In Honored Glory

Honoring  an unidentified soldier of battle dates back at least to the Greeks who would carry an empty stretcher during a ceremony honoring  war heroes.  

   This morning, Barak Obama became the fifteenth President of the United States to pay homage at a ceremony honoring the remains of soldiers "Known But To God."

   As he laid the wreath and taps played, I wondered how long this observance had been taking place, how the bodies came to be buried at Arlington, and if any of them could ever be identified.

Here is what I found out:

The body  in the WWI crypt was buried in 1921, where it had been laid to rest having been shipped from France.

Two unknowns from WWII were taken aboard the USS Canberra; one was chosen by a medal of honor recipient for interment in Arlington; the other was solemnly buried at sea.

The Korean War unknown was disinterred from the National Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii.

Both the WWII and Korean soldiers' caskets were interred beside their World War I comrade on the same day, May 30th 1958 after they lay in the Capitol Rotunda and were awarded the Medal of Honor by President Eisenhower.

An Army caisson carried the Vietnam Unknown from the Capitol to the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery, and on May 28th, 1984. President Reagan presided over the funeral, presented the Medal of Honor, and acted as next if kin by accepting the interment flag.

The remains of the Vietnam Unknown were exhumed May of 1998 and based on DNA testing, identified as Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Blassie, who was shot down near An Loc, Vietnam in 1972. He was sent home to his family and  re interred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri.

With advances in DNA technology it is possible all the Vietnam unknown will be identified.

At present the inscription on the former resting place of Lt. Blassie reads "Honoring and Keeping the Faith with America's Missing Servicemen" 

    As the dignitaries and observers moved away this rainy morning, one lone soldier remained at his post. He walks 21 steps across the tomb, turns to face the tomb for 21 seconds, turns facing the other way across the tomb. He changes his weapon to the other side. After 21 seconds the steps are repeated.

   Only twenty percent of the soldiers who apply for this duty are allowed to train for it and of that amount a small fraction are actually given the honor of guarding the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  He never outranks his fallen comrade, but changes jackets when he changes duty post.

Above: Peace, Victory, and Valor. East side of tomb facing Capitol.

Below : west side with inscription as follows

"Here rests in 

honored glory an 

American 

Soldier

Known but to God"