John C. Metzler (May 8, 1909 – May 25, 1990) was the superintendent of

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia. ...

Arlington, Virginia Arlington County, or simply Arlington, is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Virginia. The county is located in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from Washington, D.C., the nati ...

from 1951 to 1972. Previously, he was a

sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...

in the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Career

The availability of land in Arlington National Cemetery has been an issue for many years. In 1966, Metzler nearly doubled the size of Arlington National Cemetery by expanding the grounds. He added approximately to the original . He also worked to maximize space by inventing a "tiered" burial system; wherein, spouses of deceased individuals are placed in the same plot, but at a different level underground. Though Metzler administered numerous burials of distinguished people, he is most notable for helping preside over the funerals of

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...

in 1963 and

Robert F. Kennedy Robert Francis Kennedy (November 20, 1925 – June 6, 1968), also known as RFK, was an American politician and lawyer. He served as the 64th United States attorney general from January 1961 to September 1964, and as a U.S. senator from New Yo ...

in 1968. During John F. Kennedy's funeral, Metzler presented Kennedy's widow,

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American writer, book editor, and socialite who served as the first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A popular f ...

, the folded interment flag from JFK's casket. Metzler was instrumental in choosing the final resting place for the late President. Metzler also presided over the burials of the Unknown Soldiers of World War II and the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

. He is quoted as saying: "I will tell each person what I have told others in the past—that exactly who the men on the hill are is not as important as the fact that they are there. Being there, they are not only representative of other men who died unknown, but of all men who have fought for America. For that reason, they belong to all of us." – May 1958. As a United States veteran with service during World War II, Metzler is buried in the cemetery which he administered for over twenty years.

Family

* John C. Metzler's son, John C. Metzler Jr., grew up in the cemetery and was its superintendent from 1991 to 2010. Metzler Jr. helped preside over the burial of JFK's widow, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, in 1994. Due to a controversy over mismanagement at Arlington National Cemetery, he was issued a letter of reprimand on June 10, 2010."McHugh Strengthens Management, Oversight at Arlington National Cemetery."
Press release. United States Army. United States Department of Defense. June 10, 2010.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Metzler, John C. Sr. 1909 births 1990 deaths People from Brooklyn United States Army soldiers Military personnel from New York City United States Army personnel of World War II Arlington National Cemetery John F. Kennedy Robert F. Kennedy People from Merritt Island, Florida Burials at Arlington National Cemetery