Wreath Layings

The gift of flowers at a memorial site is a ritual that occurs around the world, understood in every culture. The floral tributes at funerals bespeak both the beauty and the brevity of life and evoke memories of other days. These sorts of offerings are made each day at Arlington National Cemetery. The most frequent ceremony carried out at Arlington is usually private and intensly emotional Customs for funerals are time honored

The Origin of the 21-Gun Salute

The tradition of saluting can be traced to the Middle Ages practice of placing oneself in an unarmed position and, therefore, in the power of those being honored.

The Origin of the 21-Gun International Salute

All personal salutes may be traced to the prevailing use in earlier days: to ensure that the saluter placed himself in an unarmed position, and virtually in the power of the saluted.

"Flags in"

Each year just prior to Memorial Day weekend, every available soldier in the 3rd U.S. Infantry participates, placing small American flags before each grave marker.

The Origin of "Taps"

During the Civil War, in July 1862, Brig. Gen. Daniel Butterfield whistled a tune and asked the bugler to sound it for him.

Ruffles and Flourishes

Ruffles are played on drums, and flourishes are played on bugles.