The Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery

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This chapter explores the history of honoring unidentified remains in war, from the Romans to World War One. It focuses on the concept of an unknown soldier's grave and how it became a symbol of collective mourning and remembrance. The chapter also discusses the American memorial at Arlington Cemetery known as 'the unknown' and the newer sets of unidentified remains added for subsequent wars.

Roman note: This is one of my favorite episodes of all time. Should be a movie. Enjoy!

The tradition of the Tomb of the Unknowns goes back only about a century, but it has become one of the most solemn and reverential monuments. When President Reagan added the remains of an unknown serviceman who died in combat in Vietnam to the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery in 1984, it was the only set of remains that couldn’t be identified from the war. Now, thankfully, there will never likely be a soldier who dies in battle whose body can’t be identified. And as a result of DNA technology, even the unknowns currently interred in the tomb can be positively identified.

The Known Unknown