History
On March 4, 1921, Congress approved a resolution providing for the burial of an unidentified American soldier, following the custom adopted by other allied countries after World War I. The site was to be the plaza of Arlington National Cemetery’s Memorial Amphitheater, which had been dedicated the previous year.

On Memorial Day, 1921, an unknown was exhumed from each of four cemeteries in France. The remains were placed in identical caskets and assembled at Chalon sur Marne. On Oct. 24, Army Sgt. Edward F. Younger, wounded in combat and highly decorated for valor, selected the Unknown Soldier of World War I by placing a spray of white roses on one of the caskets. Those remaining were interred in the Meuse Argonne Cemetery, France.

The Unknown Soldier then returned home to the United States to lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda until Armistice Day. On Nov. 11, 1921, President Warren G. Harding officiated at the internment ceremonies at the Amphitheater.

The monument, which rests on top of the Unknown grave, is a sarcophagus, simple but impressive in its dimensions. Its austere, flat-faced form is relieved at the corners and along the sides by neo-classic pilasters, or columns, set unto the surface. Sculpted into the panel which faces Washington are the three figures Peace, Victory and Valor. On the plaza face are the words “Here Rests In Honored Glory An American Soldier Known But To God.”

Originally a civilian watchman was responsible for the security of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Then, on March 24, 1926, a military guard from the Washington Provisional Brigade (forerunner of the U.S. Army Military District of Washington) was established during the day light hours. In 1937 this watch was expanded to a 24-hour duty. In 1948 the 3d U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard) assumed guardianship of the Tomb, following the unit’s reactivation in the nation’s capital. Members of the 3rd Infantry’s Hotel Company continue to serve in this distinguished duty to this day.

On Aug. 3, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill to select and pay tribute to the Unknown Soldier of World War II and the Korean Conflict on Memorial Day, 1958. The World War II Unknown was selected from 19 sets of remains exhumed from military cemeteries in Hawaii, Europe, Africa and the Philippines.

Two Unknowns from World War II, one from the European Theater and one from the Pacific Theater, were placed in identical caskets and taken aboard the U.S.S. Canberra, a guided-missile cruiser resting off the Virginia capes. Hospital Corpsman First Class William R. Charette, then the Navy’s only active-duty Medal of Honor recipient, selected the Unknown Soldier of World War II. The remaining casket received a burial at sea with full honors.

Four unknown Americans who had lost their lives in Korea were disinterred from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii. Army Master Sgt. Ned Lyle, made the final selection. The Korean Conflict and World War II Unknowns' caskets arrived in Washington May 28, 1958, where they lay in the Capitol Rotunda until May 30.

That morning they were carried on caissons to Arlington National Cemetery. President Eisenhower awarded each the Medal of Honor, and the Unknowns were interred in the plaza beside their comrade from World War I.

Twenty-six years later, Memorial Day, May 28, 1984, after a search made difficult because of advances in technologies used to identify the remains of unknown servicemen and women, President Ronald Reagan presided over the internment ceremony for the Vietnam Unknown. Like those who went before, he laid to rest in the plaza of the Tomb during a ceremony that received national coverage.

On May 14, 1998, after an order was issued by Secretary of Defense William Cohen, the Unknown Soldier of the Vietnam Conflict was disinterred for more advanced DNA testing. The testing revealed the remains to be those of United States Air Force Captain Michael J. Blassie. At the request of the Blassie family, his remains were reinterred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri on July, 12, 1998. The crypt of the Vietnam Unknown remains empty today. The crypt remains in place to symbolize the sacrifice of all who served in that conflict. It was rededicated, September 17th, 1999, National POW-MIA Recognition Day and bears a plaque reading - "Honoring and Keeping Faith with America's Missing Servicemen."

In addition to the the main Tomb of the Unknowns, there are two additonal burial sites at Arlington for Unknowns... The War of 1812 site with 14 unknown soldiers and the 1866 Civil War Site with the remains of 2,111 unknown soldiers. These were the first Unknowns buried at Arlington.

For more information on the Vietnam Unknown, please go to -

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.com/vietnam.htm

For more information on The Old Guard, 3rd US Infantry, USA, please go to -

Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - http://www.tombguard.org/

http://www.mdw.army.mil/OLDGUARD/index.htm

Artwork: AII POW-MIAText Credit: Sentinel's Creed - The Old Guard, 3rd US Infantry Unit, USA - History: Arlington National Cemetery WWI Unknown Images: National Archives Disinterrment of Vietnam Unknown: USAF Photo Archive