President John F. Kennedy Gravesite President John F. Kennedy Gravesite → Use Policy President John Fitzgerald Kennedy Gravesite John F. Kennedy made his first formal visit to Arlington National Cemetery on Armistice Day, Nov. 11, 1961, to place a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. At the conclusion of the ceremony President Kennedy spoke to more than 5,000 people gathered in the Memorial Amphitheater. President Kennedy's address began; "We meet in quiet commemoration of a historic day of peace. In an age that threatens the survival of freedom, we join together to honor those who made our freedom possible. ... It is a tragic fact, that war still more destructive and still sanguinary followed [World War II]; that man's capacity to devise new ways of killing his fellow men have far outstripped his capacity to live in peace with his fellow man." Eleven days prior to Kennedy's assassination he returned to Arlington for the 1963 Armistice Day services. This time he did not address the crowd in the amphitheater. On Nov. 22, 1963, while on a campaign trip to Dallas, President Kennedy was shot and killed.

There are only two U.S. presidents buried at Arlington National Cemetery. The other is William Howard Taft, who died in 1930. Though Kennedy is buried at Arlington, at the time of his death, many believed that he would be buried in Brookline, Mass. Woodrow Wilson was the only other president besides Taft who had been buried outside of his native state and in the National Capital Region. President Wilson is buried at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. The Associated Press on Nov. 22, 1963, prematurely announced, "President Kennedy's body will lie in state at the White House tomorrow. ... There's nothing definite yet on the funeral, but it's understood it will be in Boston." The New York Times announced later that day, "The president was expected to be buried at the Kennedy family plot in Holyhood Cemetery, near Brookline, Mass. He is a native of Boston." Kennedy's brother-in-law and director of the Peace Corps, Sargent Shriver, arrived at the White House to make tentative arrangements for Kennedy's funeral. However, nothing was definite until the wishes of Jacqueline Kennedy, the president's widow, were known.

Her wishes were stated simply, "He belongs to the people." Shriver prepared for all possibilities and had even contacted the superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery. The superintendent informed Shriver that ample space was available in Arlington and that the cemetery would be ready to handle the funeral. The first formal statement from Mrs. Kennedy concerning the burial was to model her husband's funeral after ceremonies rendered for Abraham Lincoln. The research on President Lincoln's funeral was done by Professor James Robertson, the executive director of the U.S. Civil War Centennial Commission. He contacted David Mearns, the director of the Library of Congress. The two men went to the government repository where the lights were inoperative because they were connected to a timer switch and would only operate during the time the Library was scheduled to be opened. Using flashlights they found copies of Frank Leslie's Illustrated and Harper's Weekly which depicted the 1865 funeral in graphic detail. Using this information, the East Room of the White House was transformed to fit the description of the funeral almost a century earlier. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara felt that President Kennedy should be interred on federal property so that his grave would be accessible to the American people.

McNamara contacted the superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery and wished to see potential burial plots for the president at ANC. Three plots were shown: one near the mast of the USS Maine, one at Dewey Circle, and the third on the slope below Arlington House (Custis-Lee mansion). The president's brother, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, found the "Maine" location inappropriate and the "Dewey" location inaccessible; however, he believed that the slope below Arlington House was ideal. The final decision was Mrs. Kennedy's. After arriving and viewing the gravesite below Arlington House, she nodded her approval. McNamara and Robert F. Kennedy returned to Arlington to supervise the surveying of the area. The two men walked up the hill to Arlington House. While they were there, Park Service employee Paul Fugua recounted how on March 3 President Kennedy and Charlie Bartlett had made an impromptu Sunday visit to the Custis-Lee mansion. He went on to recall that after touring the house the president remarked that the view of Washington, D.C., was so magnificent that he could stay forever — a statement which seemed to confirm their selection of the grave site. Mrs.

Kennedy had expressed a desire to mark the president's grave with an eternal flame similar to that of the French Unknown Soldier in Paris. The Washington Gas Company was contacted and a propane-fed torch was selected, as it could be safely lit during the funeral the following day. On Nov. 25, 1963, at 3 p.m., the state funeral of President Kennedy began. Earlier that day cemetery employees at Arlington, along with personnel from the Military District of Washington, conducted 23 funerals. All were conducted with appropriate dignity and military honors. Among the mourners at Kennedy's grave site were President Charles de Gaulle of France, Chancellor Ludwig Erhard of the Federal Republic of Germany, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and Prince Philip of the United Kingdom. Overhead, 50 Navy and Air Force jets flew past the gravesite followed by the president's plane, Air Force One, which dipped its wing in final tribute. A contingent of the Irish Guard stood opposite the grave, and the Archbishop of Boston, Richard Cardinal Cushing, performed a Roman Catholic committal service. The body bearers folded the interment flag, and the superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery presented it to Mrs. Kennedy.

She and Robert Kennedy then used a torch to light the eternal flame. On Dec. 5, 1963, the two deceased Kennedy children were reburied in Arlington, Patrick Bouvier Kennedy from Brookline — who had predeceased JFK by 15 weeks — and an unnamed stillborn daughter from Newport, R.I. The initial plot was 20 feet by 30 feet and was surrounded by a white picket fence. During the first year often more than 3,000 people an hour visited the Kennedy gravesite, and on weekends an estimated 50,000 people visited. Three years after Kennedy's death, more than 16 million people had come to visit the Kennedy plot. Because of the large crowds, cemetery officials and members of the Kennedy family decided that a more suitable site should be constructed. The architectural firm of John Warnecke and Associates was tasked to design and build the grave area. Construction began in 1965 and was completed July 20, 1967.

During the period of construction, President Kennedy and his two deceased children were quietly reinterred to the permanent grave, and Archbishop Cushing formally blessed the new site in a private service, which was attended by Mrs. Kennedy, Senators Robert and Edward Kennedy and President Lyndon Johnson. The grave area is paved with irregular stones of Cape Cod granite, which were quarried around 1817 near the site of the president's home and selected by members of his family. Clover, and later, sedum were planted in the crevices to give the appearance of stones lying naturally in a Massachusetts field. Lighted by Mrs. Kennedy during the funeral, the Eternal Flame burns from the center of a five-foot circular flat-granite stone at the head of the grave. The burner is a specially designed apparatus created by the Institute of Gas Technology of Chicago. A constantly flashing electric spark near the tip of the nozzle relights the gas should the flame be extinguished by rain, wind or accident. The fuel is natural gas and is mixed with a controlled quantity of air to achieve the color and shape of the flame.

The entire site, a total of 3.2 acres, was set aside by the secretary of the Army, with the approval of the secretary of defense, to honor the memory of the president. The land has been retained for the nation as a whole and has not been deeded to the Kennedy family. The steep hillside has never been considered suitable for graves or a general burial location. The Kennedy family paid actual costs in the immediate grave area. The government was responsible for the improvements in the surrounding area that provided for the accommodation of the visiting public. Funds in the amount of $1,770,000 were included for this purpose in Fiscal Year 1965's Public Works Appropriation. In addition, $71,026 went to Ammann and Whitney, Structural Engineers, New York, N.Y. The Aberthaw Construction Company, Boston, Mass., carried out the work under the supervision of the U.S. Army District Engineering, Norfolk, Va. On May 23, 1994, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis was buried next to President Kennedy. The gravesite was completed with addition of her grave marker Oct. 6, 1994.

An Eternal Flame For A Fallen President: Arlington National Cemetery AN ETERNAL FLAME FOR A FALLEN PRESIDENT It was the afternoon of Sunday, November 24, 1963. Colonel Clayton B. Lyle, a 1937 graduate of Texas A&M, was watching television in his living room in Washington, D.C. He had recently returned from an assignment in Europe to find the capital in bedlam. Two days before, President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated in Dallas. Tired and saddened because of the tragic event that had happened in his native Texas, Lyle was trying to relax when the telephone rang. The caller was Lieutenant General Walter K. Wilson, Jr ., chief of U. S. Army Engineers, and Lyleï¿½s boss. "Weï¿½ve got a problem," his commander began. "We have to have an eternal flame to mark the Presidentï¿½s grave by eight oï¿½clock tomorrow morning. Youï¿½ve got the job." The request had come directly from the First Lady. It was long after the funeral, however, before Lyle learned how the idea had originated.

The story appeared in Death of a President, William Manchesterï¿½s account of the assassination. According to Manchester, Mrs. Kennedy, along with the new President and Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson, had accompanied her husbandï¿½s body to the Capitol rotunda earlier that morning. It was to lie in state there until the next day when a state funeral was scheduled. Mrs. Kennedy, who was helping plan the service, told Manchester, a family friend, that the idea of an eternal flame "just came into my head." On an earlier triumphant trip the Kennedys had made to Paris, Mrs. Kennedy had seen such a flame at the memorial to the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triompe. Apparently on impulse, she decided she wanted a similar device to remind the world that her husband also had given his life for his country. To Colonel Lyle, born in Greenville and a 1931 graduate of Denison High School, the assignment was both a high honor and a shock. As an Army Engineer, with 27 years of service in Europe, Guam, and Korea, he had been handed many difficult tasks.

He had directed the construction of fixed and floating bridges, concrete and asphalt roads, buildings, utilities, launching complexes, radar stations, and other facilities. Never, however, had he been asked to create a memorial. "This was the first time we had to do anything like this," he says. "I just thought up the idea and made a few sketches." There was no time to carefully design and plan such a device. He and his staff had to make do from scratch. Scrounging Washingtonï¿½s electrical shops, they found a "luau lamp" normally used to illuminate garden parties. They tested it by dousing it with water, blasting it with air, and trying everything they could think of to kill the flame. It continued to burn. Meanwhile, Lyleï¿½s crew of officers and men at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, made a base for the lamp by welding metal strips into a support frame. With the lamp and its base a reality, finding fuel posed a problem. It was a Sunday and propane gas suppliers were closed. After dozens of telephone calls, personnel at Fort Myer, Virginia, which adjoins Arlington National Cemetery, finally reached a company that could furnish the propane.

Working around the clock, Fort Myer officers and men laid a one-inch line down the hillside to deliver gas to the burial site. Thirty hours and a sleepless night after General Wilsonï¿½s call, the project was complete. Now the only concern of Lyle and his crew was whether or not the flame would light when Mrs. Kennedy ignited it at the conclusion of the service. Colonel Lyle and a fellow officer stood on the hillside above the grave and watched. "We had tested how long it took the gas to get down the line once it was turned on," he recalls. "At the right moment, we signaled a man at the tank to turn it on. It worked." As millions watched on television, Mrs. Kennedy took a burning taper from her military escort. When she touched the lamp, the flame leaped up just as Lyle had hoped, and believed, it would. Colonel Lyle has always regretted that the eternal flame he designed and built was necessarily a makeshift project that would have to be replaced with a permanent device later. His original lasted for more than a year, however, with only one interruption. That happened about a month after the funeral when he got a phone call from General Wilson.

"You didnï¿½t test it for one thingï¿½holy water!" his boss told him. It seems that a Catholic school group came to visit the grave. Instead of sprinkling the consecrated water, they poured it directly on the flame. It went out. Fortunately, one of the guards at the grave was a smoker. He used his cigarette lighter to get it restarted. The gadget that Colonel Lyle and his crew built no longer provides the flame over John Kennedyï¿½s grave. In March, 1965, Kennedyï¿½s body was removed and re-interred in a permanent site in Arlington Cemetery. Lyleï¿½s lamp was replaced along with the propane canisters. Now the eternal flame is fueled from an underground line of natural gas. Colonel Lyle retired from the Army in 1967, came home to Texas and joined the Dallas Department of Public Works as assistant director for engineering. When a new Building Services Department was created in 1971, he became the deputy director. In that position, he was responsible for the design, construction and security of all city buildings. He also directed the renovation and construction of new facilities at Love Field and Red Bird Airports.

Still active, Lyle retired from his second career with the city of Dallas in 1976. He and his wife, Laverne, still live in Big D. He sometimes wonders what happened to the original eternal flame he and his engineers built to mark the Kennedy grave. Itï¿½s a question that concerns the U.S. Army Engineers, too. For years, Colonel Lyle believed that the old lamp was displayed at the Army Engineer Museum at Fort Belvoir. Later he was told that it had been put in storage. However, other sources say the original eternal-flame torch disappeared during the period when the more modern version was being installed. Colonel Lyle says that inquiries to the collection of Engineer mementos at the museum at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and to the John F. Kennedy Museum and Library in Boston have failed to locate it. His Army service in Europe and Asia brought him many commendations, and his medals, photographs and tributes line the walls of his home. However, it was the overnight creation of a burning memorial to a fallen President that Colonel Clayton Lyle rates as the most memorable achievement of his career.

"I got more publicity out of the eternal flame than anything else that I ever did," Lyle says. "I considered it an honor to be a part of it, but Iï¿½d rather not have had to do it." A story from A Treasury of Texas Tales By Jack Maguire The Eternal Flame, JFK's grave - Picture of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington - TripAdvisor Want the lowest hotel prices? You're in the right place. We check 200+ sites for you. The Eternal Flame, JFK's grave - Picture of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington Entrance at Arlington Memorial Bridge, Arlington, VA 22211 Recommended length of visit: 2-3 hours Fee: No Veterans of every American war from the Revolution to the country's... read more Veterans of every American war from the Revolution to the country's most recent conflicts are buried at Arlington, which was officially declared a military cemetery in 1864. Among the more than 260,000 dead are three unidentified service members, buried at the Tomb of the Unknowns, and John F. Kennedy, whose gravesite is marked by an eternal flame. Book In Advance President Kennedy's Grave in Arlington National Cemetery - John F.

Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum Grave: Arlington National Cemetery President Kennedy's Grave in Arlington National Cemetery President John Fitzgerald Kennedy and two Kennedy infants are interred in Lot 45, Section 30, Arlington National Cemetery. The permanent graves are located about 20 feet east of the site where the President was temporarily interred on 25 November 1963. Each is marked by a simply inscribed gray slate tablet. Work on the permanent burial site began soon after the President's death and was completed on 20 July 1967. The grave area, which measures 18 by 30 feet, corresponds in size to many special lots in Arlington assigned for the burial of such other outstanding men as President William Howard Taft, Secretary of War John W. Weeks, General of the Armies John J. Pershing, and General Philip Henry Sheridan. It is surrounded by a stone grave terrace, which lies on the axis from the Lincoln Memorial across the Memorial Bridge to the Arlington House. The grave area is paved with irregular stones of Cape Cod granite, which were quarried about 150 years ago near the site of the President's home and were located by members of his family.

Fescue and clover have been planted in the crevices to give the appearance of stones lying naturally in a Massachusetts field. Upon entering the general area, visitors approach the grave by way of a depressed circular walkway to a granite elliptical plaza overlooking the axial vista toward the city. The plaza is bounded by a granite wall, the relatively low top of which is tapered and inscribed with quotations from President Kennedy's Inaugural address and other speeches. From the plaza, another short flight of steps leads to the rectangular terrace and the grave plot. To provide access for handicapped persons to the President's site, a concealed greenstone walkway has been constructed on the slope north of the grave area. The Eternal Flame, lighted by Mrs. Kennedy on the day of the funeral, now burns from the center of a 5-foot circular flat granite stone located at the head of the President's grave. The burner, a specially designed apparatus which was created by the Institute of Gas Technology of Chicago, consists of a nozzle and electric ignition system. A constantly flashing electric spark near the tip of the nozzle relights the gas if the flame is extinguished by rain, wind, or accidents.

The fuel is natural gas mixed with proper quantities of air to control the color and shape of the flame. The entire site, with a total area of about 3.2 acres, was set aside by the Secretary of the Army with the approval of the Secretary of Defense to honor the memory of the President. The land has been retained for the nation as a whole and has not been deeded to the Kennedy family. The steep hillside had never been considered suitable for graves or a general burial section. The area now is appropriately landscaped with new plantings mingled among some of the historic trees. While magnolias predominate, there are crab apple, willow oak, hawthorn, yellow wood, American holly, and cherry trees interspersed among flowering plants and shrubs. Some of the larger trees were selected for their grace and beauty from nearby locations and were donated to the Government by their owners. Actual costs in the immediate grave area were paid by the Kennedy family. The Government was responsible for the improvements in the surrounding area that were provided for the accommodation of the visiting public.

Funds in the amount of $1,770,000 were included for this purpose in the Fiscal Year 1965 Public Works Appropriation. In addition, funds in the amount of $71,026 were expended from cemetery maintenance funds for temporary visitor control and landscape work on adjacent burial areas. The amount paid by the Kennedy family was $632,364. The architect who designed the permanent gravesite was John Carl Warnecke of John Carl Warnecke and Associates, Washington, D. C., in association with Ammann and Whitney, Structural Engineers, New York, N. Y. The Aberthaw Construction Company, Boston, Massachusetts, carried out the work under the supervision of the U. S. Army District Engineer, Norfolk, Virginia. JOHN F. KENNEDY PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Columbia Point, Boston MA 02125 (617) 514-1600 Keeping JFK's eternal flame burning at Arlington National Cemetery - U.S. - Stripes U.S. Keeping JFK's eternal flame burning at Arlington National Cemetery Elena Perales visits the grave site of former President John F.

Kennedy at Arlington National Cemetery on Tuesday, April 30, 2013. At the left end of the gravesite, a temporary structure has been erected to keep a fire burning at the site while the old burner system, which has been fenced off, is repaired and upgraded. Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes More By CARLOS BONGIOANNI | STARS AND STRIPES Published: May 1, 2013 ARLINGTON, Va. – A temporary burner is keeping the fire going at the grave of President John F. Kennedy at Arlington National Cemetery while an old burner system for the site’s eternal flame receives needed repairs. On Monday, workers used a torch that was lit by the eternal flame to light the new burner atop a boxy, two-foot-high metal structure. According to cemetery officials, a flame has been burning continuously at the gravesite since Kennedy was buried at Arlington on November 25, 1963. The burner system being repaired and upgraded was installed in 1967. “It’s the original equipment,” Army Lt. Col. David Fedroff, engineering chief at Arlington, said in a video released by the cemetery’s public affairs office.

“It has significantly deteriorated.” Fedroff noted that some of the electronic parts have corroded, and that some of the gas lines feeding the old burner system have caused some concerns. On Tuesday, work crews with shovels were digging trenches leading to the old burner system in an area fenced off from the front portion of the gravesite, which is still visible to the public. “We felt it was important to maintain the flame,” said Fedroff. “The current temporary flame was lit from the eternal flame, so we feel like we’re continuing an important tradition in our nation in honoring President Kennedy.” While visiting Arlington on Tuesday, Elena Perales, an orthopedic technician from Austin, Texas, noticed that the flame was different from the flame she saw when she visited the site as a young teenager. Looking down from Arlington House that sits atop a hill that slopes up from the gravesite, Perales could see the circular stone that houses the burner system lying by itself in the fenced-off area. The blackened area in the center of the stone marked where a flame had been burning. Perales said she appreciated the cemetery’s efforts to keep the flame burning.

“For me, this flame is kind of like a symbol of hope,” she said, noting that many of her family members have served in the military. “Seeing my family members go off to war … That flame is something like a symbol that they are going to come home.” And for those who don’t make it back from war, Perales said the flame reminds her that “they are resting in peace or that they will come home someday.” “JFK was pretty special for many Americans… This is about people who have served; that’s what is special about it.” bongioanni.carlos@stripes.com A flame flares up from a temporary burner erected at the gravesite of former President John F. Kennedy at Arlington National Cemetery to keep a fire burning at the site while the old burner system is being repaired and upgraded. Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes Eternal Flame Restored at JFK Gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery A A Arlington National Cemetery on Tuesday completed its restoration of the eternal flame at the gravesite of late President John F. Kennedy. The Associated Press reported that the restoration began in April, but it took longer than officials had expected.

Contractors replaced gas and air lines and installed a new burner assembly and drainage lines below the flame. Editor's Note: ObamaCare Is Here. Are You Prepared? Previously, visitors were able to view a temporary flame at Kennedy's grave. Kennedy is one of two presidents buried at Arlington National Cemetery and one of only three buried outside of his native state. William Howard Taft was buried at Arlington in 1930, and Woodrow Wilson was buried at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. The eternal flame at the gravesite, which sits at the center of a five-foot circular flat-granite stone at the head of the grave, was originally lit by Jacqueline Kennedy. There is an electric spark near the tip of the flame's nozzle that relights the gas in case of rain, wind or accidents. Natural gas mixed with a controlled quantity of air creates the color and shape of the flame. The 3.2-acre site was set aside for Kennedy's grave by the secretary of the Army and is paved with irregular stones of Cape Cod granite, which were quarried around 1817 near the site of Kennedy's home.

Cemetery officials told the Associated Press that new equipment will make it easier for the eternal flame and the gravesite to be maintained. WRG-TV reported that a temporary flame was used at Kennedy's gravesite from the November 1963 funeral until the permanent flame was installed in 1967. Kennedy was fatally shot on Nov. 22, 1963, in Dallas while riding in a presidential motorcade with the first lady, Texas Gov. John Connally and Connally's wife Nellie through Dealey Plaza. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Kennedy's death. Eternal Flame.. - Review of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA - TripAdvisor Review of Arlington National Cemetery Entrance at Arlington Memorial Bridge, Arlington, VA 22211 +1 877-907-8585 War Memorials and Arlington National Cemetery Tour See more tours on Viator Fee: No Recommended length of visit: 2-3 hours Owner description: Veterans of every American war from the Revolution to the country's most recent conflicts are buried at Arlington, which was officially declared a military cemetery in 1864.

Among the more than 260,000 dead are three unidentified service members, buried at the Tomb of the Unknowns, and John F. Kennedy, whose gravesite is marked by an eternal flame. There are newer reviews for this attraction McHugh relights JFK Eternal Flame at Arlington National Cemetery | Article | The United States Army McHugh relights JFK Eternal Flame at Arlington National Cemetery By J.D. LeipoldOctober 29, 2013 Share via Email 1 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Secretary of the Army John McHugh accompanies Arlington National Cemetery chief engineer Col. Michelle Stewart as she bears the torch to re-light President John F. Kennedy's Eternal Flame, Oct. 29, 2013. Stewart was charged with the overhaul of the permanent Eternal Flame, which included the installation of a new burner assembly and supporting infrastructure. Gas, electric and compressed air lines were also upgraded. (Photo Credit: J.D. Leipold) VIEW ORIGINAL 2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Secretary of the Army John McHugh prepares to re-light the permanent President John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., Oct.

29, 2013. Accompanying the secretary is Arlington National Cemetery Chief Engineer Col. Michelle Stewart, who was charged with the overhaul of the permanent Eternal Flame, which included the installation of a new burner assembly and supporting infrastructure. Gas, electrical and compressed air lines were also upgraded. (Photo Credit: J.D. Leipold) VIEW ORIGINAL 3 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The President John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame was re-lighted Oct. 29, 2013, for just the second time in its 50-year history. During the spring, Arlington National Cemetery, Va., lit a temporary flame while Army Civil Engineer Corps personnel replaced the burner assembly and modernized the supporting infrastructure of the permanent Eternal Flame. (Photo Credit: J.D. Leipold) VIEW ORIGINAL 4 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A joint service color guard awaits the relighting of the JFK Enternal Flame (by the feet of the Soldier on far left) at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., Oct. 29, 2013, by Secretary of the Army John McHugh.

A temporary Eternal Flame was in use while Army Corps of Engineers installed a new burner assembly and rebuilt the infrastructure, for the first time in 50 years. Gas, electrical and compressed air lines were also upgraded. (Photo Credit: J.D. Leipold) VIEW ORIGINAL 5 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Secretary of the Army John McHugh relights the JFK Eternal Flame at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., Oct. 29, 2013. A temporary eternal flame had be lit April 29, 2013, so Army Corps of Engineer personnel could install a new burner assembly and rebuild the 50-year old infrastructure. Gas, electric and compressed air lines were also upgraded. (Photo Credit: J.D. Leipold) VIEW ORIGINAL WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Oct. 29, 2013) -- On a perfect fall morning at Arlington National Cemetery, Secretary of the Army John McHugh relit the eternal flame which marks the final resting places of John F. Kennedy, 35th president of the United States, and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. A flame has actually been burning continuously at the site since the president was buried there Nov.

25, 1963. It was originally lit by Mrs. Kennedy. Recently, work began to upgrade the apparatus that keeps the flame illuminated. In order to make that happen, the flame was transferred to a nearby "temporary" eternal flame. Once the upgrade was complete, McHugh transferred the flame back. The eternal flame has been burning now continuously for 50 years. The new hardware, more modern and efficient, will keep it burning so it may continue to be a beacon of hope and remembrance for all who see it, said Patrick K. Hallinan, executive director of Army National Military Cemeteries and Arlington National Cemetery. "As a nation, we erect monuments and memorials to commemorate the people and events who define our values and ideals -- they are physical reminders of service, sacrifice and remembrance," Hallinan said. "People from all over the world come to pay their respects to our 35th president, President John F. Kennedy, a combat veteran from World War II who served in the Navy," he said. "They come to visit a fellow military member, a president whose life was tragically cut short, and a man who inspired them.

"And, they come to see the eternal flame, the embodiment of hope and renewal, a symbol that is just as relevant today as it was then," Hallinan added. A temporary eternal flame was lit April 29. It had been operating at the gravesite while a series of upgrades were made at the permanent eternal flame site. The Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District and its contracting partners conducted the work. They replaced the burner assembly and the supporting infrastructure including the gas, electric and compressed air lines for the flame. "Essentially, it's same technology, pretty simple and elegant," said Col. Michelle Stewart, Arlington National Cemetery chief engineer. "The toughest part of the project was testing the flame. We wanted to ensure we recreated as much as possible the quality of the flame that burned previously for the last 50 years. So getting the gas and air mixture just right -- to add to the height of the flame, it's a good six inches of dancing flame, brightly colored -- we wanted to maintain that." The engineers also installed new drainage lines below the flame and relocated the natural gas pressure regulators for easier access and maintenance.

Arlington will host a number of remembrance events in November to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Kennedy's death and burial: -- Nov. 15 -- Dec. 1, a special pictorial exhibit honoring Kennedy's legacy of public service will be on display in the basement of the Memorial Amphitheater. -- Nov. 22, Arlington National Cemetery will conduct a wreath-laying remembrance at the JFK gravesite. -- Nov. 25, the Irish Defence Forces 37th Cadet Class will conduct a remembrance ceremony at the Kennedy gravesite. The 37th Cadet Class flew to Washington to provide an honor guard during the president's funeral service. (For more ARNEWS stories, visit our homepage at or our Facebook page at RELATED LINKS John Fitzgerald Kennedy, President of the United States President of the United States Prayer Card From The Funeral of John F. Kennedy From the Collection of Michael Robert Patterson at Love Field, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963 The youngest man ever to be elected to our nation's highest office, he had served as a United States Naval Officer in the South Pacific during World War II and there commanded the PT-109.

During an attack by a Japanese cruiser, he is credited with saving the lives of his crew. On his return home following the war he was elected to the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts and later to the United States Senate from that state. He was elected to the Presidency in November 1960, defeating then-Vice President Richard M. Nixon by one of the smallest margins in history. He was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963 as he rode in an open motorcade in that city. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery on November 25, 1963 and his gravesite is one of the most visited spots in the cemetery. He was moved from the original gravesite to one just a few feet away on March 14, 1967. His wife, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was laid to rest next to him when she died of cancer in 1994. His infant daughter (who was not named) and who was born and died on August 23, 1956 is also buried in his gravesite as of December 4, 1963. She was originally buried in Newport, Rhode Island.

An infant son, Patrick Bouvier Kennedy (August 7, 1963-August 9, 1963) who was born prematurely and who was originally buried at Brookline, Massachusetts, is also buried in this site as of December 4, 1963. Gravesite Inscription: Kings and silent crowds pay homage Screen of secret servicemen guard Mr. Johnson's car The remains of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, thirty-fifth President of the United States of America, killed by an assassin's bullet, were laid to rest today in the Arlington National Cemetery. He joined a great company of men who had fought and died in every American conflict from the Revolutionary War, because he first served his country as a junior naval officer in the distant Pacific. This was his right as a warrior of the Republic, but today's solemnities were unprecedented in American presidential history; from all over the globe kings, presidents, and representatives of hundreds of millions of people came to honour the passing of the young man who had won the world's most powerful elective office with a bare handful of votes and transformed it into a great power for peace.

OBSCURE ORIGINS There are, no doubt, other great and good men no less anxious for peace, but it is the power and the glory of this Republic that at this moment in history only its President and Commander-in-Chief has the required authority. Mr. Kennedy also had the will, and if it was first shaped in some obscure Irish town it is the further glory of the United States that made possible the elevation from a Boston tenement to the White House. The presence of Mr. Mikoyan, First Deputy Prime Minister of the Soviet Union, and an Armenian of equally obscure origins, was a reminder that the late President and Commander-in-Chief, who controlled the most dreadful weapons of destruction, took the first purposeful and successful steps towards disarmament. The Soviet presence was a fitting epitaph. If this perhaps crossed the minds of some of the great present today, for millions of Americans the sorrow and despair was more personal. This day, November 25, did not begin anew in spite of the evidence of the clocks. All through the bitterly cold night a vast crowd waited patiently to pay homage as the remains lay in the great Rotunda of the Capitol. Midnight was meaningless.

IN THE SHADOWS Some time during the night Mrs. Kennedy, accompanied by Mr. Robert Kennedy, the Attorney-General, came back once again to pray for her husband. The pride of family did not demand of her this time to bring the children. Her favourite Kennedy brother, who in happier times shielded her from the ebullience of the family, stood back in the shadows, among them the long shadows of the statues of other assassinated Presidents, Lincoln and Garfield. The slow-moving columns of mourners came to a halt. When this last personal communion was over, she arose, still beautifully impressive and dry-eyed, and looked wonderingly into the eyes, some blinded with tears and others merely curious, of those waiting people. Then slowly and indomitably she walked down the steps with her fair-haired brother-in-law. CROWDING MEMORIES In the cold night air she at first dismissed her car and began to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue, along which less than three years ago she had ridden in triumph with her husband after his inauguration. Perhaps the memories came crowding too much, perhaps the uselessness of this last visit became apparent; silently the black car came up again, surrounded by watchful Secret Service agents, and she was gone.

When dawn came up over the Potomac, tens of thousands were still waiting outside the Capitol to pay their last respects. They had begun to move through the Rotunda at about 6,000 an hour, but the queue still lengthened; it stretched for more than an mile at one time, and the pace was doubled. At nine o'clock - perhaps soon after the President's son, John, had awakened for his third birthday - the great gates of the Capitol were closed. There were protests, and scuffling, but the police soon put an end to the unseemliness. SENATE'S SYMPATHY The sad ceremonial began today soon after 10, on a very cold but brilliantly sunny morning. Inside the gleaming white Capitol the Senate had met briefly to pass a resolution of sympathy for Mrs. Kennedy; outside, the reds and blues and blacks of the cortege arranged themselves on the broad plaza. At 10.22 Mrs. Kennedy emerged from the White House accompanied by her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, her nephews and nieces.

The seven great black cars made their way down the broad expanse of Pennsylvania Avenue through silent crowds whose predominantly youthful character spoke much about the late President. Fifteen minutes later Mrs. Kennedy, lightly veiled, walked slowly up the huge white steps between her husband's brothers, Robert and Edward, and into the Capitol Rotunda where they knelt for a moment, before the great bronze casket containing the last earthly remains of her husband was carried out into the sunshine. Then out again into the chill morning air to watch the coffin, draped in the Stars and Stripes, borne out by nine men of the services. Arms presented, and "Hail to the Chief" played by the Marine band as the coffin came into view. And solemn music as it was borne slowly down the stairway to the heavy caisson. At 10.50 the seven greys moved off - a brief pause while the procession formed, and then muffled drums and the lumbering caisson jolted slowly forward, casting its long shadow on the street. It was a martial but dignified scene, with none of the arrogance of militarism. The Marine band leading stepped out bravely but with sadness in each heart.

The Stars and Stripes fluttering slightly ahead of the caisoon, the presidential flag behind and a caparisoned horse, riderless, prancing. Then to the White House where the concourse of famous men was waiting. Mrs. Kennedy dismounted and, behind the caisson, led the most distinguished company of dignitories ever assembled in the 187 years of this great Republic, come in honour of her young husband. She walked briskly, her brothers-in-law on either side, the new President behind. The representatives of the world followed, a phalanx arranged in the alphabetical order of their countries. The procession moved away to the funeral. AT THE CATHEDRAL At St. Matthew's Cathedral, in the heart of Washington, Mrs. Kennedy led her two children up the steps of the cathedral, followed by members of the family, the President and Mrs. Johnson, crowned heads, elected heads of state of all races, creeds and customs. General de Gaulle, in uniform, a massive figure; Chancellor Erhard of Germany; the Emperor Haile Selassie; and the Duke of Edinburgh. Nine pipers of The Black Watch, the regiment which played so recently for Mr.

Kennedy on the White House lawn, led the march part of the way from the White House to the cathedral, lending further international flavour to the occasion and symbolizing the special relationship between Britain and the United States. Sir David Ormsby-Gore, the British Ambassodor, had been asked to represent Sir Winston and Lady Churchill, and Mr. Macmillan was represented by the Duke of Devonshire, whose brother was married to a sister of Mr. Kennedy. ADDRESS RE-READ Cardinal Cushing of Boston, who was to conduct the Low Mass, led coffin up the aisle. It was 12.15. Mr. Luigi Vena, who had sung at Mr. Kennedy's wedding, had come to sing the "Ave Maria" at his funeral. The Most Rev. P. M. Hannan, Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, read passages from the scriptures which the late President had used in his speeches, and finished by reading the entire inaugural address delivered in January, 1961. The service ended, Cardinal Cushing, in his brilliant orange robes, led the coffin from the church. Mrs Kennedy led her children out.

As the band played "Holy God We Praise Thy Name", little John, in a sky blue coat to match his sister's, stepped forward for a moment and put his hand to his forelock as if in salute. And so almost an hour and a half after arriving at the cathedral, the slow procession moved away on the long drive to a grassy slope below the old Lee mansion, where President Kennedy's grave will look down for as long as this Republic can expect, across the Potomac river to the Lincoln Memorial and the city he so completely dominated for so few brief years. LAST FORMAL ACT It was the last formal act of the tragedy that began in Dallas, Texas, three days ago, and after the prayers of the burial service there was nothing left to be said. The other branches of Amercan Government, the Congress and the judiciary, had delivered their eulogies, and it was left to the armed services to provide military honours. The American forces are no less jealous of their prerogatives than others, but generous to the last the main military exercise, the reversing of arms was given to a troup of Irish Army cadets to perform.

Their presence with that of the Black Watch pipers earlier, at the specific request of Mrs. Kennedy, was perhaps recognition not only of Mr. Kennedy's origins but also of the first origins of this country. The National Cemetery is part of a 5,000-acre tract granted in 1669 to one, Robert Howson, who sold it for six hogshead of tobacco. From the mansion above the President's grave, built by the adopted grandson of George Washington, General Lee resigned from the Union army and rode off to command the Confederate forces in the war between the states. With all respect to the men who lie here, who gave their lives for the republic, an Englishman cannot but feel that some of his roots are here. In a way, the history of decades was there today. The Emperor of Ethiopia, who appealed in vain to the League of Nations and is now secure in a world system that, in the final test, still depends upon this republic; the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prime Minister, President de Gaulle, the King of the Belgians, the Dutch Consort, and others representing the most powerful alliance for peace in the history of mankind because of the leadership provided by this republic.

The awful power that made all this possible was not much in evidence today. Fifty fighter aircraft, representing the components of the Union, roared overhead followed by Air Force No. 1, the Presidents's personal aircraft, that took him to Vienna for that fateful meeting with Mr. Khrushchev, and afterwards to London, Paris, Berlin, and Rome in pursuit of interdependence. AMONG THE OAKS But on the ground, among the oaks and the dogwoods, in the hard cold light of a North American autumn, only the bright coloured cloth of ceremonial was to be seen; the Marine band in the once hated red coats, the Army special forces in green commando berets, the blues of the Navy and Air Force. As the caisson came slowly up the hill and the men of religion, or rather of the many religions that have found freedom in this land, went down to meet it, the United States Air Force bagpipe band played a lament - a Negro, wearing the kilt, at the big drum. Earlier the members of Congress and their wives had formed a half circle below the grave, and when the foreign dignitaries arrived en masse protocol broke down.

The pomp and circumstance of most of the earth were caught in a crush, and the more determined came to the fore, among them President de Gaulle and Mr. Mikoyan. Mrs. Kennedy, supported by the Kennedy family, among them the President's mother, took up position at the right of the grave with the late President's personal staff in the rear. 21-GUN SALUTE Cardinal Cushing, his gaunt voice once again a surprise as it issued from his medieval face, said the burial service, and Mrs. Kennedy and the President's two brothers lit a flame. Then the pall bearers removed "Old Glory" from the coffin, a 21-gun salute and three musket volleys were fired. Taps (Last Post) sounded, and the final formality was over. The coffin was left on a chrome bier above the grave. Throughout the ceremony, President Johnson, whose car on arrival was screened by trotting Secret Service agents, stood sombrely alone. All the power and the glory had descended suddenly upon him, and now this last act had been done for his predecessor, he looked lonely and shocked.

The Secret Service men had their backs to him, watching the assembly, their faces impassive and some chewing gum. The realities of American life were still there. At 8.34 p.m. G.M.T. the remains of President Kennedy were lowered into the grave. Some time in the future an appropriate tomb will be raised above it. It will not be the memorial that Mr. Kennedy would have wanted; he wanted to be a great President whose name would rank after Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln, and much endeavour was cut short by the assassin. SEARCH FOR PEACE But if his work is completed by his successors, especially the search for peace abroad and the struggle for civil rights at home, history might give him that place in American history. Then this place, in view of the memorials of the great Presidents, will be splendidly appropriate. For the time being it is among a brave company. After the ceremony at Arlington, the foreign visitors went to the White House to pay their respects to Mrs. Kennedy and, later, to the State Department, where President Johnson greeted each of them individually at a reception.

The Story of "Taps" At President Kennedy's Funeral By Sergeant Jari Villanueva, United States Air Force Band Because of the "broken" note it was assumed that SGT Clark was expressing his sorrow. The TV announcer was half truthful. The French had for many years before the funeral adopted Taps as their last call at funerals. Slurring-(which moves one note to another without a break in the air stream or re-articulating the note) that is not used in the call Taps. Here is a brief history of what happened at the funeral: Probably the most heard sounding of Taps occurred the afternoon of November 25, 1963 when millions around the world listened as Sergeant Keith Clark of the United States Army Band played those famous 24 notes. The occasion was the funeral of President John F. Kennedy who had been slain 3 days earlier in Dallas Texas. Sergeant Clark was a trumpet player with the Army Band (also known as ï¿½Pershingï¿½s Ownï¿½) stationed at Fort Myer Virginia. Among his duties was to sound Taps at military funerals held at Arlington National Cemetery which is adjacent to the post.

According to his recollections in William Manchesterï¿½s ï¿½The Death of a Presidentï¿½ published by Harper and Row New York © 1967, Clark recalled that he was home going through his collection of rare books the afternoon President Kennedy was assassinated and upon hearing the news of the president's death hurried to the nearest barber for a haircut thinking that he might be called on to sound Taps should the Chief Executive be interred at Arlington. He had played in the presence of President Kennedy earlier that month at the Tomb of the Unknowns when the president laid a wreath during Armistice Day (Veterans Day) ceremonies. According to Manchester, it wasn't until early Monday morning (2:30 a.m.) November 25th that it was realized that a bugler had not been requested for the funeral. Sergeant Clark was contacted immediately with information for that day. The military honors accorded would be the ones that followed military tradition. At the end of the graveside ceremony, 3 volleys were to be fired followed by the sounding of Taps, the folding of the flag, and its presentation to the widow.

At the conclusion of the ceremony Sergeant Clark played Taps and for the first time in his many daily sounding of the call, broke on the 6th note. Sergeant Clarks broken note (the 6th note) was considered the only conspicuous blunder in the otherwise ornate and grandiose ceremony of a state funeral. It was thought that it was a deliberate effect. It was not. Sergeant Clark was in place hours before the funeral procession arrived at Arlington and was placed five yards from the firing party in order to appease the television cameramen. It was cold that day and given the fact that Sergeant Clark was not given much of a chance to ï¿½warm upï¿½ it is not surprising that he missed a note. Also the fact that he was playing for a world-wide audience may have had some effect on him. After the 3 volleys were fired by a squad from the Old Guard (3rd US Infantry) Clark began Taps. As he had done daily in Arlington, he pointed the bell at Mrs. Kennedy and started the bugle call. Clark believed that the bugler should only sound Taps for the widow.

On the 6th note, he cracked the note ï¿½it was like a catch in your voice, or a swiftly stifled sobï¿½ according to Manchester. In a letter from Sergeant Clark (who retired in 1966 after 20 years service) he said ï¿½I feel the thought behind the playing and feeling used in the performance are the most important parts of each sounding of Tapsï¿½ The bugle in the photo is a Bb Signal Trumpet made by Vincent Bach for the US Army Band. It is currently in the Museum of American History in Washington DC. Saturday, January 19, 2002 Keith Clark Bugler Keith Clark, 74, the Arlington National Cemetery ceremonial bugler who was called on to play taps at President John F. Kennedy's funeral after his assassination in November 1963, died of an aortic aneurysm January 13, 2002, in Fort Pierce, Florida. Sergeant Clark, the solo trumpet player for the U.S. Army Band called "Pershing's Own," cracked the sixth note at the Kennedy grave site.

The note was described by author William Manchester as being "like a catch in your voice, or a swiftly stifled sob" in the 1967 book "The Death of a President." After retiring from the Army, Clark was a music instructor at Houghton College in Houghton, N.Y. He later was a conductor and performer with southwest Florida area musical groups such as the Venice Concert Band and the Atlantic Classical Orchestra. It is with deep sadness, that I report the passing of Keith Clark. Sergeant Clark died January 10, 2002 from complications while being operated on for a burst heart aneurysm. He was traveling to the east coast of Florida to perform at a concert when he awoke in the morning with severe abdominal pain. He was rushed to the hospital by his wife, Marge, where he died on the operating table. He was cremated and the ashes are planned to be scattered in Maine. A memorial service is scheduled for next Sunday January 20, 2002 3 PM, at First Alliance Church in Port Charlotte, Florida.

Clark was the Principal Bugler with The United States Army Band who was placed in the world spotlight when he was called to sound Taps at the Funeral of John F. Kennedy. Keith Collar Clark was born on November 21, 1927, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and studied trumpet with Clifford Liliya and Lloyd Geisler. After graduation from Interlochen Music School, he played with the Grand Rapids Symphony. In 1946, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as trumpet soloist with the United States Army Band. A deeply religious man, his life-long passion for rare books and hymns resulted in a publication, A Select Bibliography for the Study of Hymns. It was during his tenure with the Army Band that Clark received national attention as the bugler who sounded Taps for John F. Kennedy's funeral. The Taps will be forever remembered as the Broken Taps. His bugle is on display at Arlington National Cemetery. After retiring from the army, Clark went on to a successful career of teaching, performing, and writing. His love of hymns brought him much recognition as a scholar and he has received numerous awards.

He lived in Florida and was quite active as a trumpeter. His collection of Hymns was acquired by Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA in 1982. Mr. Clark's great love for hymnody and Psalmody resulted in this large collection from various dealers and individuals. Containing more than 9,000 volumes, the Clark Hymnology Collection includes thousands of hymnbooks from various American denominations and churches, as well as several well-known books on hymnody from the 17th century to the present. Keith Clark, a trumpeter, bugler, teacher, scholar, soldier, and American. He'll be missed Jari Villanueva Intruders Disturb John F. Kennedy Grave At Arlington Saturday, December 20, 1997 One or more intruders tried unsuccessfully to dig up granite paving stones at the gravesite of President Kennedy in Arlington National Cemetery, U.S. Park Police said Saturday, December 20, 1997. Authorities said whoever was involved in the incident Friday night or early Saturday probably gave up when they found the stones, near the eternal flame at Kennedy's grave, weigh several hundred pounds each and are anchored together.

Police spokesman Leonard Chertoff said gaining access to the cemetery after daylight visiting hours is difficult, but he wouldn't elaborate. John F. Kennedy Gravesite Disturbed December 21, 1997 President John F. Kennedy's grave site was disturbed overnight by someone who tried, but failed, to dig up some of its granite paving stones, officials reported yesterday. Neither the Arlington National Cemetery site's eternal flame nor the tombstones of Kennedy, his wife, Jacqueline, and two of their children were damaged. "Someone attempted to remove stones that ring the site," said Officer Allan Griffith of the U.S. Park Police, which is responsible for law enforcement at the cemetery. He said the culprit or culprits gave up after finding the stones were much bigger than they appeared. He said they extend several feet down, weigh about 500 pounds each and are anchored to one another. "What they had tried to do was dig down, and when they discovered how big they were, they just gave up," he said. The nearby grave site of Robert F. Kennedy, the former president's slain brother, was undisturbed. The site is marked by a white-painted wooden cross.

The Kennedy Memorial Grave is the most visited at the 612-acre cemetery, across the Potomac River from Washington. The cemetery is the final resting place for more than 225,000 military heroes and other war veterans and their closest kin. President John F. Kennedy There’s a “Fake” Flame at JFK’s Gravesite While the Real Flame Is Rehabbed | Washingtonian There’s a “Fake” Flame at JFK’s Gravesite While the Real Flame Is Rehabbed Arlington Cemetery says the permanent flame will return in mid-October. By Carol Ross Joynt on September 16, 2013 The temporary flame, in the gray metal box in the background; the permanent flame will rise from the center of the circular concrete area. Photograph courtesy of Arlington National Cemetery. Tweet Share The eternal flame, the iconic symbol that has marked President John F. Kennedy’s grave since his burial in November 1963, is at the moment basically a fake flame. The real flame is undergoing rehab. The Arlington National Cemetery public affairs office uses the term “temporary” in explaining the current status of the flame. It is only the second time a temporary flame has been used at the site.

The cemetery spokesperson says the permanent flame will be reinstalled in mid-October. Visitors to the site will notice that the permanent flame site is capped with a metal plate. Behind it is a gray box with a flame. The initial symbolic flame was lit by Jacqueline Kennedy on November 25 at her husband’s funeral ceremony, three days after he was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. That flame was also temporary and eventually replaced by a permanent flame, composed of natural gas and air to achieve a distinctive and consistent color and shape. According to the website for the gravesite, the flame employs “a constantly flashing electric spark near the tip of the nozzle [that] relights the gas should the flame be extinguished by rain, wind, or accident.” There have been occasional flame malfunctions, and a major repair began early this year. An initial upgrade included installing new gas lines, automated controls, and a new electrical conduit and cable, according to the US Army Corps of Engineers, who oversee the technical maintenance. The current flame upgrade is additional work. Our inquiry with Arlington Cemetery received this reply: “We have a temporary flame out right now while we continue to repair the [permanent] flame.

We expect the [permanent] flame to be placed back in the mid-October timeframe.” The temporary flame is propane gas. The spokesperson says the permanent flame “will use natural gas and the gas line will be underground.” In addition to John and Jacqueline, two of the couple’s children are also buried at the gravesite: Patrick Bouvier, who died soon after birth, and an unnamed daughter who was stillborn. JFK’s brothers, Robert and Ted Kennedy, are buried nearby and there’s also a marker for their older brother, Joseph Patrick Kennedy.

Question: Whose grave is marked by an eternal flame at Arlington National Cemetery?
Answer: John F. Kennedy