Stones with the word

Stones with the word "hero" written on them lay on a grave stone in Section 60 of the Arlington National Cemetary in Virginia. Photo / AP.

WASHINGTON: Estimates of the number of graves that might be affected by mix-ups at Arlington National Cemetery grew from hundreds to as many as 6600 yesterday, as the United States cemetery's former superintendent blamed his staff and a lack of resources for a scandal that forced his ousting.

John Metzler, who ran the historic military burial ground for 19 years, said he accepted "full responsibility" for the problems.

But Metzler also denied some of the findings by Army investigators and suggested cemetery employees and poor technology were to blame for remains that may have been misidentified or misplaced. He said the system used to track grave sites relied mostly on a complicated paper trail vulnerable to error.

The cemetery for veterans and war dead ranging from the 1860s Civil War to Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts includes the graves of dignitaries such as President John F. Kennedy.

- AP