Since November 11, 1921, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has been the heart of Arlington National
Cemetery. As a sacred memorial site and the grave of three unknown American service members, the
Tomb connects visitors with the legacy of the United States armed forces throughout the nation’s history.
It is a people’s memorial that inspires reflection on service, valor, sacrifice and mourning.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier originated in the context of World War I. Technological and industrial progress in the early 20th century made World War I one of the deadliest wars in history. The warring nations utilized deadly new weapons and tactics, rendering the remains of millions of combatants unidentifiable or missing. When the war ended, nations created cemeteries and memorials to honor their
dead, known and unknown.
On November 11, 1920, the second anniversary of Armistice Day, Great Britain and France both interred
an unknown service member from World War I. The French laid theirs to rest under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, and the British buried theirs at Westminster Abbey in London.
These unidentified remains represented all unknowns, and their tombs became shrines where citizens could mourn.
The United States, inspired by its allies, decided to create a similar tomb for an American unknown. Representative Hamilton Fish, a World War I veteran, led the effort in Congress, which passed legislation approving the creation of a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on March 4, 1921. Although other sites were considered, Congress ultimately chose to locate the Tomb at Arlington National Cemetery, near the new Memorial Amphitheater.
In the fall of 1921, the U.S. Army selected one unknown American service member to inter in the planned Tomb. The Army took detailed precautions to ensure the anonymity of this honored American. The Quartermaster Corps disinterred one set of remains each from four American military cemeteries in France: the Meuse-Argonne, St. Mihiel, Somme and Aisne-Marne cemeteries.
The four caskets of remains were transported to the town of Châlons-sur-Marne, where a formal selection ceremony took place at the city hall on October 24, 1921. In the presence of French and American dignitaries, U.S. Army Sgt. Edward F. Younger, a decorated World War I veteran, selected the Unknown by laying a spray of white roses
upon one of the four caskets. The following day, October 25, 1921, the Unknown Soldier’s casket departed from the port of Le Havre on board the USS Olympia. The Olympia had served as Admiral George Dewey’s flagship during the
Spanish-American War (1898), and in recognition of its distinguished service history, the U.S. Navy
selected the cruiser to bring the Unknown home to the United States.
