, including the Medal of Honor, those who were injured in combat and former prisoners of war.
42Some federal government officials and the spouse and children of those buried at Arlington may also be eligible.
43There is no cost for the burial or funeral service.
44Cemetery officials are worried that they will soon run out of space.
45So they have added an area where the ashes of people who chose to be cremated rather than buried can be placed.
46There are tens of thousands of spaces in the building, which is called a columbarium.
47The cemetery is also expanding by almost 11 hectares. This will add almost 30,000 burial places.
48Since 1948, on the Thursday before Memorial Day, soldiers from the 3rd US Infantry, The Old Guard, have placed small American flags in front of every headstone in the cemetery.
49This year, more than a thousand Old Guard soldiers placed more than 220,000 flags in front of each grave marker "to honor every individual buried at Arlington National Cemetery."
50Some of the Old Guard soldiers placed flags in front of the graves of soldiers they knew, in Section 60.
51Some have called it "the saddest place in America."
52It is where some of the soldiers who died in America's latest wars -- in Iraq and Afghanistan -- are buried.
53I'm Christopher Jones-Cruise.
54Words in This Story
55species - n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants
56eligible - adj. able to be chosen for something; able to do or receive something
57columbarium - n. a building or area where urns holding a deceased's cremated remains are placed
58How does your country honor those who died in war? We want to hear about it. Write to us in the comments section.
1Memorial Day is a national holiday observed in the United States on the last Monday in May. It is the day when Americans honor the women and men who have served in the military. 2The Memorial Day holiday was first observed in 1868. The holiday was called Decoration Day. The observance was at what was then known as the National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. 3It is now known as Arlington National Cemetery. 4More than four million people visit the cemetery every year. 5It is the most famous national burial place in the United States. It includes about 250 hectares of rolling hills, and trees that were planted hundreds of years ago. There are more than 8,000 trees of 300 species in the cemetery. Up and down the hills are lines of simple white headstones marking the graves. About 400 of the markers have gold letters on them. These are the burial places of those who have been awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military honor. 6Among those buried at the cemetery are military and political leaders, cabinet officers and Supreme Court justices. Astronauts, explorers and athletes are also buried there. So are chaplains, nurses, slaves and even war correspondents. 7Arlington is on the land that once belonged to George Washington Parke Custis, a step-grandson of George Washington. The cemetery holds the graves of soldiers who died in every war in American history. Some who fought and died in the Revolutionary War in the 1700s were moved there from a nearby cemetery. 8The first military burial was on May 13, 1864 for Private William Christman, who died in the Civil War. On May 15, 1864, two unknown Union Soldiers were buried at Arlington. They were the first of almost 5,000 unknowns who are now buried at the cemetery. On March 4, 1921, Congress approved the burial of an unidentified American soldier from World War I. It is now the site of the famed Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. 9Nearly 4,000 former slaves are buried at Arlington National Cemetery. One of them is James Parks. He dug the first graves in the cemetery. And he is the only person buried there who was also born on the property. 10Two American presidents are buried at Arlington National Cemetery. William Howard Taft was president in the early 1900s. John F. Kennedy was president in the 1960s. More people have visited his grave than any other in the United States. 11Other famous people buried at the cemetery include Joe Louis. He was an Army sergeant in World War II. He was a world champion boxer. Robert E. Peary discovered the North Pole. Dr. Anita Newcomb McGee founded the Army Nurse Corps. And the remains of the seven astronauts who died when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded are buried in Section 46. 12Sixty-five foreigners are also buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Britain has the most, with 26. South Vietnam has 10, including nine unknown soldiers. 13Not everyone who gave military service to the United States may be buried at the cemetery. Those who can be buried there include anyone who died while serving on active duty or who retired from military. Also eligible are those who received high military awards, including the Medal of Honor, those who were injured in combat and former prisoners of war. Some federal government officials and the spouse and children of those buried at Arlington may also be eligible. There is no cost for the burial or funeral service. 14Cemetery officials are worried that they will soon run out of space. So they have added an area where the ashes of people who chose to be cremated rather than buried can be placed. There are tens of thousands of spaces in the building, which is called a columbarium. The cemetery is also expanding by almost 11 hectares. This will add almost 30,000 burial places. 15Since 1948, on the Thursday before Memorial Day, soldiers from the 3rd US Infantry, The Old Guard, have placed small American flags in front of every headstone in the cemetery. This year, more than a thousand Old Guard soldiers placed more than 220,000 flags in front of each grave marker "to honor every individual buried at Arlington National Cemetery." 16Some of the Old Guard soldiers placed flags in front of the graves of soldiers they knew, in Section 60. Some have called it "the saddest place in America." It is where some of the soldiers who died in America's latest wars -- in Iraq and Afghanistan -- are buried. 17I'm Christopher Jones-Cruise. 18Shelley Gollust and Christopher Jones-Cruise wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. 19______________________________________________________________ 20Words in This Story 21species - n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants 22eligible - adj. able to be chosen for something; able to do or receive something 23columbarium - n. a building or area where urns holding a deceased's cremated remains are placed 24How does your country honor those who died in war? We want to hear about it. Write to us in the comments section.