May 31, 2021 – The highways and byways are busy this weekend. The American Automobile Association (AAA) estimates 37 million people will drive 50 or more miles from their home for the holiday (May 27-31). And millions of people will fire up their grills, probably multiple times, over the long Memorial Day weekend. It’s the unofficial start of summer. At Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia and at military cemeteries here and abroad, there are tens of thousands of tombstones of American men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Honoring them is the reason for Memorial Day.

Memorial Day honors fallen soldiers in all wars dating to the American Revolution (1777 on). The wars with the highest number of battle deaths were: World War II (291,557); Civil War (214,938 total: 140,414 Union and 74,524 Confederate); World War I (53,402); and Vietnam (47,434). Tens of thousands of other soldiers died from other causes while serving during these wars. They also gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. The above statistics are from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as of 2019.

Today Arlington National Cemetery covers 634 acres of land. There are more than 400,000 active duty soldiers, veterans, and their families buried there. From 27 to 30 funerals are held each weekday and from six to eight on Saturday.

Charles Young (1864-1933) is buried at Arlington. He was the third African American graduate of West Point and the first African American superintendent of a national park. Before the National Park Service was established in 1916, the U.S. Army operated national parks. Col. Young was a career U.S. Army officer. Young left a lasting legacy for all youth advising them to be confident in all they do.

Elaine Danforth Harmon, WASP (1919-2015)
In 2016, Elaine Danforth Harmon, a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) during World War II, was interred at Arlington after her family lobbied to amend a law to be able to honor Elaine’s wish to be buried at Arlington. During World War II, WASP did not have military status. In June 1944, Congress failed to pass a bill that would have granted them military status, the same month the D-Day invasion took place along the coast of Normandy. WASP were considered civilians who ferried military planes throughout the United States for the U.S. Army Air Corps.

In December 1944, the WASP as a unit was disbanded. The women paid their own way to return home.

It took until 1977 for WASP to be granted veterans benefits. They were considered active military “under all laws administered by the Veterans Administration.” Elaine assumed that meant she would be able to be buried at Arlington, a wish she wrote in documents kept in her safe. But just a few weeks before Elaine died on April 21, 2015, the U.S. Army issued a rule that WASP could not be buried in Arlington. Since the U.S. Army manages Arlington, they set the rules for burials. The status of WASP in the VA was a different matter.

Erin Miller, Elaine’s granddaughter, and her family were shocked to learn of the rule change that would prohibit their beloved “Gammy” from being buried at Arlington. When a pilot dies, it’s called his or her  “final flight.” Now Erin had a “final fight” to honor Elaine’s service and to make sure surviving WASP could be interred at Arlington if they wished.

Almost 18 months later after Erin and her family spent thousands of hours lobbying Congress and posting to social media to raise awareness of the issue, Elaine’s ashes were interred at Arlington. One family was able to convince Congress to amend the 1977 law to allow WASP to be interred at Arlington. The story is told beautifully in the book, Final Flight, Final Fight by Erin Miller, published in 2019.

History of Arlington National Cemetery
The first soldiers were buried at Arlington during the Civil War in 1864 before the war ended. General Robert E. Lee, a Confederate general, lived in a house on the property but vacated the home in 1861 at the beginning of the war.

The Union constructed three forts on the property to defend the nation’s capital.

Soon 200 acres of land in Arlington were set aside for a cemetery. The first burial took place there on May 13, 1864. Arlington National Cemetery was officially established on June 15, 1864 by the War Department. It is still operated today by the U.S. Army.

Three years after the war ended in 1865, the first large observance of Decoration Day (now Memorial Day) was held at Arlington, a tradition that continues to this day and at thousands of cemeteries across the country.

Enjoy the holiday while remembering the reason for the three-day weekend.

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Where is Arlington National Cemetery?

2. When did it begin as a cemetery? What was it before it became a cemetery?

3. When was the first Memorial Day observed?

4. What is the reason for Memorial Day?

5. What were the WASP?

6. What did Erin Miller have to do to have her beloved “Gammy,” a WASP, buried at Arlington as she wished?

INQUIRY QUESTIONS

1. How does this story prove that one person and one family can make a difference?

2. Why didn’t the 1977 law give Elaine the right to be buried at Arlington? What was the nuance that allowed the U.S. Army to change the rules?

3. How would you describe Erin’s commitment to her Gammy and to all WASP? Write an essay.