Overhauled Army Caisson Unit Conducts First Funeral Service at Arlington Following Suspension
Caisson's reintegration into funeral services in Arlington National Ceremony
Soldiers assigned to Caisson Detachment, 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), conduct the inaugural ride of the caisson's limited reintegration into funeral services in Arlington National Ceremony, Arlington, Va., June 2, 2025. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Nathan Winter)
Military.com | By Drew F. Lawrence
Published June 02, 2025 at 5:39pm ET
The dark shapes of seven horses came into view across Section 62 at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday morning, returning to the hallowed grounds the sounds of clopping, huffing and the turn of wheels that had gone virtually unheard there for the last two years.
The Army's Caisson Detachment, a ceremonial horse unit that transports veterans and service members to their final resting places at the cemetery, escorted the remains of a service member who died in 1942 after being captured by the Japanese during World War II.
Pvt. Bernard Curran, who was buried alongside other deceased prisoners of war in "Common Grave 723" in the Philippines, was identified last year by the military, and the ceremony that marked his final return to the U.S. also ended the detachment's hiatus following a massive overhaul of the program after two horses died in 2022 due poor living conditions.
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/06/02/overhauled-army-caisson-unit-conducts-first-funeral-service-arlington-following-suspension.html
