Ted Kennedy Joins His Brothers at Arlington National Cemetery
Aug 29th, 2009 | 15 responses
As I am writing this, Senator Edward M. Kennedy is being laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
He joins his two slain brothers, John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy.
In fact, Senator Kennedy is being buried only a short distance from where his brothers are buried, and where an eternal flame lights the graves not only of the former president and the former First Lady, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, but also the graves of their baby son, Patrick Bouvier Kennedy—who died after two days—and an unnamed stillborn daughter.
There is, of course, a lot of history, tradition and honor at and about Arlington National Cemetery
The Home Page of the Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) official web site has this introduction:
For the almost four million people who visit annually, Arlington National Cemetery represents many different things. For some, it is a chance to walk among headstones that chronicle American history; for many, it is an opportunity to remember and honor the nation’s war heroes; and for others, it is a place to say a last farewell during funeral services for a family member or friend.
The grave site of the members of the Kennedy family have brought added interest—and visitors—to the Cemetery.
President John F. Kennedy was buried in Arlington National Cemetery on November 25, 1963. Within three years, more than 16 million people had visited his gravesite. To better accommodate the large number of visitors, cemetery officials and Kennedy family members decided to create a more suitable site. The final resting place was completed on 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 3.2 acre site is located on the slope below Arlington House. For the gravesite, the family selected irregular Cape Cod granite paving stones, which had been quarried in 1817 from near the president’s home. Clover and sedum were planted in the crevices to recall a natural Massachusetts field setting.
The entire site 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.
At the wish of Mrs. Kennedy, an eternal flame, inspired by the one in Paris that marks the French Unknown Soldier, sits at the head of the grave.
On June 8, 1968, Robert Kennedy was buried alongside his brother. Because of a delay, the funeral service had to be postponed until late at night, so 1500 candles were distributed to the mourners. This is the only time a funeral service has taken place at night at Arlington National Cemetery.
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
This evening, the man who 41 years ago said the following unforgettable words about one of his brothers, Bobby Kennedy, is joining him and his eldest brother, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, at that very same gravesite.
My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it.
Thought you would like to know.
Note:
Senator Edward Kennedy is eligible for burial at Arlington National Cemetery because he was a former member of the armed services. He served as a private first class in the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged in 1953. Other sources say his eligibility also stems from his tenure as a U.S. Senator.
For rules of eligibility for internment at the Arlington National Cemetery, please go to “A Guide to Burial at Arlington National Cemetery.”
15 Responses to “Ted Kennedy Joins His Brothers at Arlington National Cemetery”
[...] In fact, Senator Kennedy is being buried only a short distance from where his brothers are buried, and where an eternal flame lights the graves not only of the former president and the former First Lady, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, but also the graves of their baby son, Patrick Bouvier Kennedy—who died after two days—and an unnamedRead more at http://themoderatevoice.com/44786/ted-kennedy-joins-his-brothers-at-arlington-national-cemetery/ [...]
[...] In fact, Senator Kennedy is being buried only a short distance from where his brothers are buried, and where an eternal flame lights the graves not only of the former president and the former First Lady, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, but also the graves of their baby son, Patrick Bouvier Kennedy—who died after two days—and an unnamedRead more at http://themoderatevoice.com/44786/ted-kennedy-joins-his-brothers-at-arlington-national-cemetery/ [...]
In God we trusth and we know Ted Kennedy now is on the right side of his died brothers Robert and Jhon.
We pray for his soul and eternal rest, “requiem in aeternm glorie, amén”.
jrlaion@hotmail.com
[...] Excerpt from: Ted Kennedy Joins His Brothers at Arlington National Cemetery – The Moderate Voice [...]
[...] In fact, Senator Kennedy is being buried only a short distance from where his brothers are buried, and where an eternal flame lights the graves not only of the former president and the former First Lady, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, but also the graves of their baby son, Patrick Bouvier Kennedy—who died after two days—and an unnamedRead more at http://themoderatevoice.com/44786/ted-kennedy-joins-his-brothers-at-arlington-national-cemetery/ [...]
Sad to see Kennedy buried alongside true heros of our nation. He gets the honor because he got elected and Congress voted itself that priviledge for its veterans and because served as an honor guard in Paris rather than in Korea because his daddy had connections. He climbed the matterhorn while other soldiers fought and died.
Senator Kennedy was a great man from probably the greatest American family that ever lived. We should build a memorial to him and to his family. No family has given more.
Leonidas:
Senator Kennedy is eligible for burial at Arlington National Cemetery because he meeets the following eligibility requirement, according to
A Guide to Burial at Arlington National Cemetery
Eligibility for Interment (Ground Burial)
The persons specified below are eligible for ground burial in Arlington National Cemetery. The last period of active duty of former members of the Armed Forces must have ended honorably. Interment may be casketed or cremated remains.
.
Any former member of the Armed Forces who served on active duty (other than for training) and who held any of the following positions:
An elective office of the U.S. Government
Thanks for bringing it up. It was not clear from my post
Thats what I said,
Because daddy got him a job in the army as an honorguard in Paris during a war in Asia, and he got elected.
Not even close. Adultry, Murder, and Rape are not aspects of greatness.
I do pity the rest of that family for having the shame brought on them by the other members. Eunice was a special lady, she is the Kennedy that I truly admire. She did wonders for the special olympics, did not turn her back on her religion to support the political cause of abortion, she remained pro-life. I also have great sympathy for Rose marie who was turned into a vegetable due to her father being embarassed by her mental disability.
You'f probably have to go to the “Manson Family” to find a worse famous American family.
[...] baby son, Patrick Bouvier Kennedy—who died after two days—and an unnamedRead more at http://themoderatevoice.com/44786/ted-kennedy-joins-his-brothers-at-arlington-national-cemetery/ Tags: Eternal, Flame, Hague, Jfk, Kennedy, Ted, ted kennedy gravesite « Bush [...]
That is what I said.
Senator Edward Kennedy was buried at Arlington National Cemetery because he met the eligibility requirements that are set by legislation by the Congress of the United States.
We could simply address the basics.
Worm Food
ARLINGTON, VA — The third and final course of Kennedy Brothers worm food has been served.
What a distasteful, low-life comment, DLS
NEWSWEEK magazine has a weekly feature named “Indignity Index.”
It depicts in graph form, 0 (mildly tacky) to 100 (utterly shameless), its ratings for “dubious public behavior”
This week, the remarks made by writer-editor Andrew Breitwart upon Ted Kennedy's death (remarks that the senator was a “bastard,” “evil” and other words “that NEWSWEEK would have to dash out,”) rated a score of 88 towards the “utterly shameless” side of the graph,
The earlier, more than shameless remarks made in this thread about the “Kennedy Brothers,” had they been made by a public figure, would certainly have flown “off the chart” onto uncharted, disgusting territory.