In December 1920, New York Congressman Hamilton Fish Jr., a World War I veteran, proposed legislation that ordered the entombment of one unidentified American soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. In both countries, one unidentified soldier symbolized all the unknown troops who were killed in action. Unidentified remains of fallen World War I soldiers were buried that year at Westminster Abbey in London and the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The idea for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier came from Britain and France, which created similar tombs in 1920. “The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier stands, physically and symbolically, at the heart of the cemetery - and the heart of the nation.” He has been in our charge ever since,” said Karen Durham-Aguilera, executive director of Army National Military Cemeteries. “One hundred years ago, we laid to rest an unidentified American who fell in the First World War. For the first time in decades, visitors to the tomb this week will be allowed to approach it and place flowers near its base. To mark the anniversary, Arlington National Cemetery planned a series of events, including a procession Thursday that is intended to evoke elements of the unidentified soldier’s funeral procession from 1921. In the past 100 years, it has become a symbol of American service and sacrifice, as well as a place for mourning and reflection. The tomb, which attracts millions of visitors every year, now includes the remains of soldiers from World War II and the Korean War.
Thursday marks 100 years since the remains were entombed at Arlington, creating the iconic Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
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