Early Edition

Arlington National Cemetery Honors War Dead at Memorial Day Ceremonies

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CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: This Memorial Day holiday kicks off the summer for many; it's also a day for remembering those who'd fought and given their lives for the nation.

And what better location to check on this day than from Arlington National Cemetery.

CNN's Kate Snow is there this morning.

Good morning, Kate.

KATE SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Well, the first official Memorial Day actually happened here at Arlington National Cemetery back in 1868, just a few years after the Civil War had ended. It was originally known as Decoration Day; they came out and decorated the graves with flowers, the graves at that time of the Union soldiers who had fought in the Civil War.

Now, they came back Thursday night this year, as they have for many years now, and decorated each individual grave with something else; with an individual American flag, which they place about a foot in front of each gravestone. There are some 250,000 people buried here at Arlington National Cemetery. It took about 900 Army soldiers about 2 1/2 hours to layout each of those individual flags; they will remain up throughout the rest of today.

Yesterday, there was a very different way of celebrating Memorial Day here in the nation's capital, something called Rolling Thunder, thousands of veterans on motorcycles rolling through the streets of Washington D.C. as they have for the past 13 years. It's known as Rolling Thunder, named after a bombing campaign in Vietnam.

Back here at Arlington National Cemetery, we're preparing for an official ceremony. About four hours from now President Clinton due here for his annual laying of the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. He will also then deliver his annual Memorial Day address.

Kate Snow, CNN live, Arlington National Cemetery.

LIN: Thanks you, Kate.

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