It is quite a thing to see. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
I’ve only been there once, but it was extraordinary and moving. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a monument dedicated to deceased U.S. service members whose remains have not been identified. It is located in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, United States.
The tomb was conceived shortly after the end of World War I when many American soldiers remained buried in Europe. Sadly, their remains were left there, unidentified.
But then, on this date, On October 24, 1921, in the French town of Chalons-sur-Marne, an American sergeant selected the body of the first “Unknown Soldier” to be honored.
Here is how it went. Four bodies were transported to Chalons from the cemeteries of Aisne-Marne, Somme, Meuse-Argonne, and Saint-Mihiel. All of those locations were significant WWI battlegrounds. The identities of the bodies were completely unknown, other than they were Americans.
The four bodies arrived at the Hotel de Ville in Chalons-sur-Marne on October 23, 1921. At 10 o’clock the next morning, French and American officials entered a hall where the four caskets were displayed, each draped with an American flag.
The man given the task of making the selection was named Sergeant Edward Younger. He walked into the hall carrying a spray of white roses to mark the chosen casket.
According to the official account, Younger “entered the chamber in which the bodies of the four Unknown Soldiers lay, circled the caskets three times, then silently placed the flowers on the third casket from the left. He faced the body, stood at attention, and saluted.”
The casket and soldier were transported back to the United States and buried in that now-famous tomb in Arlington National Cemetery.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was dedicated on November 11, 1921, Armistice Day, which commemorates the end of World War I. The Unknown Soldier from World War I lies underneath the large sarcophagus. World War II and Korean War unidentified service members lie in two crypts in front of the sarcophagus. An empty third crypt represents missing service members from Vietnam.
Since that time, the tomb has been guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, by members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as “The Old Guard.” The Sentinels, also called Tomb Guards, are chosen for this post only after rigorous training and a demanding series of examinations. The process is prestigious and highly selective. This is obvious when you see them carrying out their duties.
There is a changing of the guard ceremony that takes place every hour on the hour from October 1 through March 31, and every half hour from April 1 through September 30. These days, the Tomb is a popular tourist destination, and over 5 million people visit it each year.
A part of our history honored.
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It is not titles that honor men, but men that honor titles.
— Niccolo Machiavelli
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Who sows virtue reaps honor.
— Leonardo da Vinci
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It is not our purpose to become each other; it is to recognize each other, to learn to see the other and honor him for what he is.
— Hermann Hesse
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The Tomb and how it came to be
