The neoclassical, white marble sarcophagus stands atop a hill overlooking Washington, D.C. Author: Reagan Roy Updated: 2:37 PM CST January 20, 2021
ARLINGTON, Va. The
The neoclassical, white marble sarcophagus stands atop a hill overlooking Washington, D.C. Since 1921, it has provided a final resting place for one of America’s unidentified World War I service members, and Unknowns from later wars were added in 1958 and 1984. The Tomb has also served as a place of mourning and a site for reflection on military service.
Credit: Arlington National Cemetery
Background
Through the ages, one of the consequences of warfare has been large numbers of unidentified dead. Sometimes unidentified remains resulted from poor record keeping, the damage that weapons of war inflicted on bodies, or the haste required to bury the dead and mark gravesites. In the United States prior to the Civil War, unidentified remains were often buried in mass graves. At Ar