John C. Metzler

John C. Metzler (May 8, 1909 – May 25, 1990), known as Jack, was the superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia from 1951 to 1972. Previously, he was a Sergeant in the U.S. Army during World War II. 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 190 acres (0.77 km) to the original 200 acres (0.81 km). 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...