America’s Most Dangerous Grave Resides Just Outside The Nation’s Capital
Spc. Richard Leroy McKinley's grave in Arlington Cemetery is notable for being the only radioactive burial site in the cemetery. He died following a nuclear accident at the National Reactor Testing Station in 1961, where he was exposed to high levels of radiation. McKinley's grave is marked with a warning about the contamination of his body and the restrictions on its removal.
- ▪Richard Leroy McKinley is buried in a double lead-lined casket within a concrete vault.
- ▪He was a victim of the first fatal nuclear accident in America, which occurred in 1961.
- ▪McKinley died at the age of 27, shortly after the explosion, leaving behind a wife and two children.
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Military America’s Most Dangerous Grave Resides Just Outside The Nation’s Capital (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images) Rebeka Zeljko National Correspondent May 25, 2026 9:38 AM ET May 25, 2026 9:38 AM ET Rebeka Zeljko National Correspondent Font Size: const observer = new MutationObserver((mutations) => { const adDivToHide = document.querySelector("#dailycaller_incontent_1"); if (adDivToHide && dc_noads_page) { adDivToHide.classList.add("hide-premium", "hide-free"); observer.disconnect(); console.log("Ad div found and hidden"); } }); observer.observe(document.body, { childList: true, subtree: true }); Spc. Richard Leroy McKinley’s white marble headstone may look like the others in Arlington Cemetery, but his grave serves as a grim reminder of the first fatal nuclear accident in America.
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