The ghost-like, white marble sarcophagus, contains the remains of veterans of World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and, at one time, the remains of an unknown from the Vietnam War.
Some of the following information of the Tomb, is gleaned from an article in Wikipedia...
With the advent of advanced DNA testing procedures, the unknown veteran of the Vietnam War was exhumed and finally identified as 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, a jet-fighter pilot who was shot down near An Loc, Vietnam in 1972.
On July 10, 1998, Lt. Blassie's remains arrived home to his family in St. Louis, Missouri... He now rests at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. I can only hope that this brought some measure of closure to the Blassie family, as it does for me, a Vietnam Veteran...
The slab over the crypt that once held the remains of the Vietnam Unknown, has been replaced, and a new inscription has been changed to "Honoring and Keeping Faith with America's Missing Servicemen," 1958-1975.
The Crypt...
- North and South panel with three wreaths on each side represent (in 1931) "a world of memories" but later the six major battles engaged in by American forces in France: Ardennes, Belleau Wood, Château-Thierry, Meusse-Argonne, Oisiu-Eiseu, and Somme. Each wreath has 38 leaves and 12 berries.
- East panel that faces Washington, DC, are three Greek figures representing Peace, Victory, and "American Manhood" – but later Valor instead of American Manhood.
- West panel is inscribed with (centered on the panel):
- HERE RESTS IN
- HONORED GLORY
- AN AMERICAN
- SOLDIER
- KNOWN BUT TO GOD
The Tomb of the Unknowns, is guarded 24-hours a day, in all weather conditions, all year long, by specially selected and trained -- and dedicated -- soldiers of the United States Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as "The Old Guard."
One cannot but be moved with deep emotion when seeing and listening to the guards as they walk back and forth in a specific cadence, protecting the remains of their brother veterans, as well as keeping good order among the onlookers. Silence is absolutely golden when attending this historic ceremony, respecting those that gave their all for their country, and for the peoples of other nations, freeing them from the shackles of tyranny and oppression.
It is important for all Americans to remember and pray for those Unknowns and their families, and to realize that the freedom we enjoy is not free, but comes with the heavy price of the ultimate sacrifice...
Our Lord relates to us in the Bible, St. John, 15:13, Greater love has no one but this: to lay down one's life for one's friends...
Viva Cristo Rey! Fr. Miguel Pro, pray for us...
Gene DeLalla
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