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John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame

May 11, 2023

"Kennedy Grave" redirects here. For the burial place of Robert F. Kennedy, see Grave of Robert F. Kennedy.

The John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame is a presidential memorial at the gravesite of assassinated United States President John F. Kennedy, in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. This permanent site replaced a temporary grave and eternal flame used at the time of Kennedy's state funeral on November 25, 1963, three days after his assassination. The site was designed by architect John Carl Warnecke, a long-time friend of Kennedy.[1][2] The permanent John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame grave site was consecrated and opened to the public on March 15, 1967.[3]

John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame
John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame at Arlington National Cemetery after its 2013 renovation
LocationArlington County, Virginia
Coordinates38°52′54″N 77°04′17″W / 38.88153°N 77.07150°W / 38.88153; -77.07150Coordinates: 38°52′54″N 77°04′17″W / 38.88153°N 77.07150°W / 38.88153; -77.07150
Area3 acres (1.2 ha)
EstablishedNovember 25, 1963 (temporary)
March 15, 1967 (permanent)
Governing bodyU.S. Department of the Army
Location of John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame in the United States

Original grave site

Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. Dignitaries from 92 countries attended his state funeral on November 25.[4]

 
Jacqueline Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy walk away from Kennedy's casket after lighting the Eternal Flame

Initial press reports indicated that Kennedy would be buried at Holyhood Cemetery in Brookline, Massachusetts, where his son Patrick Bouvier Kennedy (who had died on August 9, 1963, two days after his premature birth) was buried.[5] But the site for Kennedy's grave was quickly changed to the hillside just below Arlington House in Arlington National Cemetery; some months earlier Kennedy had admired the location's peaceful atmosphere while visiting it with his friend, architect John Carl Warnecke.[6][7][8][9] The initial suggestion to bury Kennedy at Arlington appears to have been made by Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara.[10][11] First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy agreed to the change.[10] Although Kennedy's sisters and many of his long-time associates from Massachusetts were opposed to burial at Arlington, his brother, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy visited the site with McNamara on Saturday, November 23, and concluded that Jacqueline Kennedy's wishes should be honored.[10][11]

On Sunday, November 24, 1963, Jacqueline Kennedy requested an eternal flame for Kennedy's grave.[12][13] According to several published accounts, she drew inspiration from a number of sources. One was the eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, which she and Kennedy had seen during a visit to France in 1961.[14] She also took inspiration from the novel The Candle in the Wind (the fourth book from the collection The Once and Future King by T. H. White), which was part of the inspiration for the 1960 stage musical Camelot (the cast recording was a favorite of the Kennedys).[15][16] Her brother-in-law, Sargent Shriver, counseled against an eternal flame, worried that it might appear ostentatious or that it would compete with other such memorials at Arlington National Cemetery;[16] but she remained adamant.[16]

Kennedy's funeral was set for Monday, November 25, which left very little time to manufacture and install an eternal flame. Overnight, Colonel Clayton B. Lyle and a United States Army Corps of Engineers team built the eternal flame: A propane gas-fueled tiki torch was procured from the Washington Gas and Light Company, tested, and slightly modified for emplacement.[13][17][18][19][20] The Corps also installed a gas line to a propane tank 200 yards (180 m) away to feed the torch.[17] A mound of evergreens was placed around the base of the flame to cover the tubing and torch mechanism, and the head of the grave dug in front of the flame.

The grave was set in a plot of grass roughly 5 yards (4.6 m) on each side.[21][a] The site was about halfway up the hill on which Arlington House stands.[21][28] The grave was placed so that it had a view of the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument, and was aligned with them.[11] Jacqueline Kennedy lit a taper from a candle held by a nearby soldier, and then brought the eternal flame to life at the end of the burial service.[29] Kennedy's brothers, Robert and Ted, symbolically lit the flame after her.[10][29][b]

On the evening of November 26, the site was surrounded by a white picket fence.[21][28] The fencing covered an expanded area 30 feet (9.1 m) long by 20 feet (6.1 m) wide.[28] The enlarged site was due to Jacqueline Kennedy's desire to have her deceased children, Patrick and Arabella (a stillborn daughter born in 1956), reinterred next to their father.[18] She had read that in 1865, President Abraham Lincoln had been buried next to his deceased son, Willie, and she recalled Kennedy's desire to be buried with his family.[32] A small white cross was placed at the head of Arabella's grave, and a small white headstone placed at the head of Patrick's.[28]

During the funeral, flowers were laid on the hillside above the gravesite.[21] After the erection of the fence, flowers were placed inside the enclosure, leaning against the uphill side of the fence.[21] A canvas-covered circular wooden walkway was built from Sheridan Drive to the grave site to give members of the public access to the grave.[28]

Development of a permanent gravesite

 
The original John F. Kennedy gravesite and Eternal Flame as they looked in May, 1964, 20 feet up the hill from the present-day relocated memorial.
 
View of Arlington House from the Kennedy grave site

John Carl Warnecke, a friend of the Kennedys, visited the grave with Jacqueline Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy on November 28, to discuss themes and plans for a permanent memorial.[18][33] The following day, Warnecke was chosen by now former-first lady to design Kennedy's tomb.[9][33][34] Warnecke immediately concluded that the permanent grave must be simple and incorporate the eternal flame.[18][33] A few days later, Warnecke agreed that, although it was not required, he would submit the design for the permanent Kennedy grave site to the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts.[18]

Initially, there was some concern that an eternal flame might not be approved by the cemetery. The Army Corps of Engineers was studying the installation of a permanent flame just a week after Kennedy's burial.[35] But the Army was also considering removing the flame, as no such memorials were permitted in Arlington National Cemetery.[36] On December 3, 1963, the Army concluded that the Kennedy plot was not part of the official burial section of Arlington National Cemetery, and agreed to continue to allow an eternal flame.[36]

The U.S. government formally set aside a 3 acres (1.2 ha) site surrounding Kennedy's grave on December 5, 1963.[18] The grave design process was placed under tight secrecy.[37][38][39] An extensive research project was conducted in which hundreds of famous tombs (such as the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus and Grant's Tomb) as well as all existing presidential burial sites were documented and images of them collected.[40] Warnecke discussed design concepts with more than 40 architects, sculptors, painters, landscape architects, stonemasons, calligraphers, and liturgical experts[9][41]—including the sculptor Isamu Noguchi, architectural model maker Theodore Conrad, and the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts.[37][38] Noguchi counseled Warnecke to add a large sculptural cross to the site and to eliminate the eternal flame (which he felt was kitschy).[37] Warnecke consulted with Jacqueline Kennedy about the design of the grave many times over the following year.[8] Hundreds of architectural drawings and models were produced to explore design ideas.[9][41] On April 6, 1964, Warnecke sent a memorandum to her in which he outlined his desire to retain the eternal flame as the centerpiece of the burial site and to keep the site's design as simple as possible.[42] In the course of the research and conceptualization effort, Warnecke considered the appropriateness of structures or memorials at the site (such as crosses, shafts, pavilions, etc.), the history of Arlington National Cemetery, the vista, and how to handle ceremonies at the site.[42] By August 1964, Warnecke and his assistants had written a 76-page research report which concluded that the gravesite was not a memorial nor monument, but a grave.[40][42] "This particular hillside, this flame, this man and this point in history must be synthesized in one statement that has distinctive character of its own. We must avoid adding elements that in later decades might become superficial and detract from the deeds of the man," Warnecke wrote[40] This conclusion drove the final design. The walkways and elliptical overlook were conceptualized very early in the design process.[40] Landscape architects Hideo Sasaki and Lawrence Halprin helped design the approaches and setting, but not the grave site.[40] For some time in the spring and summer of 1964, the design process appeared to slow as Warnecke and his associates struggled to design the grave site. But in the summer of 1964 Sargent Shriver, Kennedy's brother-in-law, forcefully told Warnecke that "There must be something there when we get there."[40] This spurred the design efforts forward. In the late summer and early fall, Warnecke considered massive headstones, a sarcophagus, a sunken tomb, a raised tomb, and sculpture to mark the graves.[40] Very late in the design process, two abstract sculptures were designed but ultimately rejected.[40]

 
View from the Kennedy grave site across the Arlington Memorial Bridge to the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument

The final design was unveiled publicly at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., on November 13, 1964.[9] Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara unveiled the design, with Kennedy's brother, Robert F. Kennedy, and sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, in attendance.[9] The final design had won the approval of the Kennedy family, the Department of Defense, the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts, and the National Capital Planning Commission.[9][39] Two overarching design concerns guided the design of the site. First, Warnecke intended the grave itself to reflect the early New England tradition of a simple headstone set flat in the ground surrounded by grass.[9] Second, the site was designed to reflect Kennedy's Catholicism.[9] As originally envisioned, a circular granite walkway was envisioned which would create two approaches to the grave site.[42][43] The walkways were intended to overcome the steep 45-degree incline of the hill up to the burial plot.[9][39] Kennedy was buried so that his grave faced northeast toward the Washington Monument. The entrance to the circular walkway was from the southeast, which created a southern, shorter leg of the circular walkway. Warnecke intended for this shorter walkway to be used by family members and dignitaries who were making private visits to the grave, while the longer walkway would not only separate the public from these VIPs but also accommodate the long lines of people wishing to pay their respects.[9] A small elliptical plaza (120 feet (37 m) long and 50 feet (15 m) wide) made of marble was set at the top of and inside the circle.[42][43][44] The northeastern side of the elliptical plaza would be enclosed by a low wall inscribed with quotes from Kennedy's speeches.[42][43] Marble steps would lead up from the plaza to a rectangular terrace 66 feet (20 m) long and 42 feet (13 m) wide.[42][43][44] Flowering magnolia trees would be planted on either side of the steps up to the terrace.[9] Centered in the terrace would be a rectangular plot of grass 30 feet (9.1 m) long and 18 feet (5.5 m) wide, raised slightly above the ground level, which would accommodate the graves.[9][42][43][44] Flat black slate grave markers (3 feet (0.91 m) by 4.53 feet (1.38 m)) would mark each grave, listing the name and date of birth and death in raised lettering.[9] The headstones would be set flush with the earth.[42][43] A 7.5 feet (2.3 m) high and 36 feet (11 m) long retaining wall, inscribed with the presidential seal, formed the rear of the burial site.[42][43][45] The walkways, elliptical plaza, and terrace were designed to accommodate more than 50,000 visitors per day.[9] The eternal flame itself would be placed in the center of the grassy plot in a flat, triangular bronze sculpture intended to resemble a votive candle or brazier.[9][42][43] Rachel Lambert Mellon was employed to landscape the approaches with flowering trees (magnolia, cherry, and hawthorn).[46] At the time of the design's unveiling, the quotations for the low wall had not yet been selected by Mrs. Kennedy.[9] The original design won near-universal praise.[47]

Construction of the new gravesite

 
Permanent Kennedy grave site under construction in October 1965; the temporary grave is just beyond the picket fence, where the crowd has gathered.

The plan was for work to begin in the fall of 1965 and be completed by the fall of 1966.[9] The design required that the bodies of Kennedy, Patrick and Arabella be moved downhill about 20 feet (6.1 m).[9][42][43][44] A 150-year-old oak tree, which was off-center in the circular pathway, was to be retained.[9] The total cost of the tomb was estimated at $2 million.[9][42] The Kennedy family offered to pay for the entire cost, but the U.S. government refused and asked them to pay only the $200,000–300,000 cost of the grave itself.[9][42] Most of the cost was attributed to the need to reinforce and strengthen the site to accommodate the weight of such large crowds.[42] The U.S. Department of Defense formally hired Warnecke to design the approaches (although this was a fait accompli).[9][48]

Work on the John F. Kennedy burial site continued over the next two and a half years. The Washington Gas and Light Company offered to build, maintain, and supply gas to the eternal flame at no expense.[49] The final burner was a specially designed torch created by the Institute of Gas Technology with an electrical ignition which kept the flame lit in wind or rain and which fed the gas oxygen to create the correct color.[50] A debate broke out between providers of bottled propane gas and line-fed natural gas as to which source of fuel should be used to supply the eternal flame. The debate was so vigorous that it broke out in public in March 1964.[19] The cost of construction of the approaches, elliptical plaza, walls were estimated at $1.77 million in February 1965.[41] The cost of construction of the actual grave site was estimated at $309,000.[41] Fifteen firms were invited to bid on the construction contract and nine did so.[51] A $1.4 million contract for construction was awarded to Aberthaw Construction in mid-July 1965.[51] The Army Corps of Engineers consulted with the Kennedy family before letting the award.[51] A second contract for structural design consulting in the amount of $71,026 went to Ammann & Whitney.[50] At this time, contracts for the quotation inscriptions, the marble base for the flame, the bronze brazier, and the slate markers had yet to be let.[51] The white marble for the plaza, terrace, and steps came from Proctor, Vermont, and the granite for the approaches came from Deer Isle, Maine.[51][52]

Prior to construction, several design changes were made to the Kennedy grave site. The retaining wall behind the grave was removed, and the hill landscaped to allow an unobstructed view of Arlington House.[45][46] Concerned that the grass on the burial plot would wither in Washington's hot summers, in the fall of 1966 the decision was made to replace the grass with rough-hewn reddish-gold granite fieldstone set in a flagstone pattern.[45][46] The fieldstones used had been taken more than 150 years before from a quarry on Cape Cod near where Kennedy used to spend his summers.[45][53] The burial plot, originally designed to be raised a substantial height above the surrounding terrace, was lowered so that it was just three to four inches higher.[46] The bronze brazier shape for the Eternal Flame was also replaced. Instead, a 5 feet (1.5 m) wide beige circular fieldstone (found on Cape Cod in 1965) was set nearly flush with the earth and used as a bracket for the flame.[45][46]

 
Aerial view of the John F. Kennedy grave site and Eternal Flame, November 2005

Construction of the approaches required regrading the hill. Crews were forced to work with picks and shovels around the oak tree to protect its roots while engaged in regrading work.[54] The tree's roots were reinforced with concrete to provide stability to the plant, and a "breathing system" incorporated into the concrete to allow the roots to still secure nourishment.[54] Twenty tons of steel were used to build the terrace, and 280 tons of concrete poured to build the grave vaults and the eternal flame site.[54] The first fieldstones for the graves were placed April 11, 1966.[44] At the same time, the ground was prepared for the emplacement of the granite blocks which would form the low memorial wall on the downslope side of the elliptical plaza.[44] Jacqueline Kennedy, with assistance of Kennedy speechwriter Ted Sorensen, selected the inscriptions for the wall by November 1965, all of which came from Kennedy's inaugural 1961 address (although some were shortened for artistic reasons).[44][54] John E. Benson inscribed the quotations onto the seven granite blocks.[44][46] The lettering is in Roman majuscule.[55] In November 1965, the contractors estimated that the site would be finished by July 1966.[52] The government announced that the bodies of Kennedy, Patrick and Arabella would be reburied in a private ceremony at night after cemetery had closed on the day before the site was opened to the public.[52][54] For a time in the fall of 1966, the Army considered floodlighting the site to permit night-time ceremonies, but this plan was quickly discarded.[56] In mid-October 1966, design changes and construction delays had forced the opening of the new burial site to early 1967.[57]

Consecration of the new grave

The permanent John F. Kennedy grave site opened with little announcement or fanfare on March 15, 1967. A few days before, the eternal flame had been moved from its temporary location to the new site.[58] The reburial of the bodies occurred on the evening of March 14, after Arlington National Cemetery had closed.[3] Earth over the existing grave was removed, and a small crane was used to lift the burial vault (which remained unopened) from the old grave and place it in the new one.[59] The event was unannounced.[58] The transfer was witnessed by U.S. senators Robert and Ted Kennedy, and Cardinal Richard Cushing of Boston.[53] Exhumation began at 6:19 PM and was complete at 9:00 PM.[53] Consecration of the new burial site occurred at 7:00 AM on March 15, 1967, in a driving rain.[3] The ceremony, which took 20 minutes, was attended by President Lyndon B. Johnson, Jacqueline Kennedy, and several members of the Kennedy family.[3][53] Cardinal Cushing presided over the consecration.[53] The final cost of the entire project was $2.2 million.[3] Landscaping around the permanent site was not complete at the time of its consecration, and continued for several more weeks.[46]

Operation of the site

One spontaneous act of respect at the site was curbed almost immediately. Jacqueline Kennedy had requested that a member of the U.S. Army Special Forces (the Green Berets) be part of the military honor squad at Kennedy's burial service.[6] She specifically asked that the Special Forces soldier wear a green beret rather than formal Army headgear.[6] After the funeral, the six military personnel in the honor guard (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine, Coast Guard, and Special Forces) had spontaneously removed their covers and laid them on the evergreen boughs around the eternal flame.[46][60][61] Also laid on the greenery were the insignia of a U.S. Army military policeman and the shoulder braid from a soldier in the 3rd US Infantry Regiment.[46][60] The presence of the headgear was widely criticized after the dedication of the permanent grave site,[46] and the U.S. Army (which administers Arlington National Cemetery) ordered all such memorabilia removed from the grave in April 1967.[62]

Alterations caused by new burials at the grave site

 
Grave site as it was reconfigured after Jacqueline Kennedy's death; this image shows all four graves at the site.
 
Replacement sapling of the Arlington Oak, planted in April 2012 at the Kennedy grave site.

Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated on June 6, 1968, in Los Angeles, California. An expansion to the John F. Kennedy grave site was dedicated in 1971 to accommodate Robert Kennedy's grave.[63] Robert F. Kennedy's resting place is only about 50 feet (15 m) southwest from the terrace at the John F. Kennedy site.[64] Robert Kennedy is buried on the upslope side of the walkway, his burial vault marked by a white cross and a slate headstone set flush with the earth.[64] Opposite his grave is a granite plaza designed by architect I. M. Pei and dedicated on December 6, 1971.[63][65] A low granite wall similar to the one at the John F. Kennedy terrace contains quotations from famous Robert F. Kennedy speeches, and a small reflecting pool.[64] As with his brother, Robert Kennedy's first grave was a temporary one, about 10 feet (3.0 m) upslope from its current location.[64]

The Kennedy grave site's approaches were altered at the time the Robert F. Kennedy memorial was built. Previously, the approach consisted of a series of long steps. But several individuals in wheelchairs appealed to Senator Edward M. Kennedy, and the steps were replaced by long ramps in June 1971.[66]

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was buried at the site alongside Kennedy following her death in May 1994.[67] Senator Edward M. Kennedy was buried about 100 feet (30 m) south of Robert Kennedy's memorial between two maple trees shortly after his death on August 25, 2009, from brain cancer.[68]

The Arlington Oak

The 220-year-old "Arlington Oak", which stood off-center within the Kennedy memorial gravesite area was uprooted and killed on August 27, 2011, during Hurricane Irene.[69] The gravesite was closed to the public for two days to remove the tree and stump, but reopened on August 30.[69]

On Arbor Day, April 27, 2012, a sapling grown from an acorn of the Arlington Oak was planted at the same site. Two other Arlington Oak saplings were planted nearby, while a fourth was planted in Section 26 near Tanner Amphitheater and a fifth in Section 36 near Custis Walk.[70]

Maintenance

 
Transferring the Eternal Flame to a temporary location on April 29, 2013, in preparation for repairs to the site.

Arlington National Cemetery experts said in 2001 that it cost about $200 a month to keep the flame burning.[71] Its original, custom-manufactured ignition system, contained in a box buried a few feet from the grave, controlled the flow of gas and oxygen to the flame and activated a 20,000-volt spark ignition electrode near the gas burner whenever the flame was extinguished.[72]

In 2012, the automatic ignition system began clicking audibly. In early 2013, a $350,000 contract was awarded for upgrading the system. During the work the permanent flame was extinguished after being transferred to a temporary flame to one side.[73] The refurbishment replaced the original burner with one not requiring a separate oxygen supply, laid new gas lines, relocated gas pressure regulators, added controls to improve energy efficiency, and replaced electrical lines. The flame was returned to the upgraded permanent eternal flame on May 17, 2013, and the temporary flame extinguished.[74][72]

In 2010, the carved inscriptions in the low stone wall in front of the site were renewed, which power cleaning and weather had made difficult to read. The Knights of Columbus donated $6,000 to have the letters darkened and more deeply incised in time for the 50th anniversary of Kennedy's inauguration. Gordon Ponsford, a sculptor who restored several major monuments at Arlington National Cemetery, performed the work.[55]

On December 10, 1963, a group of Catholic schoolchildren accidentally extinguished the temporary flame while sprinkling it with holy water. A cemetery official quickly relit the flame by hand.[75] In August 1967, an exceptionally heavy rain extinguished the permanent flame and flooding of electrical equipment disabled the spark igniter. In both cases the flame was quickly relit manually.[76]

The Emigrant Flame

In 2013, the Eternal Flame was shared for the first time in its history.[77] On June 18, a U.S. Army honor guard accompanied Irish Minister of State Paul Kehoe, T.D., in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Kennedy grave site. An Irish Army officer, accompanied by an Irish Army honor guard, lit a lamp in a metal burner[77] from the Eternal Flame.[78][79] (The lamp and burner were created by the Bullfinch company, which also designed the torches for the 2012 Summer Olympics torch relay.)[77] The "spark" traveled back to Ireland aboard a special Aer Lingus flight, accompanied by Kehoe, Irish Army personnel, and a delegation from the New Ross Town Council.[78]

The "spark" arrived at Dublin Airport on June 20, where Kehoe transferred the flame to Colonel Brendan Delaney. Delaney transferred the flame to officers of the Irish Naval Service. The flame was taken by the Naval vessel LÉ Orla (P41),[80] which traversed the Irish Sea and sailed up the River Barrow to New Ross[78] (the town which John F. Kennedy's great-grandfather emigrated from in 1848).[77] On June 22, several Irish Special Olympians carried the flame from the Orla to a ceremony at the Kennedy Homestead. Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Jean Kennedy Smith, and Caroline Kennedy used the burner to jointly light an "Emigrant Flame" in an iron globe to mark the 50th anniversary of Kennedy's trip to Ireland. The Emigrant Flame is now the centerpiece of the expanded homestead visitor center.[79] Four days later, the flame went out, but was reignited with fire from the miner's lamps that were lit at Arlington.[81]

Cultural influence

Immediately after Kennedy's burial, the grave and Eternal Flame were being visited by 50,000 people per day.[9] More than 16 million people visited the site in its first three years.[82] In 1971, the grave attracted more than 7 million people.[83]

 
1964 5-cent U.S. postal stamp depicting the Eternal Flame.

The presence of the grave also boosted attendance at Arlington National Cemetery. Kennedy's funeral had been televised live, with 93 percent of all American homes watching.[84] Satellites beamed the proceedings to another 23 countries, where another 600 million viewers watched.[84] The television coverage transformed Arlington National Cemetery from a quiet veterans' cemetery into one of the Washington area's most popular tourist attractions.[83] Average yearly attendance rose from 1 million people in 1962 to 9 million in the first six months of 1964.[83]

In 1964, the United States Post Office Department used an image of the Eternal Flame on a five cent official postage stamp issued to commemorate the assassinated president.[85] The stamp also used the words "And the glow from that fire can truly light the world"—an excerpt from Kennedy's inaugural address.[85]

The Kennedy Eternal Flame has also attracted some unwanted attention as well. The leader of a group protesting segregation in housing was briefly detained at the grave site in August 1967 after attempting to lead a group of protesters in the singing of "America the Beautiful".[86] A mentally ill individual attempted to throw red paint on the grave in August 1971.[87] A 23-year-old Army veteran committed suicide at the grave in 1972 by plunging a knife into his chest.[83] The cross and the headstone marking Robert F. Kennedy's grave were stolen in 1981 and never recovered.[88] In December 1982, an intoxicated Salvadoran immigrant broke into the cemetery at night and knelt before the Eternal Flame. He experienced a fatal heart attack, and fell into the flame.[83][89] In 1997, thieves pried loose one of the paving stones from the terrace in front of the Eternal Flame and attempted to make off with it. They gave up after realizing the 500-pound (230 kg) stone was too heavy to move.[90]

See also

Footnotes

Notes
  1. ^ In 1955, Arlington National Cemetery stopped using gravediggers and mechanized the grave digging process by purchasing a Trench Master light backhoe.[22][23] Cemetery worker Clifton Pollard used the backhoe to dig Kennedy's grave on Sunday, November 24.[24][25] The Washington Wilbert Vault Works of Rockville, Maryland, provided the burial vault,[26] a 3,000-pound (1,400 kg) "Copper Triune" double-reinforced, copper-lined concrete vault.[26][27]
  2. ^ The graveside service ended at 3:15 PM,[30] the burial vault was sealed (either with an epoxy[26] or tar[31]), and Kennedy's coffin and burial vault lowered into the earth at 3:32 PM.[30] The grave was then filled with earth.[30]
Citations
  1. ^ Brown, "John Carl Warnecke Dies at 91, Designed Kennedy Gravesite," Washington Post, April 23, 2010.
  2. ^ Grimes, "John Carl Warnecke, Architect to Kennedy, Dies at 91," New York Times, April 22, 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e Levy, "Kennedy's Body Moved to Final Grave," Washington Post, March 16, 1967.
  4. ^ Selverstone, Marc J. (4 October 2016). "John F. Kennedy: Death of the President". millercenter.org. Charlottesville, Virginia: Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  5. ^ Raymond, "President's Body Will Lie In State," New York Times, November 23, 1963.
  6. ^ a b c Hamblin, "Mrs. Kennedy's Decisions Shaped All the Solemn Pageantry," Life, December 6, 1963.
  7. ^ Robertson, "Thousands Expected to Pay Respects at Grave," New York Times, November 22, 1964.
  8. ^ a b Moeller and Weeks, AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington, D.C., 2006, p. 334.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Von Eckardt, "Kennedy Monument Classic in Simplicity," Washington Post, November 17, 1964.
  10. ^ a b c d Hilty, Robert Kennedy: Brother Protector, 2000, p. 484.
  11. ^ a b c Johnston, The Truth About Patriotism, 2007, p. 169.
  12. ^ Matthews, Kennedy & Nixon: The Rivalry That Shaped Postwar America, 1997, pp. 242–43.
  13. ^ a b Bugliosi, Four Days in November: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, 2007, pp. 502–03.
  14. ^ Gormley and Henderson, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: Friend of the Arts, 2002, pp. 142–43.
  15. ^ Pierson, Camelot and the Cultural Revolution: How the Assassination of John F. Kennedy Shattered American Liberalism, 2007, p. 197.
  16. ^ a b c Matthews, Kennedy & Nixon: The Rivalry that Shaped Postwar America, 1997, pp. 242–42.
  17. ^ a b Stockland, The Assassination of John F. Kennedy, 2008, p. 81; "'Eternal Flame' at Arlington Will Be only Temporary Setup," New York Times, November 26, 1963; "'Eternal' Flame to Burn Over Grave of Kennedy," Washington Post, November 26, 1963; Wilson, Engineer Memoirs: Lieutenant General Walter K. Wilson, Jr., May 1984, pp. 194–96.
  18. ^ a b c d e f Raymond, "Arlington Assigns Plot of Three Acres To Kennedy Family," New York Times, December 6, 1963.
  19. ^ a b Pearson, "LBJ A Chair-Mover, Not A Chair-Warmer," Nevada Daily Mail, March 25, 1964.
  20. ^ Smith, Grace and Power: The Private World of the Kennedy White House, 2006, p. 511.
  21. ^ a b c d e "Fence Installed Near Grave," United Press International, November 26, 1963.
  22. ^ Atkinson 2007, p. 27.
  23. ^ Woestendiek, John (September 14, 2003). "On Behalf of a Grateful Country..." The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  24. ^ Breslin, Jimmy (November 26, 1963). "It's an Honor". New York Herald Tribune. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  25. ^ Shapiro, T. Rees; Langer, Emily (November 23, 2013). "Arlington caretaker Clifton Pollard: It was 'an honor' to prepare JFK's grave". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  26. ^ a b c Leung, Shirley (October 14, 1994). "The Cadillac of Vaults". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  27. ^ Bugliosi 2007, p. 181.
  28. ^ a b c d e Wainwright, "A Visit to the Grave," Life, February 14, 1964, p. 15.
  29. ^ a b Bzdek, The Kennedy Legacy: Jack, Bobby and Ted and a Family Dream Fulfilled, 2009, p. 111.
  30. ^ a b c Bugliosi 2007, p. 313.
  31. ^ Select Committee on Assassinations 1979, pp. 31–32.
  32. ^ Pottker, Janet and Jackie: The Story of a Mother and Her Daughter, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, 2001, pp. 229–31.
  33. ^ a b c Clopton, "Mrs. Kennedy to Discuss Tomb," Washington Post, November 30, 1963.
  34. ^ "Mrs. Kennedy Chooses an Architect to Design Husband's Tomb," New York Times, November 30, 1963.
  35. ^ "Flame at Kennedy Grave Studied by Army Engineers," New York Times, November 29, 1963.
  36. ^ a b "Army Tacitly Approves Eternal Flame at Grave," New York Times, December 4, 1963.
  37. ^ a b c "Artists At Odds On Kennedy Job," New York Times, October 7, 1964.
  38. ^ a b "Kennedy Tomb Design to Be Revealed in Nov.," Washington Post, October 10, 1964.
  39. ^ a b c Robertson, "Tomb for Kennedy Is of Simple Design," New York Times, November 14, 1964.
  40. ^ a b c d e f g h Von Eckardt, "JFK Grave Design Combines Past, Present," Washington Post, November 22, 1964.
  41. ^ a b c d "Congress Gets $1.77 Million Request For Permanent JFK Resting Place," Washington Post, February 9, 1965.
  42. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Robertson, "The Kennedy Tomb: Simple Design Outlined," New York Times, November 17, 1964.
  43. ^ a b c d e f g h i Huxtable, "Design Dilemma: The Kennedy Grave," New York Times, November 29, 1964.
  44. ^ a b c d e f g h Robertson, "First Stones Placed At Permanent Site Of Kennedy Grave," New York Times, April 12, 1966.
  45. ^ a b c d e "3 Changes Made In Original Design Of Kennedy Grave," New York Times, March 17, 1967.
  46. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Von Eckardt, "A Critical Look at the Kennedy Grave," Washington Post, March 26, 1967.
  47. ^ Von Eckardt, "Kennedy Grave's Design Lauded By Architects and Art Experts," Washington Post, November 18, 1964.
  48. ^ Wilson, Engineer Memoirs: Lieutenant General Walter K. Wilson, Jr., May 1984, p. 196.
  49. ^ Casey and Diggins, "Mourners Keep Vigil on Green Slope Where Kennedy Lies in Arlington," Washington Post, November 27, 1963.
  50. ^ a b "President John Fitzgerald Kennedy," Monument and Memorials, Visitor Information, Arlington National Cemetery, no date; Atkinson, "Arlington Cemetery," National Geographic, June 2007.
  51. ^ a b c d e Dewar, "Contract for Memorial At Kennedy's Grave Let," Washington Post, July 17, 1965.
  52. ^ a b c Hunter, "Thousands Visit Kennedy's Grave," New York Times, November 23, 1965.
  53. ^ a b c d e Semple "Johnson at Grave With the Kennedys," New York Times, March 16, 1967.
  54. ^ a b c d e "New Kennedy Gravesite Readied for Reburials," Washington Post, November 21, 1965.
  55. ^ a b O'Keefe, Ed. "Memorable Words Becoming More Visible." Washington Post. October 29, 2010.
  56. ^ "JFK's Reburial Due by Nov. 22," Washington Post, October 18, 1966.
  57. ^ "Kennedy Grave Ready in 1967," Washington Post, October 19, 1966.
  58. ^ a b "Bodies of Kennedy, Children Are Moved To Permanent Grave," New York Times, March 15, 1967.
  59. ^ Select Committee on Assassinations 1979, p. 32.
  60. ^ a b Heymann, Bobby and Jackie: A Love Story, 2009, p. 16.
  61. ^ Moore, The Green Berets: The Amazing Story of the U.S. Army's Elite Special Forces Unit, 2007, p. 9.
  62. ^ "Military Hats Banished At JFK Grave," Washington Post, April 18, 1967.
  63. ^ a b Coonerty and Highsmith, Etched in Stone: Enduring Words From Our Nation's Monuments, 2007, p. 45.
  64. ^ a b c d Reed, "Mourners Mark the Death of Robert Kennedy," New York Times, June 7, 1969.
  65. ^ "Robert Kennedy's Body Now at Permanent Site," United Press International, December 2, 1971.
  66. ^ McCardle, Dorothy. "Paths for the Handicapped at Kennedy Grave Sites." Washington Post. June 27, 1971.
  67. ^ Heyman, American Legacy: The Story of John and Caroline Kennedy, 2007, pp. 391–92.
  68. ^ Ruane, "Kennedy's Arlington Burial Will Continue a Family Legacy," Washington Post, August 29, 2009; Broder and Wheaton, "Kennedy Laid to Rest After Day of Honor," New York Times, August 29, 2009.
  69. ^ a b McCall, Ash (3 September 2011). "Natural Treasure Lost at Arlington National Cemetery". armylive.dodlive.mil. ArmyLive. Archived from the original on 12 December 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  70. ^ Cronk, Terri Moon. "Arlington National Cemetery Plants Saplings to Honor Troops." American Forces Press Service. April 27, 2012. July 14, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Accessed 2012-05-07.
  71. ^ "Eternal Flames Honoring Soldiers Burn On Despite Cost," Associated Press, May 28, 2001.
  72. ^ a b "Eternal Flame Thanks Fenwal Controls," Product Design & Development, January 11, 2010.
  73. ^ Bloodgood, Patrick. "Kennedy Flame to Receive Upgrades." US Army. February 4, 2013, accessed 2013-04-17; Doren, Jenny. "John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame Scheduled for Upgrades." WJLA.com. February 25, 2013 January 28, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, accessed 2013-04-17; "Kennedy Flame Getting Upgrades." United Press International. February 6, 2013, accessed 2013-04-17.
  74. ^ "New Burner Installed for Eternal Flame at the President John F. Kennedy Gravesite." Norfolk District. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. May 17, 2013. Accessed 2013-06-23.
  75. ^ "Kennedy Flame Put Out Accidentally by Pupils," Associated Press, December 11, 1963.
  76. ^ "Kennedy Grave Flame Extinguished by Rain," Associated Press, August 30, 1967.
  77. ^ a b c d Byrne, Luke. "Kennedy's US 'Eternal Flame' Will Light New Monument Here." Irish Independent. June 13, 2013. Accessed 2013-06-23.
  78. ^ a b c Walsh, Jane. "'The Emigrant Flame' From Graveside of John F. Kennedy En Route to New Ross Town." IrishCentral.com. June 21, 2013. Accessed 2013-06-23.
  79. ^ a b Accessed 2013-06-23.
  80. ^ "Flame From JFK's Graveside on Its Way to New Ross, Co Wexford." RTE News. June 20, 2013. Accessed 2013-06-23.
  81. ^ Johnston, Ian. "Not-So Eternal Flame: JFK-Linked Memorial Goes Out." NBC News. June 28, 2013. Accessed 2013-010-01.
  82. ^ Atkinson, Where Valor Rests: Arlington National Cemetery, 2007, p. 31.
  83. ^ a b c d e Carlson, "Stone Cold Somber," Washington Post, May 25, 1997.
  84. ^ a b Otinofski, Television, 2007, p. 53; Edgerton, The Columbia History of American Television, 2007, pp. 203–04.
  85. ^ a b Lidman, "Kennedy Stamp Design Shown," New York Times, May 4, 1964.
  86. ^ The police seized him because they wanted to maintain respectful quiet at the site, but immediately released the individual. See: "Kennedy's Grave Is Site of Scuffle In Rights Protest," New York Times, August 21, 1967.
  87. ^ "Paint Tossed At JFK Grave; Suspect Held." Washington Post. August 31, 1971.
  88. ^ "Robert Kennedy's Grave Loses Marker to Thieves," Associated Press, December 28, 1981.
  89. ^ "Man Found at Grave Died of Heart Attack," Washington Post, December 7, 1982.
  90. ^ Poole, p. 256.

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External links

 
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  • John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame

May 11, 2023
john, kennedy, eternal, flame, kennedy, grave, redirects, here, burial, place, robert, kennedy, grave, robert, kennedy, presidential, memorial, gravesite, assassinated, united, states, president, john, kennedy, arlington, national, cemetery, virginia, this, pe. Kennedy Grave redirects here For the burial place of Robert F Kennedy see Grave of Robert F Kennedy The John F Kennedy Eternal Flame is a presidential memorial at the gravesite of assassinated United States President John F Kennedy in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia This permanent site replaced a temporary grave and eternal flame used at the time of Kennedy s state funeral on November 25 1963 three days after his assassination The site was designed by architect John Carl Warnecke a long time friend of Kennedy 1 2 The permanent John F Kennedy Eternal Flame grave site was consecrated and opened to the public on March 15 1967 3 John F Kennedy Eternal FlameJohn F Kennedy Eternal Flame at Arlington National Cemetery after its 2013 renovationLocationArlington County VirginiaCoordinates38 52 54 N 77 04 17 W 38 88153 N 77 07150 W 38 88153 77 07150 Coordinates 38 52 54 N 77 04 17 W 38 88153 N 77 07150 W 38 88153 77 07150Area3 acres 1 2 ha EstablishedNovember 25 1963 temporary March 15 1967 permanent Governing bodyU S Department of the ArmyLocation of John F Kennedy Eternal Flame in the United States Contents 1 Original grave site 2 Development of a permanent gravesite 3 Construction of the new gravesite 4 Consecration of the new grave 5 Operation of the site 5 1 Alterations caused by new burials at the grave site 5 2 The Arlington Oak 5 3 Maintenance 5 4 The Emigrant Flame 6 Cultural influence 7 See also 8 Footnotes 9 Bibliography 10 External linksOriginal grave site EditKennedy was assassinated on November 22 1963 in Dallas Texas Dignitaries from 92 countries attended his state funeral on November 25 4 Jacqueline Kennedy and Robert F Kennedy walk away from Kennedy s casket after lighting the Eternal Flame Initial press reports indicated that Kennedy would be buried at Holyhood Cemetery in Brookline Massachusetts where his son Patrick Bouvier Kennedy who had died on August 9 1963 two days after his premature birth was buried 5 But the site for Kennedy s grave was quickly changed to the hillside just below Arlington House in Arlington National Cemetery some months earlier Kennedy had admired the location s peaceful atmosphere while visiting it with his friend architect John Carl Warnecke 6 7 8 9 The initial suggestion to bury Kennedy at Arlington appears to have been made by Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara 10 11 First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy agreed to the change 10 Although Kennedy s sisters and many of his long time associates from Massachusetts were opposed to burial at Arlington his brother Attorney General Robert F Kennedy visited the site with McNamara on Saturday November 23 and concluded that Jacqueline Kennedy s wishes should be honored 10 11 On Sunday November 24 1963 Jacqueline Kennedy requested an eternal flame for Kennedy s grave 12 13 According to several published accounts she drew inspiration from a number of sources One was the eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris which she and Kennedy had seen during a visit to France in 1961 14 She also took inspiration from the novel The Candle in the Wind the fourth book from the collection The Once and Future King by T H White which was part of the inspiration for the 1960 stage musical Camelot the cast recording was a favorite of the Kennedys 15 16 Her brother in law Sargent Shriver counseled against an eternal flame worried that it might appear ostentatious or that it would compete with other such memorials at Arlington National Cemetery 16 but she remained adamant 16 Kennedy s funeral was set for Monday November 25 which left very little time to manufacture and install an eternal flame Overnight Colonel Clayton B Lyle and a United States Army Corps of Engineers team built the eternal flame A propane gas fueled tiki torch was procured from the Washington Gas and Light Company tested and slightly modified for emplacement 13 17 18 19 20 The Corps also installed a gas line to a propane tank 200 yards 180 m away to feed the torch 17 A mound of evergreens was placed around the base of the flame to cover the tubing and torch mechanism and the head of the grave dug in front of the flame The grave was set in a plot of grass roughly 5 yards 4 6 m on each side 21 a The site was about halfway up the hill on which Arlington House stands 21 28 The grave was placed so that it had a view of the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument and was aligned with them 11 Jacqueline Kennedy lit a taper from a candle held by a nearby soldier and then brought the eternal flame to life at the end of the burial service 29 Kennedy s brothers Robert and Ted symbolically lit the flame after her 10 29 b On the evening of November 26 the site was surrounded by a white picket fence 21 28 The fencing covered an expanded area 30 feet 9 1 m long by 20 feet 6 1 m wide 28 The enlarged site was due to Jacqueline Kennedy s desire to have her deceased children Patrick and Arabella a stillborn daughter born in 1956 reinterred next to their father 18 She had read that in 1865 President Abraham Lincoln had been buried next to his deceased son Willie and she recalled Kennedy s desire to be buried with his family 32 A small white cross was placed at the head of Arabella s grave and a small white headstone placed at the head of Patrick s 28 During the funeral flowers were laid on the hillside above the gravesite 21 After the erection of the fence flowers were placed inside the enclosure leaning against the uphill side of the fence 21 A canvas covered circular wooden walkway was built from Sheridan Drive to the grave site to give members of the public access to the grave 28 Development of a permanent gravesite Edit The original John F Kennedy gravesite and Eternal Flame as they looked in May 1964 20 feet up the hill from the present day relocated memorial View of Arlington House from the Kennedy grave site John Carl Warnecke a friend of the Kennedys visited the grave with Jacqueline Kennedy and Robert F Kennedy on November 28 to discuss themes and plans for a permanent memorial 18 33 The following day Warnecke was chosen by now former first lady to design Kennedy s tomb 9 33 34 Warnecke immediately concluded that the permanent grave must be simple and incorporate the eternal flame 18 33 A few days later Warnecke agreed that although it was not required he would submit the design for the permanent Kennedy grave site to the U S Commission on Fine Arts 18 Initially there was some concern that an eternal flame might not be approved by the cemetery The Army Corps of Engineers was studying the installation of a permanent flame just a week after Kennedy s burial 35 But the Army was also considering removing the flame as no such memorials were permitted in Arlington National Cemetery 36 On December 3 1963 the Army concluded that the Kennedy plot was not part of the official burial section of Arlington National Cemetery and agreed to continue to allow an eternal flame 36 The U S government formally set aside a 3 acres 1 2 ha site surrounding Kennedy s grave on December 5 1963 18 The grave design process was placed under tight secrecy 37 38 39 An extensive research project was conducted in which hundreds of famous tombs such as the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus and Grant s Tomb as well as all existing presidential burial sites were documented and images of them collected 40 Warnecke discussed design concepts with more than 40 architects sculptors painters landscape architects stonemasons calligraphers and liturgical experts 9 41 including the sculptor Isamu Noguchi architectural model maker Theodore Conrad and the U S Commission on Fine Arts 37 38 Noguchi counseled Warnecke to add a large sculptural cross to the site and to eliminate the eternal flame which he felt was kitschy 37 Warnecke consulted with Jacqueline Kennedy about the design of the grave many times over the following year 8 Hundreds of architectural drawings and models were produced to explore design ideas 9 41 On April 6 1964 Warnecke sent a memorandum to her in which he outlined his desire to retain the eternal flame as the centerpiece of the burial site and to keep the site s design as simple as possible 42 In the course of the research and conceptualization effort Warnecke considered the appropriateness of structures or memorials at the site such as crosses shafts pavilions etc the history of Arlington National Cemetery the vista and how to handle ceremonies at the site 42 By August 1964 Warnecke and his assistants had written a 76 page research report which concluded that the gravesite was not a memorial nor monument but a grave 40 42 This particular hillside this flame this man and this point in history must be synthesized in one statement that has distinctive character of its own We must avoid adding elements that in later decades might become superficial and detract from the deeds of the man Warnecke wrote 40 This conclusion drove the final design The walkways and elliptical overlook were conceptualized very early in the design process 40 Landscape architects Hideo Sasaki and Lawrence Halprin helped design the approaches and setting but not the grave site 40 For some time in the spring and summer of 1964 the design process appeared to slow as Warnecke and his associates struggled to design the grave site But in the summer of 1964 Sargent Shriver Kennedy s brother in law forcefully told Warnecke that There must be something there when we get there 40 This spurred the design efforts forward In the late summer and early fall Warnecke considered massive headstones a sarcophagus a sunken tomb a raised tomb and sculpture to mark the graves 40 Very late in the design process two abstract sculptures were designed but ultimately rejected 40 View from the Kennedy grave site across the Arlington Memorial Bridge to the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument The final design was unveiled publicly at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D C on November 13 1964 9 Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara unveiled the design with Kennedy s brother Robert F Kennedy and sister Eunice Kennedy Shriver in attendance 9 The final design had won the approval of the Kennedy family the Department of Defense the U S Commission on Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission 9 39 Two overarching design concerns guided the design of the site First Warnecke intended the grave itself to reflect the early New England tradition of a simple headstone set flat in the ground surrounded by grass 9 Second the site was designed to reflect Kennedy s Catholicism 9 As originally envisioned a circular granite walkway was envisioned which would create two approaches to the grave site 42 43 The walkways were intended to overcome the steep 45 degree incline of the hill up to the burial plot 9 39 Kennedy was buried so that his grave faced northeast toward the Washington Monument The entrance to the circular walkway was from the southeast which created a southern shorter leg of the circular walkway Warnecke intended for this shorter walkway to be used by family members and dignitaries who were making private visits to the grave while the longer walkway would not only separate the public from these VIPs but also accommodate the long lines of people wishing to pay their respects 9 A small elliptical plaza 120 feet 37 m long and 50 feet 15 m wide made of marble was set at the top of and inside the circle 42 43 44 The northeastern side of the elliptical plaza would be enclosed by a low wall inscribed with quotes from Kennedy s speeches 42 43 Marble steps would lead up from the plaza to a rectangular terrace 66 feet 20 m long and 42 feet 13 m wide 42 43 44 Flowering magnolia trees would be planted on either side of the steps up to the terrace 9 Centered in the terrace would be a rectangular plot of grass 30 feet 9 1 m long and 18 feet 5 5 m wide raised slightly above the ground level which would accommodate the graves 9 42 43 44 Flat black slate grave markers 3 feet 0 91 m by 4 53 feet 1 38 m would mark each grave listing the name and date of birth and death in raised lettering 9 The headstones would be set flush with the earth 42 43 A 7 5 feet 2 3 m high and 36 feet 11 m long retaining wall inscribed with the presidential seal formed the rear of the burial site 42 43 45 The walkways elliptical plaza and terrace were designed to accommodate more than 50 000 visitors per day 9 The eternal flame itself would be placed in the center of the grassy plot in a flat triangular bronze sculpture intended to resemble a votive candle or brazier 9 42 43 Rachel Lambert Mellon was employed to landscape the approaches with flowering trees magnolia cherry and hawthorn 46 At the time of the design s unveiling the quotations for the low wall had not yet been selected by Mrs Kennedy 9 The original design won near universal praise 47 Construction of the new gravesite Edit Permanent Kennedy grave site under construction in October 1965 the temporary grave is just beyond the picket fence where the crowd has gathered The plan was for work to begin in the fall of 1965 and be completed by the fall of 1966 9 The design required that the bodies of Kennedy Patrick and Arabella be moved downhill about 20 feet 6 1 m 9 42 43 44 A 150 year old oak tree which was off center in the circular pathway was to be retained 9 The total cost of the tomb was estimated at 2 million 9 42 The Kennedy family offered to pay for the entire cost but the U S government refused and asked them to pay only the 200 000 300 000 cost of the grave itself 9 42 Most of the cost was attributed to the need to reinforce and strengthen the site to accommodate the weight of such large crowds 42 The U S Department of Defense formally hired Warnecke to design the approaches although this was a fait accompli 9 48 Work on the John F Kennedy burial site continued over the next two and a half years The Washington Gas and Light Company offered to build maintain and supply gas to the eternal flame at no expense 49 The final burner was a specially designed torch created by the Institute of Gas Technology with an electrical ignition which kept the flame lit in wind or rain and which fed the gas oxygen to create the correct color 50 A debate broke out between providers of bottled propane gas and line fed natural gas as to which source of fuel should be used to supply the eternal flame The debate was so vigorous that it broke out in public in March 1964 19 The cost of construction of the approaches elliptical plaza walls were estimated at 1 77 million in February 1965 41 The cost of construction of the actual grave site was estimated at 309 000 41 Fifteen firms were invited to bid on the construction contract and nine did so 51 A 1 4 million contract for construction was awarded to Aberthaw Construction in mid July 1965 51 The Army Corps of Engineers consulted with the Kennedy family before letting the award 51 A second contract for structural design consulting in the amount of 71 026 went to Ammann amp Whitney 50 At this time contracts for the quotation inscriptions the marble base for the flame the bronze brazier and the slate markers had yet to be let 51 The white marble for the plaza terrace and steps came from Proctor Vermont and the granite for the approaches came from Deer Isle Maine 51 52 Prior to construction several design changes were made to the Kennedy grave site The retaining wall behind the grave was removed and the hill landscaped to allow an unobstructed view of Arlington House 45 46 Concerned that the grass on the burial plot would wither in Washington s hot summers in the fall of 1966 the decision was made to replace the grass with rough hewn reddish gold granite fieldstone set in a flagstone pattern 45 46 The fieldstones used had been taken more than 150 years before from a quarry on Cape Cod near where Kennedy used to spend his summers 45 53 The burial plot originally designed to be raised a substantial height above the surrounding terrace was lowered so that it was just three to four inches higher 46 The bronze brazier shape for the Eternal Flame was also replaced Instead a 5 feet 1 5 m wide beige circular fieldstone found on Cape Cod in 1965 was set nearly flush with the earth and used as a bracket for the flame 45 46 Aerial view of the John F Kennedy grave site and Eternal Flame November 2005 Construction of the approaches required regrading the hill Crews were forced to work with picks and shovels around the oak tree to protect its roots while engaged in regrading work 54 The tree s roots were reinforced with concrete to provide stability to the plant and a breathing system incorporated into the concrete to allow the roots to still secure nourishment 54 Twenty tons of steel were used to build the terrace and 280 tons of concrete poured to build the grave vaults and the eternal flame site 54 The first fieldstones for the graves were placed April 11 1966 44 At the same time the ground was prepared for the emplacement of the granite blocks which would form the low memorial wall on the downslope side of the elliptical plaza 44 Jacqueline Kennedy with assistance of Kennedy speechwriter Ted Sorensen selected the inscriptions for the wall by November 1965 all of which came from Kennedy s inaugural 1961 address although some were shortened for artistic reasons 44 54 John E Benson inscribed the quotations onto the seven granite blocks 44 46 The lettering is in Roman majuscule 55 In November 1965 the contractors estimated that the site would be finished by July 1966 52 The government announced that the bodies of Kennedy Patrick and Arabella would be reburied in a private ceremony at night after cemetery had closed on the day before the site was opened to the public 52 54 For a time in the fall of 1966 the Army considered floodlighting the site to permit night time ceremonies but this plan was quickly discarded 56 In mid October 1966 design changes and construction delays had forced the opening of the new burial site to early 1967 57 Consecration of the new grave EditThe permanent John F Kennedy grave site opened with little announcement or fanfare on March 15 1967 A few days before the eternal flame had been moved from its temporary location to the new site 58 The reburial of the bodies occurred on the evening of March 14 after Arlington National Cemetery had closed 3 Earth over the existing grave was removed and a small crane was used to lift the burial vault which remained unopened from the old grave and place it in the new one 59 The event was unannounced 58 The transfer was witnessed by U S senators Robert and Ted Kennedy and Cardinal Richard Cushing of Boston 53 Exhumation began at 6 19 PM and was complete at 9 00 PM 53 Consecration of the new burial site occurred at 7 00 AM on March 15 1967 in a driving rain 3 The ceremony which took 20 minutes was attended by President Lyndon B Johnson Jacqueline Kennedy and several members of the Kennedy family 3 53 Cardinal Cushing presided over the consecration 53 The final cost of the entire project was 2 2 million 3 Landscaping around the permanent site was not complete at the time of its consecration and continued for several more weeks 46 Operation of the site EditOne spontaneous act of respect at the site was curbed almost immediately Jacqueline Kennedy had requested that a member of the U S Army Special Forces the Green Berets be part of the military honor squad at Kennedy s burial service 6 She specifically asked that the Special Forces soldier wear a green beret rather than formal Army headgear 6 After the funeral the six military personnel in the honor guard Army Navy Air Force Marine Coast Guard and Special Forces had spontaneously removed their covers and laid them on the evergreen boughs around the eternal flame 46 60 61 Also laid on the greenery were the insignia of a U S Army military policeman and the shoulder braid from a soldier in the 3rd US Infantry Regiment 46 60 The presence of the headgear was widely criticized after the dedication of the permanent grave site 46 and the U S Army which administers Arlington National Cemetery ordered all such memorabilia removed from the grave in April 1967 62 Alterations caused by new burials at the grave site Edit Grave site as it was reconfigured after Jacqueline Kennedy s death this image shows all four graves at the site Replacement sapling of the Arlington Oak planted in April 2012 at the Kennedy grave site Robert F Kennedy was assassinated on June 6 1968 in Los Angeles California An expansion to the John F Kennedy grave site was dedicated in 1971 to accommodate Robert Kennedy s grave 63 Robert F Kennedy s resting place is only about 50 feet 15 m southwest from the terrace at the John F Kennedy site 64 Robert Kennedy is buried on the upslope side of the walkway his burial vault marked by a white cross and a slate headstone set flush with the earth 64 Opposite his grave is a granite plaza designed by architect I M Pei and dedicated on December 6 1971 63 65 A low granite wall similar to the one at the John F Kennedy terrace contains quotations from famous Robert F Kennedy speeches and a small reflecting pool 64 As with his brother Robert Kennedy s first grave was a temporary one about 10 feet 3 0 m upslope from its current location 64 The Kennedy grave site s approaches were altered at the time the Robert F Kennedy memorial was built Previously the approach consisted of a series of long steps But several individuals in wheelchairs appealed to Senator Edward M Kennedy and the steps were replaced by long ramps in June 1971 66 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was buried at the site alongside Kennedy following her death in May 1994 67 Senator Edward M Kennedy was buried about 100 feet 30 m south of Robert Kennedy s memorial between two maple trees shortly after his death on August 25 2009 from brain cancer 68 The Arlington Oak Edit The 220 year old Arlington Oak which stood off center within the Kennedy memorial gravesite area was uprooted and killed on August 27 2011 during Hurricane Irene 69 The gravesite was closed to the public for two days to remove the tree and stump but reopened on August 30 69 On Arbor Day April 27 2012 a sapling grown from an acorn of the Arlington Oak was planted at the same site Two other Arlington Oak saplings were planted nearby while a fourth was planted in Section 26 near Tanner Amphitheater and a fifth in Section 36 near Custis Walk 70 Maintenance Edit Transferring the Eternal Flame to a temporary location on April 29 2013 in preparation for repairs to the site Arlington National Cemetery experts said in 2001 that it cost about 200 a month to keep the flame burning 71 Its original custom manufactured ignition system contained in a box buried a few feet from the grave controlled the flow of gas and oxygen to the flame and activated a 20 000 volt spark ignition electrode near the gas burner whenever the flame was extinguished 72 In 2012 the automatic ignition system began clicking audibly In early 2013 a 350 000 contract was awarded for upgrading the system During the work the permanent flame was extinguished after being transferred to a temporary flame to one side 73 The refurbishment replaced the original burner with one not requiring a separate oxygen supply laid new gas lines relocated gas pressure regulators added controls to improve energy efficiency and replaced electrical lines The flame was returned to the upgraded permanent eternal flame on May 17 2013 and the temporary flame extinguished 74 72 In 2010 the carved inscriptions in the low stone wall in front of the site were renewed which power cleaning and weather had made difficult to read The Knights of Columbus donated 6 000 to have the letters darkened and more deeply incised in time for the 50th anniversary of Kennedy s inauguration Gordon Ponsford a sculptor who restored several major monuments at Arlington National Cemetery performed the work 55 On December 10 1963 a group of Catholic schoolchildren accidentally extinguished the temporary flame while sprinkling it with holy water A cemetery official quickly relit the flame by hand 75 In August 1967 an exceptionally heavy rain extinguished the permanent flame and flooding of electrical equipment disabled the spark igniter In both cases the flame was quickly relit manually 76 The Emigrant Flame Edit In 2013 the Eternal Flame was shared for the first time in its history 77 On June 18 a U S Army honor guard accompanied Irish Minister of State Paul Kehoe T D in a wreath laying ceremony at the Kennedy grave site An Irish Army officer accompanied by an Irish Army honor guard lit a lamp in a metal burner 77 from the Eternal Flame 78 79 The lamp and burner were created by the Bullfinch company which also designed the torches for the 2012 Summer Olympics torch relay 77 The spark traveled back to Ireland aboard a special Aer Lingus flight accompanied by Kehoe Irish Army personnel and a delegation from the New Ross Town Council 78 The spark arrived at Dublin Airport on June 20 where Kehoe transferred the flame to Colonel Brendan Delaney Delaney transferred the flame to officers of the Irish Naval Service The flame was taken by the Naval vessel LE Orla P41 80 which traversed the Irish Sea and sailed up the River Barrow to New Ross 78 the town which John F Kennedy s great grandfather emigrated from in 1848 77 On June 22 several Irish Special Olympians carried the flame from the Orla to a ceremony at the Kennedy Homestead Taoiseach Enda Kenny Jean Kennedy Smith and Caroline Kennedy used the burner to jointly light an Emigrant Flame in an iron globe to mark the 50th anniversary of Kennedy s trip to Ireland The Emigrant Flame is now the centerpiece of the expanded homestead visitor center 79 Four days later the flame went out but was reignited with fire from the miner s lamps that were lit at Arlington 81 Cultural influence EditImmediately after Kennedy s burial the grave and Eternal Flame were being visited by 50 000 people per day 9 More than 16 million people visited the site in its first three years 82 In 1971 the grave attracted more than 7 million people 83 1964 5 cent U S postal stamp depicting the Eternal Flame The presence of the grave also boosted attendance at Arlington National Cemetery Kennedy s funeral had been televised live with 93 percent of all American homes watching 84 Satellites beamed the proceedings to another 23 countries where another 600 million viewers watched 84 The television coverage transformed Arlington National Cemetery from a quiet veterans cemetery into one of the Washington area s most popular tourist attractions 83 Average yearly attendance rose from 1 million people in 1962 to 9 million in the first six months of 1964 83 In 1964 the United States Post Office Department used an image of the Eternal Flame on a five cent official postage stamp issued to commemorate the assassinated president 85 The stamp also used the words And the glow from that fire can truly light the world an excerpt from Kennedy s inaugural address 85 The Kennedy Eternal Flame has also attracted some unwanted attention as well The leader of a group protesting segregation in housing was briefly detained at the grave site in August 1967 after attempting to lead a group of protesters in the singing of America the Beautiful 86 A mentally ill individual attempted to throw red paint on the grave in August 1971 87 A 23 year old Army veteran committed suicide at the grave in 1972 by plunging a knife into his chest 83 The cross and the headstone marking Robert F Kennedy s grave were stolen in 1981 and never recovered 88 In December 1982 an intoxicated Salvadoran immigrant broke into the cemetery at night and knelt before the Eternal Flame He experienced a fatal heart attack and fell into the flame 83 89 In 1997 thieves pried loose one of the paving stones from the terrace in front of the Eternal Flame and attempted to make off with it They gave up after realizing the 500 pound 230 kg stone was too heavy to move 90 See also EditState funeral of John F Kennedy List of memorials to John F Kennedy Presidential memorials in the United StatesFootnotes EditNotes In 1955 Arlington National Cemetery stopped using gravediggers and mechanized the grave digging process by purchasing a Trench Master light backhoe 22 23 Cemetery worker Clifton Pollard used the backhoe to dig Kennedy s grave on Sunday November 24 24 25 The Washington Wilbert Vault Works of Rockville Maryland provided the burial vault 26 a 3 000 pound 1 400 kg Copper Triune double reinforced copper lined concrete vault 26 27 The graveside service ended at 3 15 PM 30 the burial vault was sealed either with an epoxy 26 or tar 31 and Kennedy s coffin and burial vault lowered into the earth at 3 32 PM 30 The grave was then filled with earth 30 Citations Brown John Carl Warnecke Dies at 91 Designed Kennedy Gravesite Washington Post April 23 2010 Grimes John Carl Warnecke Architect to Kennedy Dies at 91 New York Times April 22 2010 a b c d e Levy Kennedy s Body Moved to Final Grave Washington Post March 16 1967 Selverstone Marc J 4 October 2016 John F Kennedy Death of the President millercenter org Charlottesville Virginia Miller Center of Public Affairs University of Virginia Retrieved September 13 2019 Raymond President s Body Will Lie In State New York Times November 23 1963 a b c Hamblin Mrs Kennedy s Decisions Shaped All the Solemn Pageantry Life December 6 1963 Robertson Thousands Expected to Pay Respects at Grave New York Times November 22 1964 a b Moeller and Weeks AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington D C 2006 p 334 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Von Eckardt Kennedy Monument Classic in Simplicity Washington Post November 17 1964 a b c d Hilty Robert Kennedy Brother Protector 2000 p 484 a b c Johnston The Truth About Patriotism 2007 p 169 Matthews Kennedy amp Nixon The Rivalry That Shaped Postwar America 1997 pp 242 43 a b Bugliosi Four Days in November The Assassination of President John F Kennedy 2007 pp 502 03 Gormley and Henderson Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Friend of the Arts 2002 pp 142 43 Pierson Camelot and the Cultural Revolution How the Assassination of John F Kennedy Shattered American Liberalism 2007 p 197 a b c Matthews Kennedy amp Nixon The Rivalry that Shaped Postwar America 1997 pp 242 42 a b Stockland The Assassination of John F Kennedy 2008 p 81 Eternal Flame at Arlington Will Be only Temporary Setup New York Times November 26 1963 Eternal Flame to Burn Over Grave of Kennedy Washington Post November 26 1963 Wilson Engineer Memoirs Lieutenant General Walter K Wilson Jr May 1984 pp 194 96 a b c d e f Raymond Arlington Assigns Plot of Three Acres To Kennedy Family New York Times December 6 1963 a b Pearson LBJ A Chair Mover Not A Chair Warmer Nevada Daily Mail March 25 1964 Smith Grace and Power The Private World of the Kennedy White House 2006 p 511 a b c d e Fence Installed Near Grave United Press International November 26 1963 Atkinson 2007 p 27 sfn error no target CITEREFAtkinson2007 help Woestendiek John September 14 2003 On Behalf of a Grateful Country The Baltimore Sun Retrieved October 26 2016 Breslin Jimmy November 26 1963 It s an Honor New York Herald Tribune Retrieved October 26 2016 Shapiro T Rees Langer Emily November 23 2013 Arlington caretaker Clifton Pollard It was an honor to prepare JFK s grave The Washington Post Retrieved October 26 2016 a b c Leung Shirley October 14 1994 The Cadillac of Vaults The Baltimore Sun Retrieved October 26 2016 Bugliosi 2007 p 181 sfn error no target CITEREFBugliosi2007 help a b c d e Wainwright A Visit to the Grave Life February 14 1964 p 15 a b Bzdek The Kennedy Legacy Jack Bobby and Ted and a Family Dream Fulfilled 2009 p 111 a b c Bugliosi 2007 p 313 sfn error no target CITEREFBugliosi2007 help Select Committee on Assassinations 1979 pp 31 32 Pottker Janet and Jackie The Story of a Mother and Her Daughter Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis 2001 pp 229 31 a b c Clopton Mrs Kennedy to Discuss Tomb Washington Post November 30 1963 Mrs Kennedy Chooses an Architect to Design Husband s Tomb New York Times November 30 1963 Flame at Kennedy Grave Studied by Army Engineers New York Times November 29 1963 a b Army Tacitly Approves Eternal Flame at Grave New York Times December 4 1963 a b c Artists At Odds On Kennedy Job New York Times October 7 1964 a b Kennedy Tomb Design to Be Revealed in Nov Washington Post October 10 1964 a b c Robertson Tomb for Kennedy Is of Simple Design New York Times November 14 1964 a b c d e f g h Von Eckardt JFK Grave Design Combines Past Present Washington Post November 22 1964 a b c d Congress Gets 1 77 Million Request For Permanent JFK Resting Place Washington Post February 9 1965 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Robertson The Kennedy Tomb Simple Design Outlined New York Times November 17 1964 a b c d e f g h i Huxtable Design Dilemma The Kennedy Grave New York Times November 29 1964 a b c d e f g h Robertson First Stones Placed At Permanent Site Of Kennedy Grave New York Times April 12 1966 a b c d e 3 Changes Made In Original Design Of Kennedy Grave New York Times March 17 1967 a b c d e f g h i j Von Eckardt A Critical Look at the Kennedy Grave Washington Post March 26 1967 Von Eckardt Kennedy Grave s Design Lauded By Architects and Art Experts Washington Post November 18 1964 Wilson Engineer Memoirs Lieutenant General Walter K Wilson Jr May 1984 p 196 Casey and Diggins Mourners Keep Vigil on Green Slope Where Kennedy Lies in Arlington Washington Post November 27 1963 a b President John Fitzgerald Kennedy Monument and Memorials Visitor Information Arlington National Cemetery no date Atkinson Arlington Cemetery National Geographic June 2007 a b c d e Dewar Contract for Memorial At Kennedy s Grave Let Washington Post July 17 1965 a b c Hunter Thousands Visit Kennedy s Grave New York Times November 23 1965 a b c d e Semple Johnson at Grave With the Kennedys New York Times March 16 1967 a b c d e New Kennedy Gravesite Readied for Reburials Washington Post November 21 1965 a b O Keefe Ed Memorable Words Becoming More Visible Washington Post October 29 2010 JFK s Reburial Due by Nov 22 Washington Post October 18 1966 Kennedy Grave Ready in 1967 Washington Post October 19 1966 a b Bodies of Kennedy Children Are Moved To Permanent Grave New York Times March 15 1967 Select Committee on Assassinations 1979 p 32 a b Heymann Bobby and Jackie A Love Story 2009 p 16 Moore The Green Berets The Amazing Story of the U S Army s Elite Special Forces Unit 2007 p 9 Military Hats Banished At JFK Grave Washington Post April 18 1967 a b Coonerty and Highsmith Etched in Stone Enduring Words From Our Nation s Monuments 2007 p 45 a b c d Reed Mourners Mark the Death of Robert Kennedy New York Times June 7 1969 Robert Kennedy s Body Now at Permanent Site United Press International December 2 1971 McCardle Dorothy Paths for the Handicapped at Kennedy Grave Sites Washington Post June 27 1971 Heyman American Legacy The Story of John and Caroline Kennedy 2007 pp 391 92 Ruane Kennedy s Arlington Burial Will Continue a Family Legacy Washington Post August 29 2009 Broder and Wheaton Kennedy Laid to Rest After Day of Honor New York Times August 29 2009 a b McCall Ash 3 September 2011 Natural Treasure Lost at Arlington National Cemetery armylive dodlive mil ArmyLive Archived from the original on 12 December 2012 Retrieved 26 September 2011 Cronk Terri Moon Arlington National Cemetery Plants Saplings to Honor Troops American Forces Press Service April 27 2012 Archived July 14 2012 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 2012 05 07 Eternal Flames Honoring Soldiers Burn On Despite Cost Associated Press May 28 2001 a b Eternal Flame Thanks Fenwal Controls Product Design amp Development January 11 2010 Bloodgood Patrick Kennedy Flame to Receive Upgrades US Army February 4 2013 accessed 2013 04 17 Doren Jenny John F Kennedy Eternal Flame Scheduled for Upgrades WJLA com February 25 2013 Archived January 28 2015 at the Wayback Machine accessed 2013 04 17 Kennedy Flame Getting Upgrades United Press International February 6 2013 accessed 2013 04 17 New Burner Installed for Eternal Flame at the President John F Kennedy Gravesite Norfolk District U S Army Corps of Engineers May 17 2013 Accessed 2013 06 23 Kennedy Flame Put Out Accidentally by Pupils Associated Press December 11 1963 Kennedy Grave Flame Extinguished by Rain Associated Press August 30 1967 a b c d Byrne Luke Kennedy s US Eternal Flame Will Light New Monument Here Irish Independent June 13 2013 Accessed 2013 06 23 a b c Walsh Jane The Emigrant Flame From Graveside of John F Kennedy En Route to New Ross Town IrishCentral com June 21 2013 Accessed 2013 06 23 a b Kennedys Ireland Recall 50th Anniversary of JFK Visit With Eternal Flame Parade Concert Associated Press June 22 2013 Accessed 2013 06 23 Flame From JFK s Graveside on Its Way to New Ross Co Wexford RTE News June 20 2013 Accessed 2013 06 23 Johnston Ian Not So Eternal Flame JFK Linked Memorial Goes Out NBC News June 28 2013 Accessed 2013 010 01 Atkinson Where Valor Rests Arlington National Cemetery 2007 p 31 a b c d e Carlson Stone Cold Somber Washington Post May 25 1997 a b Otinofski Television 2007 p 53 Edgerton The Columbia History of American Television 2007 pp 203 04 a b Lidman Kennedy Stamp Design Shown New York Times May 4 1964 The police seized him because they wanted to maintain respectful quiet at the site but immediately released the individual See Kennedy s Grave Is Site of Scuffle In Rights Protest New York Times August 21 1967 Paint Tossed At JFK Grave Suspect Held Washington Post August 31 1971 Robert Kennedy s Grave Loses Marker to Thieves Associated Press December 28 1981 Man Found at Grave Died of Heart Attack Washington Post December 7 1982 Poole p 256 Bibliography Edit Army Tacitly Approves Eternal Flame at Grave New York Times December 4 1963 Artists At Odds On Kennedy Job New York Times October 7 1964 Atkinson Rick Arlington Cemetery National Geographic June 2007 Atkinson Rick Where Valor Rests Arlington National Cemetery Washington D C National Geographic Society 2007 Bodies of Kennedy Children Are Moved To Permanent Grave New York Times March 15 1967 Broder John M and Wheaton Sarah Kennedy Laid to Rest After Day of Honor New York Times August 29 2009 Brown Emma John Carl Warnecke Dies at 91 Designed Kennedy Gravesite Washington Post April 23 2010 Bugliosi Vincent Four Days in November The Assassination of President John F Kennedy New York W W Norton amp Co 2007 Bzdek Vincent The Kennedy Legacy Jack Bobby and Ted and a Family Dream Fulfilled New York Palgrave Macmillan 2009 Carlson Peter Stone Cold Somber Washington Post May 25 1997 Casey Phil and Diggins Peter S Mourners Keep Vigil on Green Slope Where Kennedy Lies in Arlington Washington Post November 27 1963 Clopton Willard Mrs Kennedy to Discuss Tomb Washington Post November 30 1963 Congress Gets 1 77 Million Request For Permanent JFK Resting Place Washington Post February 9 1965 Coonerty Ryan and Highsmith Carol M Etched in Stone Enduring Words From Our Nation s Monuments Washington D C National Geographic 2007 Dewar Helen Contract for Memorial At Kennedy s Grave Let Washington Post July 17 1965 Edgerton Gary R The Columbia History of American Television New York Columbia University Press 2007 Eternal Flame at Arlington Will Be only Temporary Setup New York Times November 26 1963 Eternal Flame Thanks Fenwal Controls Product Design amp Development January 11 2010 Eternal Flame to Burn Over Grave of Kennedy Washington Post November 26 1963 Eternal Flames Honoring Soldiers Burn On Despite Cost Associated Press May 28 2001 Fence Installed Near Grave United Press International November 26 1963 Flame at Kennedy Grave Studied by Army Engineers New York Times November 29 1963 Gormley Beatrice and Henderson Meryl Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Friend of the Arts Paperback ed New York Simon and Schuster 2002 Grimes William John Carl Warnecke Architect to Kennedy Dies at 91 New York Times April 22 2010 Hamblin Dora Jane Mrs Kennedy s Decisions Shaped All the Solemn Pageantry Life December 6 1963 Heyman C David American Legacy The Story of John and Caroline Kennedy New York Simon and Schuster 2007 Heymann C David Bobby and Jackie A Love Story New York Simon and Schuster 2009 Hilty James W Robert Kennedy Brother Protector Philadelphia Temple University Press 2000 Hunter Marjorie Thousands Visit Kennedy s Grave New York Times November 23 1965 Huxtable Ada Louise Design Dilemma The Kennedy Grave New York Times November 29 1964 JFK s Reburial Due by Nov 22 Washington Post October 18 1966 Johnston Steve The Truth About Patriotism Durham N C Duke University Press 2007 Kennedy Flame Put Out Accidentally by Pupils Associated Press December 11 1963 Kennedy Grave Flame Extinguished by Rain Associated Press August 30 1967 Kennedy Grave Ready in 1967 Washington Post October 19 1966 Kennedy Tomb Design to Be Revealed in Nov Washington Post October 10 1964 Kennedy s Grave Is Site of Scuffle In Rights Protest New York Times August 21 1967 Levy Claudia Kennedy s Body Moved to Final Grave Washington Post March 16 1967 Lidman David Kennedy Stamp Design Shown New York Times May 4 1964 Man Found at Grave Died of Heart Attack Washington Post December 7 1982 Matthews Christopher J Kennedy amp Nixon The Rivalry that Shaped Postwar America New York Simon and Schuster 1997 Military Hats Banished At JFK Grave Washington Post April 18 1967 Moeller Gerard Martin and Weeks Christopher AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington D C Baltimore Johns Hopkins University Press 2006 Moore Robin The Green Berets The Amazing Story of the U S Army s Elite Special Forces Unit New York Skyhorse Publishers 2007 Mrs Kennedy Chooses an Architect to Design Husband s Tomb New York Times November 30 1963 New Kennedy Gravesite Readied for Reburials Washington Post November 21 1965 Otinofski Steven Television New York Marshall Cavendish Benchmark 2007 Pearson Drew LBJ A Chair Mover Not A Chair Warmer Nevada Daily Mail March 25 1964 Pierson James Camelot and the Cultural Revolution How the Assassination of John F Kennedy Shattered American Liberalism New York Encounter Books 2007 Poole Robert M On Hallowed Ground The Story of Arlington National Cemetery New York N Y Walker amp Co 2009 Pottker Janice Janet and Jackie The Story of a Mother and Her Daughter Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis New York St Martin s Griffin 2001 President John Fitzgerald Kennedy Monument And Memorials Visitor Information Arlington National Cemetery Raymond Jack Arlington Assigns Plot of Three Acres To Kennedy Family New York Times December 6 1963 Reed Roy Mourners Mark the Death of Robert Kennedy New York Times June 7 1969 Robert Kennedy s Body Now at Permanent Site United Press International December 2 1971 Robert Kennedy s Grave Loses Marker to Thieves Associated Press December 28 1981 Robertson Nan First Stones Placed At Permanent Site Of Kennedy Grave New York Times April 12 1966 Robertson Nan The Kennedy Tomb Simple Design Outlined New York Times November 17 1964 Raymond Jack President s Body Will Lie In State New York Times November 23 1963 Robertson Nan Thousands Expected to Pay Respects at Grave New York Times November 22 1964 Robertson Nan Tomb for Kennedy Is of Simple Design New York Times November 14 1964 Ruane Michael E Kennedy s Arlington Burial Will Continue a Family Legacy Washington Post August 29 2009 Select Committee on Assassinations March 1979 Investigation of the Assassination of President John F Kennedy Appendix to Hearings Volume 7 Medical and Firearms Evidence U S House of Representatives 95th Cong 2d sess Washington D C U S Government Printing Office hdl 2027 pur1 32754062124528 Semple Jr Robert B Johnson at Grave With the Kennedys New York Times March 16 1967 Sherlock Tom Arlington National Cemetery Washington Post May 23 2001 Smith Sally Bedell Grace and Power The Private World of the Kennedy White House New York Ballantine Books 2006 Stockland Patricia M The Assassination of John F Kennedy Edina Minn ABDO Publishing 2008 Success Stories McDonnell Landscape No date Accessed 2010 05 01 3 Changes Made In Original Design Of Kennedy Grave New York Times March 17 1967 Von Eckardt Wolf A Critical Look at the Kennedy Grave Washington Post March 26 1967 Von Eckardt Wolf JFK Grave Design Combines Past Present Washington Post November 22 1964 Von Eckardt Wolf Kennedy Monument Classic in Simplicity Washington Post November 17 1964 Von Eckardt Wolf Kennedy Grave s Design Lauded By Architects and Art Experts Washington Post November 18 1964 Wainwright Loudon A Visit to the Grave Life February 14 1964 Wilson Jr Walter K Engineer Memoirs Lieutenant General Walter K Wilson Jr Publication Number EP 870 1 8 Washington D C U S Army Corps of Engineers U S Government Printing Office May 1984 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to John F Kennedy Eternal Flame John F Kennedy Eternal Flame 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