Five years ago I completed a personal goal of visiting the graves of all 410 Medal of Honor recipients interred or memorialized at Arlington National Cemetery. As of this post, that number now stands at 420 – and today I came back to reclaim that goal.
On April 13, 2022 the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced the remains of WWII recipient Addison Baker’s remains had been identified. For 79 years he lay in an unknown gravesite at Ploiesti, Romania where he was killed during the infamous Operation Tidal Wave. Baker was buried at Arlington in late 2022.
A short walk from Baker’s grave rest another hero of WWII. At just 20 years old, James R. Ward refused the order to abandon his ship, the USS Oklahoma, which would capsize after suffering several hits from Japanese torpedoes while docked at Pearl Harbor. Sacrificing his life so others may live, Ward jumped in a turret and positioned a light, guiding others trying to escape as they navigated through billowing black smoke. Ward’s remains were brought to Arlington four days before Christmas in 2023.
In total today, I visited some 300 graves belonging to men and women whose stories I hope to one day be able to share. As the sun began setting and the cemetery was set to close, I made my last stop at a name many likely never knew until a week ago – myself included.
On January 3, 2025 at a White House ceremony, Captain Hugh R. Nelson was posthumously awarded the MOH for using his body to shield a wounded comrade from enemy gun fire. By giving his life, the wounded soldier was able to signal supporting aircraft, which ultimately saved three others. Nelson’s daughter accepted the medal on her father’s behalf.
Pine needles were still present at Nelson’s grave from the annual Wreaths Across America event. I can’t help but wonder if the person who laid his wreath knew what he did. Next year’s wreath will be placed against a new headstone – one with gold leaf lettering and the nation’s highest military award for valor etched on it. And all will know.
