The Story of the Unknown Soldier.
Armistice Day
was observed all over the United States by veteran’s parades, public services
both religious and secular, with two minutes of silence to honor the dead. In
1920, the British Unknown Soldier was buried in Westminster Abbey, the burial
place of kings and queens; that same year a French Unknown Soldier was interred
at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, where a perpetual flame burns. In 1921, the
American Unknown Soldier, symbolizing all the unknown dead, was chosen in an
unusual way. Six soldiers of the American Army of Occupation in Germany were
selected from different sectors to act as pallbearers. They met at
Chalons-sur-Marne, and were interviewed by General Rogers. Next day, Sergeant
Edward F. Younger of the 59th Infantry was asked to make a choice
among four caskets, with unidentified bodies disinterred from American
cemeteries at Bony, Belleau Wood, Romagne, and Thiaucourt. When the sergeant was
ready to perform his solemn duty, he received a bouquet of white roses, with
instructions to proceed into the City Hall at Chalons, where the four caskets
stood. Sergeant Younger realized fully the grave importance of his action; and
after bowing his head, he walked around the coffins three times. On the fourth
round, he seemed involuntarily drawn to the second one. Reverently, he laid the
roses on it, saluted and reported to his commanding officer that he had
accomplished his mission. The body of the Unknown Soldier was brought home on
the cruiser, Olympia, reaching Washington, D.C., on November 9, 1921. For three
days thousands of people passed by as the body lay in state in the rotunda of
the Capitol. For this important Armistice Day in 1921, President Harding
requested that flags be flown from sunrise to sunset at half mast, and that all
Americans pay silent tribute as the casket was lowered into the tomb at 11 A.M.
on November 11, 1921. There were elaborate ceremonies. High army, navy, and
other service personnel, along with diplomats, who had followed the caisson to
Arlington, heard the President’s address. Many wreaths came from all over our
country, and from abroad, these were placed on the plain white marble tomb, on
which is these words:
Here rests in honored glory An American Soldier Known but to God.
