The Tomb of the Unknowns: Honoring America’s Fallen Soldiers
On a hill in Arlington Cemetery over looking Washington, D.C., there has been a soldier on guard every minute of every day since 1937. While many places around our Nation’s Capital have security guards, the soldiers on this hill watch over a very unique place. It is the Tomb of the Unknowns, commemorating all the American servicemen and servicewomen whose remains haven’t been identified from World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam.
The Tomb of the Unknowns was created in Arlington on November 11, 1921, when, after Congressional approval the previous spring, the remains of an unknown soldier from World War I were buried in the plaza of the Memorial Amphitheater. The white marble sarcophagus covering the grave wasn’t added over it until April 9, 1932. On the east side of the sarcophagus are three Greek figures representing Peace, Victory and Valor, with the north and south sides having six carved wreaths representing major battles of World War I. Carved into the tomb’s western side is the only inscription on the tomb, reading, “Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God.”
Over time, three other unknown soldiers from World War II, Korea and Vietnam were also buried on the spot, and markers on the ground covered each of their remains. However, due to DNA testing in 1998, the remains of the unknown Vietnam soldier were identified as Air Force 1st Lieutenant Michael Blassie, who died after his plane was shot down over Ad Loc in 1972. His remains were moved from Arlington to Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in his home state of Missouri, and the marker above his grave was changed to read, “Honoring and keeping faith with America's missing servicemen."
Besides the solid but finely crafted marble sarcophagus, visitors often come to see the soldiers guarding the Tomb of the Unknowns. Members of the 3rd United States Infantry, these guards, known as “sentinels,” are carefully selected for the unique honor of guarding the memorial. Of the soldiers who volunteer for the duty, only 20% are accepted, with only an elite few passing all the testing that is required. They work in shifts of 30 minutes during the summer and one hour during the winter, with the shifts extending to two hours when the cemetery is closed. Walking along a long black mat, the soldiers take 21 steps in each direction, with very specific movements required on the turns.
Seeing the highly trained sentinels perform the changing of the guard ceremony is an unforgettable experience during a visit to the Tomb of the Unknowns. Precisely timed and perfectly rehearsed, the ceremony makes clear the honor the sentinels feel for the tomb they are guarding and appreciation for the sacrifices of those unknown American soldiers from all of America’s wars.