1 month ago
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(NewsNation) — Section 60 astatine Arlington National Cemetery is hallowed ground, wherever much than 1,000 U.S. soldiers from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are buried.
It's besides wherever loved ones permission mementos astatine their graves. Arlington antecedently had a longstanding argumentation of considering items near connected authorities spot abandoned, yet discarding them.
But families, peculiarly those who returned frequently, were upset the items were removed.
In 2009, the policy was changed for Section 60, and immoderate of the items person been preserved by the cemetery.
"One of the almighty things astir the Section 60 memorial collection, successful my opinion, is it not conscionable tells america thing astir the work subordinate that was killed and is interred here," said Steve Carney, bid historiographer astatine Arlington.
"I deliberation it besides tells america astir conscionable however Americans are grieving this, this, you cognize play of aggravated nonaccomplishment that started connected Sept. 11 of 2001 and, you know, surely lasted astatine slightest the archetypal 15 years of this century," Carney added.
As of February 2024, the United States had mislaid 7,085 subject members in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to USA Facts.
"I deliberation they permission these mementos arsenic their mode to grieve their nonaccomplishment and amusement a precise idiosyncratic interaction and remembrance for their work member," said Bob Quackenbush, the cemetery's lawman main of staff.
Mementos near down see quilts, photos, subject patches and insignia — and idiosyncratic items reflecting the interests of often-young subject members.
"Types of items that were near by friends oregon household members of the fallen would beryllium thing that would, you know, benignant of absorption connected their puerility interests ... Avengers oregon different types of enactment figures were precise common," Carney said.
Cemetery officials accidental successful the past decade, acold less items person been near astatine the graves.
They speculate that arsenic radical processed their grief, the request to permission carnal reminders of their loved ones receded, adjacent though the nonaccomplishment remains
