About Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery was founded after the Civil War on what was formerly the estate of Robert E. Lee. Arlington National Cemetery currently consists of 70 sections, with some reserved for future expansion, and others with specific purposes. Section 60 is reserved for military personnel killed in the current Iraq War and War in Afghanistan. Section 21 is specifically for nurses, and there are over 3,800 former slaves in Section 27.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is one of the best known memorials of the cemetery. The tomb is located on the top of a hill that overlooks the city. Completed April 9, 1932, the tobm holds remains of unknown soldiers from WWI, WWII, and the Korean War. Until 1998, there was also a soldier from the Vietnam War, though the remains were identified as Air Force 1st Lt. Michael J. Blassie. After his remains were removed, it was decided that the Vietnam War portion will remain empty. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is guarded by the United States Army.

There are several memorials throughout the cemetery, including the Nurses Memorial; a memorial to the USS Maine; the Space Shuttle ChallengerMemorial and a similar one for the Space Shuttle Columbia; a memorial to Pierre Charles L'Enfant, who made the initial layout of Washington, D. C.; the Lockerbie Memorial; the Cross of Sacrifice; the Women in Military Service for America Memorial; and the Laos Memorial. There is also the John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.