Veterans Day History

Two days before Armistice Day in 1921, an unknown soldier, who had fallen somewhere on a World War I battlefield, arrived in DC from a military cemetery in France.

On this day, he was buried with the highest honors in Arlington Cemetery.  A layer of soil from France was placed below the coffin, "so that he might rest forever atop the earth on which he died."

Later, unknown soldiers from WWII and then the Korean War were added to the tomb.

For 14 years there was also a soldier from Vietnam, but his remains were identified in 1998

 The Changing of the Guard happens every hour on the hour this time of year, as the tomb has been guarded continuously since 1937.  It is meant to honor all fallen service members whose names were lost in war.