Something Men Should Know: The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The Tomb of the Unknowns (also known as the “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier”) is a monument dedicated to American servicemen who died without their remains being identified. It is located in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. The “Unknown Soldier” of World War I is a recipient of the Medal of Honor and the Victoria Cross. On Memorial Day in 1921 four unknowns were exhumed from four World War I American cemeteries in France. U.S. Army Sergeant Edward F. Younger, who had received the Distinguished Service Medal, selected the Unknown Soldier from the identical caskets. Because the soldier is unknown and so faceless, we can’t point to his or her faults and failings as a human, as a result, the unknown soldier cleanly symbolizes the struggle for freedom.