Arlington National Cemetery is one of the most revered and respected sites in America.
The fallen military personnel from every major conflict in which the United States was ever involved are buried here.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the unidentified remains of a serviceman who lost her life during World War One, is located here.
It’s a place where people come to pay their respects, honouring those who perished in the service of their country.
Today, more than 400,000 veterans are buried at Arlington. This cemetery is visited by more than 3 million people every year.
However, there is one fact about Arlington that many visitors don’t understand. Every military funeral here since 1973 has been attended by a member of a small volunteer group, the Arlington Ladies. This is their story.
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery was created during the U.S. Civil War (1861 -1865). Battlefield casualties in this conflict were awful. At the Battle of Gettysburg alone, there were more than 50,000 casualties.
There were two existing military cemeteries in the area of Washington D.C. But both Soldiers’ Home and Alexandria National Cemetery were unable to cope with the sheer scale of burials required.
The Quartermaster General of the U.S. Army, General Montgomery Meigs, was ordered to find a new location for military internment.
The Arlington estate lay on a hill on the far side of the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. It was intended to be a memorial to the first U.S. President, George Washington. It became the location for several forts during the Civil War.
By 1864, the prospect of a Confederate attack on the city had become less threatening. In May of that year, General Meigs ordered that this would become the location of a military cemetery.
The first soldier to be buried there was Private William Henry Christman of the 67th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment.
Other burials quickly followed. Recognizing the desperate need for more space, in June Arlington was formally classified as a National Cemetery. It quickly expanded to cover a larger area.
Originally, being buried here wasn’t seen as a particular honor. This was a place for the burial of dead belonging to families who couldn’t afford to bring their relatives home. That began to change in the late 1870s.
The first Memorial Day was held at Arlington in May 1868. This gathering became a focal point for honoring America’s war dead. Arlington became not just another military cemetery but the best-known place of remembrance in America.
Since the 1870s, high-ranking officers began to request that they, too, should be buried at Arlington. After World War One, the bodies of over 2,000 U.S. servicemen were brought back for burial at Arlington.
The cemetery expanded from its original 200 acres to almost 650.
Origin Of The Arlington Ladies
Even in periods when America was not at war, there was a continuous stream of burials at Arlington. Many were older veterans who had served during previous conflicts. Some had few surviving family members.
In 1948, General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, attended a funeral at Arlington.
The burial involved a USAF veteran, and Vandenberg was horrified that no members of the man’s family were present. He told his wife, Gladys, how sad this made him feel.
Gladys Vandenberg was also distressed. It seemed wrong that any member of the Air Force should be buried alone. Some Air Force burials took place with only a chaplain and a small honor guard present.
Gladys reached out to her friends and enlisted the help of a number of senior officer’s wives.
These women agreed that at least one woman would be present at every Air Force funeral at Arlington. This was an informal group, and one staffed entirely by volunteers.
Soon after, America became involved in the Korean War (1950 – 1952). The number of Air Force funerals at Arlington increased dramatically. Gladys Vandenberg’s small group of volunteers continued to attend every funeral.
Since 1923, a volunteer group had existed within the Air Force, the Officers’ Wives’ Club. This group provided social events on USAF bases around the world and provided support for all USAF personnel.
Gladys reached out to the organization of Officers’ Wives’ Clubs to seek additional volunteers to attend USAF funerals at Arlington.
Soon, this group of women became informally known as the USAF Arlington Ladies. Every volunteer was a wife or widow of a USAF veteran. Since 1948, at least one member of this group has attended every USAF funeral at Arlington.
Expansion
The Vietnam War (1955 – 1975) saw a huge increase in U.S. casualties in every branch of military service. Around 1972, the Army Chief of Staff, General Creighton Abrams Jr., also became concerned about funerals at Arlington.
Some funerals of U.S. Army veterans were taking place with no family members present.
Just like General Vandenberg, General Abrams reached out to his wife Julia for help.
Julia Abrams created a new branch of the Arlington Ladies who would attend funerals at Arlington of U.S. Army veterans. This too was formed by volunteer wives and widows of U.S. Army veterans.
In 1985, the U.S. Navy founded its own branch of the Arlington Ladies. In 2006, the U.S. Coast Guard formed itsown group. In 2016, the U.S. Marine Corps established itsown Arlington Ladies.
Today, every branch of the U.S. military is represented by a group of Arlington ladies.
In a small office in the Arlington Administration building, volunteers representing all four services plan complex schedules. These ensure that at every military and Coast Guard funeral, an Arlington Lady is present.
Role Of The Arlington Ladies
The role of each Arlington Lady is clearly defined. They represent their service branch at each funeral, honor the deceased veteran, and provide condolences and support to family members.
A handbook is provided for every member of this group. This defines a dress code (“modest” and “appropriate for a religious ceremony”) and etiquette.
Hats, gloves, and sunglasses may be worn as appropriate but must be removed before talking with family members.
The Arlington Ladies are an official part of every funeral at Arlington. Officially, they represent the Chief of Staff of the branch to which the deceased belongs. At each funeral, they present a condolence card from the Chief of Staff and their spouse to family members.
Each is expected to research the life and military career of the deceased. They share this information with the honor guard that attends every funeral. Prior to each funeral, an Arlington Lady meets with the family of the deceased and gives them a handwritten note.
Training And Preparation
Becoming an Arlington Lady isn’t easy. Each must be the wife or widow of a U.S. veteran. Those who wish to volunteer must be recommended by at least two serving ladies.
Once accepted, all new ladies must complete a schedule of training. This involves shadowing an existing Arlington Lady during six military funerals. At least two of those must be “full honors” services that include a firing party and an armed escort.
Upon completing her training, each new lady is presented with an Arlington Ladies pin. This must be worn below the right shoulder during funeral services.
Once training is completed, each Arlington Lady must commit to volunteering for a certain number of days each month.
One volunteer with overall responsibility for each military branch then prepares a schedule. This ensures that at least two volunteers are available on each day that a military funeral is scheduled.
That’s very necessary because, on average, there are 100 military funerals at Arlington each week.
Originally, Arlington Ladies attended funerals alone or with another Arlington Lady. Now, each lady is escorted by a member of the service that they represent. Arlington Ladies attend every military funeral at Arlington National Cemetery.
Conclusion
Today, there are around 150 Arlington Ladies. All are volunteers who provide a human face to families in what might otherwise be all-military funerals.
These volunteers who freely give their time receive the highest respect from the branches they represent.
Arlington Ladies are no longer just wives or widows of veterans. Daughters of veterans have also joined this association, and even one “Arlington Gentleman.”
Some people have criticized this group as being morbid, staffed by “professional mourners”. Margaret Mensch, current Chair of the U.S. Army Arlington Ladies Association, disagrees.
“What we’re doing is paying homage to Soldiers who have given their lives for our country.”
Perhaps the role and purpose of this volunteer organization is best summed up by their motto. This is common to the Arlington Ladies of all four military branches: “No Soldier will ever be buried alone.”
U.S. military services are generally adept at recognizing valor and conducting funerals for those who perish in combat.
Arlington Ladies are much more inclusive. They attend every funeral for a person buried at Arlington, even those long-retired from active service.
Whether a funeral is for a serving four-star general or a retired private soldier, Arlington Ladies honor the deceased. They provide a human face to the service they represent and offer comfort and support to families.
Their role is often overlooked, but just like the soldiers they honor, it should not be forgotten.
Sources
https://www.fra.org/FRA/Web/FRA_Docs/FRAToday/2023/MAY2023-PDF-ARLINGTONLADIES.pdf
https://www.army.mil/article/8968/ladies_of_arlington_never_miss_final_salute
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