muddysmind.com

Did I take that picture mud? It looks like one I took my first time in DC.

"It looks like one I took my first time in DC."

Good...so what's the picture of exactly? My first guess is that it's the tomb of the "unknown" soldier (who - thanks to DNA testing - I don't think is so unknown anymore). But, I'm not sure.

never mind....I was trying to google it earlier (my computer is running slower than "poo" today - as my husband would say) but I was *finally* able to get through to some websites and confirm it myself.:-)

Yes that is what it is, and actually, there is still a body from WW1, WW2 and Korea in there.

A few years ago, a soldier from WW1 was identified and was then properly given his burial in his own plot, but he was then replaced with the body of another unknown soldier. In 1998 the body of the soldier intered from Vietnam was identified and given proper burial.

If you have never been there, it is a very solemn place, the guard paces back and forth in his US Army dress blues (there is an army unit charged with guarding arlington national cemetery) he takes exactly 21 steps in each direction and is relieved every half an hour.

There is a mass graves of a couple hundred i believe it is, unknown soldiers from the civil war directly 180 degrees from that viewpoint, and unknowns from other wars are also buried there.

It reads,
"Here rests in honored glory an American soldier, known but to God."

To be buried in the tomb of the unknowns, to me, is simultaneously the saddest and most honorable way to be intered. Sad because there is no man who deserves to be buried or cremated without memorial. Honorable because it denotes a self-less sacrific: death without rememberance.

All of those buried in the tomb of the unknowns are Medal of Honor recipients.

There is no greater symbol of the sacrifice made by young American men and women than that sarcophagus. The willingness to die for the cause of freedom, with little asked in return: a small wage, perhaps a college education.

Wow! Thanks for the explanation. I was going to ask muddy but he's busy right now and ....I'm impatient.:-)

I did read about an hour ago - skimming through some of the websites (the same ones that I couldn't access this morning....grrrr!) about there being different soldiers from different wars. I knew there were at very least a hand full of unknown soldiers (even the one who had been identified - and personally, I even vagluey remember the news talking to one of his family members after they recieved confirmation on his remains.) but I didn't realize there were as many as there are.

"If you have never been there, it is a very solemn place,"

No. I've never had the chance to go as of yet. However, I would love to pay my respects - although, I would most likely not be able to get out of there without crying all of my make up down to my chin.

"All of those buried in the tomb of the unknowns are Medal of Honor recipients."

Forgive my ignorance but they recieve that upon their burial, right? Or somewhere around that time?

"To be buried in the tomb of the unknowns, to me, is simultaneously the saddest and most honorable way to be intered...."

"There is no greater symbol of the sacrifice made by young American men and women..."

Agreed and very well put, my dear.