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Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
in Arlington Cemetery, Virginia
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Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Facts for kids: Fast Fact Sheet
Fast, fun facts and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
What is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier? The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
is a white marble sarcophagus (coffin) that
is the final resting place and memorial for
Unknowns from
World War I,
World War II, and
the
Korean War
and represents the sacrifice
and loss of those who fell during the wars.
When was the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
built? The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
was built following World War One and
dedicated on November 11, 1921. Additional
work was completed on the memorial and it
was opened to the public on April 9, 1932.
Who guards the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier?
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is guarded
by sentinels from the 4th Battalion of the
3rd United States Infantry Regiment known by
its nickname, "The Old Guard".
Picture of the
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier:
The picture of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
in Arlington Cemetery, Virginia was taken in
May 1943
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Facts for kids
The following fact
sheet contains interesting facts and information on Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
for kids.
40 Facts
about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for kids
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact 1:
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at
Arlington National Cemetery has never officially been
named, it is therefore also referred to as the Tomb of
the Unknowns.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
2: America honors the soldiers who have
fallen during service to their country. The monuments
symbolize that no American who dies in battle is
forgotten. The first Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was
dedicated in 1866 to the unknown soldiers who had died
during the Civil War.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
3: Although the Tomb of the Unknowns
holds the remains of only a few individuals, the
monument honors the many unidentified soldiers who gave
their lives in armed conflict.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
4: Location: The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is
located on top a hill overlooking Washington, D.C. and the Potomac
River at Arlington National Cemetery that covers 624 acres.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
5: On March 4, 1921, Congress approved the burial of
an unidentified American soldier from WW1 (28 July, 1914 - 11
November, 1918) in the plaza of the newly built Memorial
Amphitheater.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
6: Arlington National Cemetery
was established in 1863. The Memorial Amphitheater was dedicated in
May 1920. It serves as the s ite for numerous Veterans Day and
Memorial Day services and the funerals for many individuals.
In the center of its eastern
steps of the Memorial Amphitheater is the Tomb of the Unknowns which
was dedicated in 1921.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
7: The unidentified American soldier:
The soldier was exhumed from a WW1 American cemetery in
France and transported to the United States aboard the
USS Olympia.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
8: The Unknown Soldier lay in state in
the Capitol Rotunda, the "symbolic and physical heart"
of America, from his arrival in the United States until
Armistice Day, 1921. (The
WW1 Armistice went into effect on the eleventh hour
of the eleventh day of the eleventh month on November
11, 1918)
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
9: On November 11, 1921, Armistice Day,
at 8:30am the flag-draped casket was removed from the
rotunda of the Capitol and escorted to the Memorial
Amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery under a
military escort
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
10: President Warren
G. Harding officiated at the interment ceremony at the
Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
11: The funeral ceremony included an
address by the President Warren G. Harding who conferred
upon the Unknown Soldier the Congressional Medal of
Honor and the Distinguished Service Cross.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
12: Following the address special
representatives of foreign governments associated with
the United States in WW1 conferred upon the Unknown the
highest military decoration of their Nation.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
13: More than 100,000 people attended the
ceremonies, including 1000 "gold star mothers" (women
who had lost a son in the war) and every living Medal of
Honor winner.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
14: The impressive ceremonies were
brought to a close with a gun salute with three salvos
of artillery, the sounding of taps and the National
Salute and the dignitaries followed the casket to the
final resting place.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
15: After a simple, brief committal
service the unidentified soldier killed in France during
WW1 was then interred below the flat marble monument
with the greatest respect at Arlington National
Cemetery.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
16: The bottom of the grave vault was
lined with two inches of French soil, taken from various
battlefields in France.
Continued...
40 Facts
about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for kids
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Facts for kids
The following fact
sheet contains interesting facts and information on Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
for kids.
40 Facts
about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for kids
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact 17:
The initial simple white
marble structure was flat, at ground level and without the 70 ton
marble sarcophagus.
It was always the intention of
the government that the simple white marble Tomb, that was placed
over the grave of The Unknown Soldier immediately after the
interment, should serve as a base for an appropriate superstructure
(an upward extension of an existing structure).
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
18: Visitors clustered around the initial
monument, and there were no guards. A wooden picket
fence was added to the monument to prevent visitors
using the marble slab as a picnic table as they looked
at the magnificent view of Washington DC.. In 1925 a
civilian guard was allocated to the site.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
19: In 1926, the first US Army soldier
was posted during cemetery hours. (It wasn't until July
1, 1937 guard duty was extended to the 24 hour watch).
(See below for facts and info about the guard)
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
20: On July 3, 1926, Congress finally authorized the
completion of the Tomb and the expenditure of $50,000. (The
superstructure became the magnificent white marble sarcophagus which
is displayed above the ground.)
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
21: A nationwide competition was launched to create a
design for the sarcophagus. There were 74 US sculptors and
architects who competed for the honor. Five competitors were short
listed and required to prepare models of their designs in plaster of
Paris.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
22: The winning entry was by American
architect Lorimer Rich (December 24, 1891 – June 2,
1978).
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
23: Lorimer Rich collaborated with
sculptor Thomas Hudson Jones (July 24, 1892 – November
4, 1969) on the winning entry.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
24: Congress approved the design in 1929
and the fine, white gold-veined marble for the Tomb of
the Unknowns was quarried by the Vermont Marble Company
from the Yule Marble Quarry in Colorado.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
25: Yule Marble is found only in the Yule
Creek Valley, in the West Elk Mountains of Colorado. The
marble block was cut from the mountain weighing 124 tons
and cut down to 56 tons, the largest piece of marble
ever quarried in the United States at that time.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
26: Quartermaster General Brig. Gen. Louis H. Bash
oversaw the construction, which was undertaken by the construction
company Hegman and Harris.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
27: Lorimer Rich and Thomas Hudson Jones
completed the construction in 1931.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
28: Finishing work, consisting of the
carvings on the die block (the main monument), were
undertaken by the six Piccirilli Brothers,
renowned marble carvers and sculptors, under the
direction of the sculptor Thomas Jones. Piccirilli
Brothers had previously carved the statue of Lincoln for
the Lincoln Memorial
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
29: The Yule marble was cut into seven
pieces for four layers; capstone, the die block
(the main monument), the base and sub-base (plinth)
● 4 pieces in the sub base
(plinth) weighing 15 tons
● 1 piece in the base weighing
16 tons
● 1 piece in the die block
weighing 36 tons
● 1 piece in the capstone
weighing 12 tons
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
30: Dimensions: The total height of the
monument is 11 feet, the width is 8 feet at the base and
6 feet 8 inches at the top. The length is 13 feet 11
inches at the base and 12 feet 7 inches at the top.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
31: The front of the Tomb (the East side)
which faces Washington, D.C. and the Potomac is a
composite of three highly symbolic ancient Greek / Roman
figures, Victory, Valor and Peace, commemorating of the
spirit of the Allies of WW1 -
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
32: The symbolism of
the Greek / Roman figures
● The female
figure of Peace (left side) is holding a dove that
symbolizes peace and friendship
● The central
figure of Victory extending an olive branch towards
Valor. The palm branch is a symbol of victory,
triumph, peace and eternal life
● The male
figure Valor (right side) is holding a broken sword,
another symbol of peace and symbolizing the capture
of the enemy and his inability to fight
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
33: The die block (main monument)
featured Doric pilasters (fake columns) in low relief at
each of the corners.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
34: The north and
south sides were divided into 3 sections by fluted Doric
pilasters (fake columns), with an inverted wreath on the
upper portion of each section. The 6 inverted wreaths
symbolize mourning and also represent the six major
battle campaigns of WW1 that were fought by American
soldiers. (Refer to
US Battles in WW1)
● The Battle of Ardennes
● The Battle of Belleau Wood
● The Battle of Chateau-Thierry
● The Meusse-Argonne
● Aisne-Marne
● The Battle of the Somme
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
35: The back of the Tomb (the West side)
bears the only inscription on the Tomb 'HERE RESTS IN
HONORED GLORY AN AMERICAN SOLDIER KNOWN BUT TO GOD".
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
36: On November 11, 1932 the completed sarcophagus
was installed over the unknown soldier's monument and the area was
re-opened to the public on April 9, 1932.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
37: In June 1946, Congress approved the burial of an
unknown American soldier from World War II at the Tomb of the
Unknown Soldier.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
38: In August 1956, Congress approved the burial of a
Korean War unknown soldier at the Tomb.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
39: The unknown soldier from the
Vietnam War was
interred in a new vault in front of the Tomb on May 28, 1984. The
unknown was later identified as Air Force 1st Lt. Michael
Joseph Blassie, and it was decided that the crypt that contained the
remains of the Vietnam Unknown should remain vacant. The crypt cover
has been replaced with one that has the inscription "Honoring and
Keeping Faith with America’s Missing Servicemen, 1958-1975."
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Fact
40: The the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington
Cemetery, Virginia is a sobering testimony to those who paid the
ultimate sacrifice.
40 Facts
about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for kids
Facts
about
Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier for kids
For visitors interested in the history of
WW1 refer to the following articles:
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - President Warren Harding Video
The article on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier provides detailed facts and a summary of one of the important events during his presidential term in office. The following
Warren Harding video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 29th American President whose presidency spanned from March 4, 1921 to August 2, 1923.
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information on Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
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Warren Harding Presidency and
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for schools,
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