Page 8 - Aerotech News and Review, November 5, 2021

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier had origins in WWI

by David Vergun ment, accompanied the horse-drawn caisson
Army News containing the unknown Soldier to the Capitol
rotunda, where more honors were bestowed by
Although there were unknown Soldiers who dignitaries, including President Warren G. Hard-
died on battlefields throughout U.S. history, the ing, and ordinary American citizens.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier had its genesis in On Nov. 11, eight highly decorated World War
World War I. I veterans, handpicked by Pershing himself, es-
In 1916, after a British army chaplain noticed a corted the unknown Soldier to Arlington National
grave marked “An Unknown British Soldier,” he
got the idea for what would become the United Cemetery, O’Donnell said.
Kingdom’s Tomb of the Unknown Warrior. That They included five Soldiers: Color Sgt. James
memorial was dedicated Nov. 11, 1920, two years W. Dell, an artilleryman; Cpl. Thomas D. Saun-
after the armistice that ended World War I. ders, a combat engineer and a Native American;
The idea took hold and spread among other 1st Sgt. Harry Taylor, a cavalryman; Sgt. Samuel
wartime allies, including France, Italy and the Woodfill, an infantryman and Medal of Honor re-
U.S. On Nov. 11, 1921, the U.S. Tomb of the cipient; and 1st Sgt. Louis Razga, from the Coast
Unknown Soldier was dedicated in Arlington Artillery Corps.
National Cemetery. Additionally, there were two Sailors and one
Military historian Patrick K. O’Donnell re- Marine who participated. Those included Chief
searched the backstory to that dedication, includ- Army photograph Gunner’s Mate James Delaney, a torpedoman;
ing the stories of the Soldiers who brought the Body bearers carry the unknown Soldier from the USS Olympia to to a horse-drawn caisson that Chief Water Tender Charles Leo O’Connor; and
unknown Soldiers’ remains to Arlington. He pub- transported the body to the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 9, 1921. Among the saluting officers is Gen. John Gunnery Sgt. Ernest A. Janson, a Medal of Honor
Pershing, who commanded the American Expeditionary Forces.
lished his findings in the book “The Unknowns: recipient.
The Untold Story of America’s Unknown Sol-
dier and WWI’s Most Decorated Heroes Who O’Donnell explained, was to ensure that the American, after which the U.S. and French Pershing, the body bearers, and the unknown
Brought Him Home.” one unknown Soldier chosen would be truly a officials came forward to pay their respects. Soldier had come “full circle,” O’Donnell said.
random selection, as this unknown would rep- O’Donnell noted that the roses that had been Those service men had left America’s shores
Selecting the Unknown resent the many other unknowns. This followed placed on the casket remained there and were lat- years earlier. While they were prepared to sac-
On Sept. 29, 1921, the War Department or- the practice used by the other allies in their own er buried with the unknown Soldier in Arlington. rifice themselves, they hadn’t at the time fully
dered the selection of an unknown Soldier from process of selecting their own unknowns. Following the ceremony, the casket of the comprehended the true cost of war. While one
those buried in France. The selection process was On Oct. 23, all four caskets arrived by truck unknown Soldier was carried in a horse-drawn had paid the ultimate price, O’Donnell said, each
carried out by the U.S. Quartermaster Corps, in at the city hall of Chalons-sur-Marne. Sgt. Ed- caisson through Chalons-sur-Marne to the rail- had come home forever changed by battles won
cooperation with the French and U.S. Navy, ward F. Younger of Headquarters Company, 2nd road station, where it was placed aboard a special and friends lost.
O’Donnell said. Battalion, 50th Infantry, American Forces in funeral train provided by the French government Today, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is
Three weeks later, a Quartermaster Corps team Germany, was given the honors of selecting the and taken via Paris to Le Havre, O’Donnell said. guarded by Soldiers of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Reg-
exhumed four bodies of unidentified Ameri- unknown Soldier the next day. Along the way, more French and U.S. units and iment, “The Old Guard.” Since 1921, two other
cans from each of four American cemeteries in Younger himself had been wounded in battle dignitaries honored the unknown Soldier in an unknown Soldiers have joined the World War I
France: Aisne-Maine, Meuse-Argonne, Somme, and had received the Distinguished Service Cross elaborate and dignified fashion. unknown Soldier: one from World War II and one
and St. Mihiel. for valor. Finally, on Oct. 25, the unknown Soldier was from the Korean War. The selection process was
“Each was examined to ensure that the person An elaborate ceremony followed, O’Donnell carried aboard the cruiser USS Olympia back to
had been a member of the American Expedition- related. Younger, carrying a spray of white roses the United States. On Nov. 9, the Olympia ar- similar to the first.
ary Forces, that he had died of wounds in combat, presented by a Frenchman who had lost two sons rived at the Washington Navy Yard. On hand to At one time, a fourth unknown, representing
and that there were no clues to his identity what- in the war, led the procession. As the French band receive the body of the unknown Soldier were all the Vietnam War, was entombed there as well,
soever,” O’Donnell said. in the courtyard played a hymn, Younger walked the service chiefs, the secretary of war, and Gen- O’Donnell said. However, that service member
After mortuary preparation, the bodies were around the caskets several times before placing eral of the Armies John J. Pershing, O’Donnell was later identified as Air Force Capt. Michael
placed in identical caskets and shipping cas- the roses on one to indicate his selection. said. J. Blassie. He was exhumed and reburied in his
es. The reason for this elaborate proceeding, Younger then saluted the chosen unknown The procession, led by the 3rd Cavalry Regi- home state of Missouri, per his survivors’ wishes.

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