A crowd including military leaders, members of Congress, Army Green Berets and honor guard members stand and salute during the playing of the National Anthem at Arlington National Cemetery, where a wreath-laying ceremony was held Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, to commemorate former President John F. Kennedy’s contributions to Special Forces. The ceremony took place at Arlington’s Eternal Flame, a memorial at JFK’s grave site. The former president was assassinated six decades ago on Nov. 22, 1963. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, Va. — The eternal flame was burning strong as a contingent of Army Green Berets descended on Arlington National Cemetery to pay homage to former President John F. Kennedy.
Wednesday’s tribute, three days before Veterans Day, came six decades after Kennedy was assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963, and was in keeping with an annual pilgrimage members of the 1st Special Forces Command make to honor Kennedy’s legacy.
During the wreath-laying portion of the ceremony, Command Sgt. Maj. David Waldo, the senior enlisted leader of the 1st SF command, removed his beret and placed it on the pavement at Kennedy’s gravesite a few feet from the burning flame.
Army Green Berets and honor guard members salute at Arlington National Cemetery, where a wreath-laying ceremony was held Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, to commemorate former President John F. Kennedy’s contributions to Special Forces. The ceremony took place at Arlington’s Eternal Flame, a memorial at JFK’s gravesite. The former president was assassinated six decades ago on Nov. 22, 1963. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Command Sgt. Maj. David Waldo, the senior enlisted leader of the 1st Special Forces Command, kneels as he places his beret on the pavement at the gravesite of former President John F. Kennedy during a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Army Green Berets stand at attention beside the John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame at Arlington National Cemetery, where a token green beret cover was placed during a wreath-laying ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, to commemorate JFK’s contributions to Special Forces. The former president was assassinated six decades ago on Nov. 22, 1963. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Taps is played on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, at Arlington National Cemetery, where Army Green Berets held a wreath laying ceremony to commemorate former President John F. Kennedy’s contributions to Special Forces. The ceremony took place at Arlington’s Eternal Flame, a memorial at JFK’s gravesite. The former president was assassinated six decades ago on Nov. 22, 1963. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
Attending a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, are from left, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Felix Mosqueda, Command Chief Warrant Officer for 1st Special Forces Command; Command Sergeant Major David Waldo, senior enlisted leader for 1st Special Forces Command; U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Ga.; Sen. Markwayne Mulin, R-Okla.; Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, daughter of Robert Kennedy, niece of John F. Kennedy; Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth; Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro; Big. Gen Lawrence Ferguson, Commanding General 1st Special Forces Command; Maj. Gen. Patrick Roberson, Deputy Commanding General U.S. Army Special Operations Command. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
The beret placed at the gravesite and the presence of the special forces members is seen as a type of reenactment of the funeral ceremony held 60 years ago when the Kennedy family asked that Green Berets join the honor guard at the funeral.
It was at that funeral that then-Command Sgt. Maj. Francis Ruddy removed his beret and placed it on Kennedy’s grave, a tradition that has continued since.
Kennedy holds a special place of honor among the Army’s special forces in that he authorized in 1961 the green beret as their official headgear. Since then, those elite warriors of the U.S. military have been known as the Green Berets.
