The gates were constructed in 1932 as part of the construction of the Hemicycle now the Women in Military Service to America Memorial and Memorial Drive, which linked Arlington`s new main gate to the Arlington Memorial Bridge and the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Each gate consists of four granite pillars trending southwest-to-northeast. The southwesternmost pillar connects with the retaining wall that forms the Hemicycle. The gate itself is between the second and third pillars, while black wrought iron fences connect the outermost pillars to the innermost ones. A fifth pillar is set inward toward Memorial Drive from the northwesternmost pillar, and is connected to the fourth pillar by a black wrought iron fence. The two innermost pillars are topped by granite eagles, while the other three are topped by funeral urns.
Gold gilded lamps top the hinge of each gate. On each gate, front and back, are two gold wreaths 30 inches in diameter. Each wreath cradles the shield of one of the U.S. Department of War as well as the armed services that existed in 1932. On the Roosevelt Gate, these are the United States Marine Corps and United States Army. The United States Air Force did not exist until 1947. Each gate is divided into 13 sections by wrought iron fasces, and above six of the sections are iron spikes topped by gold stars.
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