21 Dec 09 Why Millions of Visitors Go To See Arlington National Cemetery Every Year
Over 4 million people, come through Arlington National Cemetery each year. It has over 200 acres and was originally made to be a military natural burial site in 1864 . It is the second biggest national cemetery in the United States with over 300,000 Americans buried there. This well known natural cemetery is situated in Arlington, Virginia and brings visitors here for various reasons. Some simply wish to be able to see a part of American history, some come to pay their respects and honor the nation’s war veterans and others are there for the funeral and burial of a friend or family member .
For those people that are there to attend a funeral, they are in the company of a lot of others each week at Arlington. They has average of about 28 funerals everday during the week with no funerals happening on the weekends. Veterans from all of the starting with the American Revolution through Iraq and Afghanistan. There are certain traditions that happen is put on the gravesite in addition to a 21 gun salute honoring the soldier. They also follow the burial with the playing of taps and presenting the flag that was on top of the coffin to the family.
One of the most frequently visited sections of the Arlington national cemetery is the Tomb of the Unknowns. This is a monumental tomb that was created and holds the remains of an unknown soldier from each war. the purpose of it is to symbolize all of the service members that died during war. There was a ceremony when each Unknown Soldier was interred into the tomb by the presiding President of the United States at the time. The only war that does not have representation is the Vietnam War where the remains were taken out and identified and then the family of that deceased veteran preferred to have him buried near their home. The Tomb of the Unknowns is guarded by the U.S. Army 24 hours a day 365 days a year .
There are famous people that are well known in American History that are also honored by being laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. These people were not military figures but important to our history. There are several explorers buried including some astronauts too. Also, buried here are famous political figures like the Kennedy brothers. Famous literary and medical figures are burial in Arlington too. There are also 2 Presidents of the United States buried in the cemetery and they are William Howard Taft and John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Many visitors enjoy walking all around and seeing all of the famous names buried in one location .
If you would like to travel to the Washington, D.C. area and take a visit to Arlington, Virginia to see this well known cemetery, it may be exciting to go there on a day that has special ceremonies surrounding it . Veteran’s Day typically has the current President speak in honor of all of the Americans that lost their lives for our nation .
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