"ONE OF TWO PRESIDENTS BURIED AT ARLINGTON"

JFK'S REMAINS REINTERRED IN PRIVATE CEREMONY

Arlington, Virginia (JFK+50) On March 14, 1967, the remains of President John F. Kennedy and two Kennedy children who died at birth were reinterred in a private ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

The JFK Memorial*, which took two years to complete, replaced the temporary grave of the 35th President of the United States.  The temporary plot, 20 by 30 feet, was surrounded by a white picket fence.

The new gravesite includes irregular Cape Cod granite flagstones set around the graves.  The stones were quarried near the Kennedy compound 150 years before.  A new eternal flame was also installed set in the center of a five foot circular granite stone. 

In the three years following JFK's death, 16 million people visited the gravesite necessitating the construction of a permanent memorial. 

Only one other POTUS is interred at Arlington, William Howard Taft.  

*The JFK Memorial, 3.2 acres in size, includes Lot 45, Section 30 located 20' East of the temporary gravesite of 11-25-63.  The Memorial was designed by John Carl Warnecke.

The JFK Gravesite, now closed due to COVID-19, is scheduled to re-open to the public on Oct 3, 2021.

SOURCES

"President John F. Kennedy Gravesite," Arlington National Cemetery, www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/

"President Kennedy's Grave in Arlington National Cemetery," www.jfklibrary.org/ 

 

 

John F. Kennedy Gravesite

Arlington National Cemetery

Photos by John White (April 2016)

 

 

JFK GRAVE MEMORIAL

JFK'S REMAINS AT FINAL REST IN ARLINGTON

Arlington, Virginia (JFK+50) Forty-eight years ago today, March 14, 1967, the remains of the 35th President of the United States,  John Fitzgerald Kennedy, were re-interred in a private ceremony at The National Cemetery here in Arlington.

The John F. Kennedy Memorial Gravesite, which took more than two years to build at a cost of $2.2 million, replaced the temporary gravesite, surrounded by a white picket fence.  While the temporary gravesite measured 20 by 30 feet, the new memorial site comprises 3.2 acres.

John F. Kennedy Memorial Gravesite

Arlington National Cemetery

November 2005

ANC Photo

During the building of the permanent memorial, the remains of the President and his children were moved 20 feet down the hill and the Eternal Flame was also moved to a temporary location.

The Washington Gas and Light Company built, maintains and supplies the fuel for the Flame at no cost to the government or the Kennedy family.

The process of of restoring the remains to their final resting place began at 6:19 in the evening and was completed at 9:00. The new  graves were covered by Cape Cod granite flagstones.

The flagstones, quarried a hundred years before JFK's birth, were selected by members of the family and originally located near the Kennedy compound at Hyannis Port.  The granite stones are bordered by clover and sedum which give a natural appearance.

Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy chose John Carol Warnecke Associates to design her husband's permanent gravesite.  She was consulted throughout the process which was completed on July 20, 1967.

A private ceremony was conducted at 7 a.m. on March 15, 1967 by Archbishop Richard Cushing and attended by Jackie, Bobby and Teddy as well as President Lyndon B. Johnson.  Unfortunately, this ceremony was held in a driving rainstorm.

Mrs. John F. Kennedy's remains were interred beside President Kennedy's on May 23, 1994.  Her grave marker, matching JFK's, was added on October 6, 1994.  The gravesite includes the remains of the Kennedy children, Patrick Bouvier and an unnamed stillborn daughter.

SOURCE

"President John F. Kennedy Gravesite," Arlington National Cemetery, www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/

JFK Memorial Grave site, 

Arlington National Cemetery

JFK INTERVIEWED BY IZVESTIA

JFK INTERVIEWED BY IZVESTIA 53 YEARS AGO

Hyannis Port, Massachusetts (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy was interviewed fifty-three years ago today, November 25, 1961, by Aleksei I. Adzhubei, son-in-law of Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev and a journalist for Izvestia.

The interview, which began at 10:20 a.m. was attended by Alex A. Kalovsky, interpreter for the President, and Georgi Bolshikov, interpreter for Mr. Adzhubei as well as Pierre Salinger, JFK's press secretary and Jack Romagna, official White House reporter.

Mr. Adzhubei asked JFK a variety of questions about subjects such as Soviet-American relations, communism, Berlin, NATO and nuclear testing.

Mr. Adzhubei began the interview by saying...

"Your election...was met with great hope by public opinion in the USSR.  What do you think about the present state of Soviet-American relations and what must be done...to improve (them)?"

President Kennedy responded...

"...not as satisfactory as I had hoped...(but) one of the first things that I did on becoming President was to commit the United States to an earnest effort to achieve a satisfactory agreement with the Soviet Union on the cessation of nuclear tests.

I felt that if we could achieve an agreement in this area, we could then move on to other areas of disarmament."

JFK continued...

"I think the Soviet Union and the United States should live together in peace (but) it is (the) effort to push outward the communist system, on to country after country, that represents the greatest threat to peace."

Mr. Adzhubei did not agree with the President's representation of his country's policy.  He responded...

"Our government believes that every people chooses such a system as they like..."

President Kennedy said the United States also supports the freedom of governmental choice and that we would be prepared to accept other nations choosing communism providing they chose that system by majority vote in free elections.

At the conclusion of the interview, President Kennedy said...

"I appreciate...your giving me....this opportunity to talk to the people of the Soviet Union and your courtesy in coming here.

I was in (your country) as a student in 1939 and I understand that there have been many changes and that the standard of living of people is rising.  

Our two peoples have the most to gain from peace."

*Aleksei I. Adzhubei resigned following the removal of Nikita Khrushchev as Premier in 1964.  He died at the age of 68 in 1993.

SOURCE

"JFK Interview by Aleksei I. Adzhubei, The American Presidency Project, 483, Transcript of Interview," www.presidency.ucsb.edu/

Izvestia

THE DAY OF MUFFLED DRUMS

Arlington, Virginia (JFK+50) Fifty-one years ago today, the 35th President of the United States, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, was laid to rest at the National Cemetery here in Arlington.

The National Day of Mourning proclaimed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, began just after 10 a.m. when JFK's casket was removed from the Capitol Rotunda by a military honor guard and placed on a horse drawn caisson.

The caisson was followed by a sailor bearing the flag of the President of the United States and by a riderless horse with boots turned backward in the stirrups.  The procession marched slowly to the beat of muffled drums.

From the White House, the procession made its way to nearby Saint Matthew's Cathedral on Rhode Island Avenue where a Low Mass was conducted by the Archbishop of Boston and Kennedy family friend, Richard Cardinal Cushing.

St. Matthew's Cathedral

1725 Rhode Island Avenue NW

Washington, D.C.

Photo by GreetingsEarthling (2005)

As the President's flag-draped casket was moved out of the cathedral and placed back on the caisson, John F. Kennedy, Jr., dressed in blue, raised his right hand in a soldier's salute in honor of his dad.

The procession continued past the Lincoln Memorial and across the bridge to Arlington National Cemetery.  There, on the hill just below the Custis-Lee Mansion, the body of the 35th President of the United States reached it's final resting place.

Mrs. Kennedy, Robert and Ted Kennedy together lit the Eternal Flame on the grave.  Fifty-one year later its' light reminds us of our Nation's great loss.

 The Eternal Flame

 Arlington National Cemetery

 Photo by WKnight94

JFK BURIED AT ARLINGTON

November 25, 2013

JFK BURIED 50 YEARS AGO TODAY

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) 50 years ago today, November 25, 1963, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.

At 10 a.m., JFK's remains were removed from the Capitol Rotunda by a military honor guard, placed on a horse drawn caisson, and borne to the White House.

The caisson was followed by a sailor bearing the flag of the President of the United States and by a riderless horse* with boots turned backward in the stirrups symbolizing the loss of the Nation's leader.

  "Black Jack" at the Capitol

    November 25, 1963

  Photo by David S. Schwartz

    JFK Library Photo

*The parade horse, named 'Black Jack,' was a 16 year old Army horse who was kept at Ft. Myer, Virginia.  His handler was Pfc. Arthur Carlson of Robertsdale, Alabama.  The horse was named in honor of General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing of WWI fame.

The tradition of the riderless horse dates back to the days of Genghis Khan.

Black Jack was not the only horse in the procession.  The other horses were white and pulled the caisson on which JFK's flag-draped casket was placed.


The procession marched slowly to the beat of muffled drums.

From the White House, the procession made its way to Saint Matthew's Cathedral on Rhode Island Avenue.

Historian Robert Dallek writes...

"A procession from the White House to...St. Matthew's...eight blocks away, consisted of Jackie, Bobby, Ted, President and Mrs. Johnson, principal Kennedy associates, and representatives from ninety-two nations including (Charles) de Gaulle (France) and Anastas Mikoyan (USSR)."

At Noon, a Low Mass was celebrated for the 1st Roman Catholic president of the United States, by the Archbishop of Boston and close Kennedy family friend, Richard Cardinal Cushing.

St. Matthews Cathedral

Washington, D.C.

Photo by John White (2011)

St. Matthews Cathedral

Washington, D.C.

Photo by John White (2011)

           
As the President's flag-draped casket was carried by the honor guard out of the cathedral and put back on the caisson, John F. Kennedy, Jr., dressed in blue, raised his right hand in a soldier's salute in honor of his dad.

"John John," as he was called, was not only witnessing his father's funeral, he was celebrating his own 3rd birthday.

St. Matthews Cathedral

Washington, D.C.

Photo by John White (2011)

The procession continued past the Lincoln Memorial and then crossed the bridge to Arlington.

There, on the hill just below the Custis-Lee Mansion, the body of the 35th President of the United States reached it's final resting place.

Robert Dallek writes...

"Although some members of the (Kennedy) family wished to bury the president in Brookline, Massachusetts, JFK's birthplace, Jackie insisted on Arlington."

Ten thousand mourners had gathered on the hillsides of Arlington awaiting the beginning of the graveside ceremony.

Thomas Maier writes...

"The Irish Guards and...U.S. Marines...performed a military salute, and...Air Force One flew overhead.  Bagpipes wailed...'The Mist Covered the Mountain,' and...a bugler played taps.

The stars and stripes draped over Kennedy's coffin was lifted, tightly folded into a triangle and presented to his widow."

Graveside Service

  November 25, 1963

   Photo by Abbie Rowe

   US Army, NPS Photo

At the conclusion of the solemn graveside service, Jacqueline Kennedy, Bobby and Teddy each took turns in lighting the Eternal Flame which would forever mark the grave.

                The Eternal Flame
        John F. Kennedy Gravesite
      Arlington National Cemetery
             Photo by WKnight94

Scripps-Howard staff writer, Dickson Preston, wrote...

"People lingered in the vicinity of John F. Kennedy's grave...as though they were reluctant to admit the finality of what had happened.  As though, somehow, he would not quite be alone as long as they stayed."

And as millions of people watched the coverage on television, a commentator repeated what was said upon the passing of Abraham Lincoln almost a century before...

"And now he belongs to the ages."

In the immediate aftermath of the assassination, poet laureate Archibald McLeish wrote...

"Whatever the assessment of Kennedy in the ultimate historical record, we know now what we have lost.  We have lost not only a young and gallant President, but the new, young voice of our oldest and most dearly won belief:  the belief in the American Proposition, the American Cause, the cause to which all our greatest men have been committed.

In the aching silence Kennedy has left behind him, it is for the hearts and convictions of the young to speak the meaning he made clear at so great a cost."

SOURCES

"An Unfinished Life, John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963," by Robert Dallek, Little Brown and Company, New York, 2003.

"Parade Horse Was 'Black Jack," UPI, Knoxville News-Sentinel, November 26, 1963.

"Some Linger Awhile...Sadly at Graveside," by Dickson Preston, Knoxville News-Sentinel, November 26, 1963.

"The Kennedys:  America's Emerald Kings," by Thomas Maier, Basic Books, New York, 2003.

"The Man's Measure...," by Archibald McLeish, The Daily Pennsylvanian, "Good Night, Brave Spirit, John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963," The Boston Globe, 1964.

JFK'S REMAINS INTERRED IN PERMANENT GRAVE 46 YEARS AGO

March 14, 2013

JFK'S REMAINS INTERRED IN PERMANENT GRAVE 46 YEARS AGO TODAY

Arlington, Virginia (JFK+50) 46 years ago today, March 14, 1967, the remains of President John F. Kennedy were interred in a permanent grave site at Arlington National Cemetery.

                 Permanent JFK Gravesite
             Arlington National Cemetery
         Photo by Kevin Rutherford (2010)

The interment took place after the national cemetery was closed to the public & witnessed by JFK's surviving brothers, Bob & Ted, & his priest, Cardinal Richard Cushing of Boston.

The original grave site of grass surrounded by a white picket fence as well as the new permanent site were located on the hill just below the Custis-Lee Mansion.

                  Mrs. Kennedy & Children
                  Visit Original Grave site
             Arlington National Cemetery
                           May 29, 1965
        US Army Corps of Engineers Photo

Plans for the permanent grave site were discussed just a few days after JFK's funeral service in November 1963.  The President's widow, Jacqueline, chose JFK's personal friend, John Carl Warnecke*, to design the new grave site.

*John Carl Warnecke (1919-2010) was born in Oakland, California.  His father was a prominent San Francisco architect.  He graduated in 1940 from Stanford where he played football & met JFK.  He earned his Masters Degree at Harvard & was directed by Jacqueline Kennedy to plan the restoration of Lafayette Square across from the White House.

            JC Warnecke & Mrs. Kennedy
                     September 12, 1962
                     JFK Library Photo


The final design was announced on November 13, 1964 & work began on the project the following fall.  It would take 2 & 1/2 years to complete.

The grass was replaced with fieldstones from Cape Cod & with the help of Ted Sorenson, Jacqueline Kennedy selected the quotes from her husband's speeches which would be engraved at the site.

The new permanent grave was consecrated on the morning of March 15, 1967 with Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy, the Kennedy family & President Lyndon B. Johnson in attendance.

The grave site then opened to the public on that same day.

The original grave site was visited by 16 million people & the only other United States president buried at Arlington is William Howard Taft.

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