Gardens of Stone - Arlington National Cemetery

Every Memorial Day scores of mourners make an annual pilgrimage to Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery. Located in the Southeast corner of Arlington's sprawling hallowed ground, this ever-growing plot of land is home to much of America's war dead from recent conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Global War on Terror. Section 60 is home to service members from all five branches of the military: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. Family members, friends, and complete strangers travel from around the country to stroll through the sea of white headstones, paying respects, reading names, placing flowers, and leaving behind mementos atop the graven white marble monuments. Throughout the year meaningful items are left atop and around the headstones of fallen military personnel, usually on birthdays or death anniversaries. In the days following Memorial Day and Veterans Day however, the number of mementos left behind grows substantially. From unit insignia, shell casings, roses, and challenge coins, to alcohol, candy bars, and childhood action figures, the items that adorn the headstones often tell a story that the headstone alone cannot. 

SSGT Vincent James Bell

USMC - Nov. 30, 2011 - Afghanistan

LT Donald W. Landin

USN - November 3, 2011 - Vietnam

SSgt. James Michael Malachowski

USMC - March 20, 2011- Afghanistan

SGT Robert G. Tenney Jr.

Army - June 29, 2011 - Iraq

1LT Luke C. Wullenwaber

Army - November 16, 2004 - Iraq

MAJ Thomas Gordon Bostick

Army - July 27, 2007 - Afghanistan

CPO Jason R. Freiwald

Navy SEAL - Sep. 11, 2008 - Afghanistan

SFC Christopher D. Henderson

Army - June 17, 2007 - Afghanistan

LTC Robert D. Slocum

Army - October 8, 2011 - Vietnam

SGT Jeremy M. Campbell

Army - September 11, 2005 - Iraq

SPC Sean R. Cutsforth

Army - Dec. 15, 2010 - Afghanistan

SFC Jonathan Bryant McCain

Army - Nov. 13, 2011 - Afghanistan

PVT Kelly D. Youngblood

Army - February 18, 2007 - Iraq

LCpl Jacob Alexander Meinert

USMC - Jan. 10, 2010 - Afghanistan

CPT Humayun Saqib Muazzam Khan

Army - June 8, 2004 - Iraq

Sgt. Trevor J. Johnson

USMC - Jan. 27, 2009 - Afghanistan

SGT Daniel A. Frazier

Army - Nov. 19, 2009 - Afghanistan

SPC Dylan J. Johnson

Army - June 26, 2011 - Iraq

2LT Peter A. Sohm

USAF - April 17, 2011 - Texas

 Cpl. Kyle Richard Schneider

USMC - June 30, 2011 - Afghanistan

SSG Quadi S. Hudgins

Army - April 2, 2011 - Iraq

Sgt. Scott Lange Kirkpatrick

Army - August 11, 2007 - Iraq

LCpl. David Raymond Baker

USMC - Oct. 20, 2009 - Afghanistan

Cpl. Carlos J. Melendez

USMC - December 19, 2011 - Iraq

GySgt George L. Figone Jr.

USMC - Dec. 12, 2011 - N. Carolina

PFC David H. Sharrett

Army - January 16, 2008 - Iraq

COL Joseph Edward Muckerman II

Army - June 26, 2010 - Vietnam

CPL Michael Avery Pursel

Army - May 6, 2007 - Baqubah, Iraq

SSgt. Javier Ortiz Rivera

USMC - Nov. 16, 2010 - Afghanistan

An undecorated headstone

Arlington National Cemetery

Originally published on the NYTimes Lens blog.

Thanks for looking!

**Photos copyright Luke Sharrett**

Posted by Luke S at 9:36 PM