The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier -
A Forgotten History?
This Sunday (November 11) is Veterans Day! Veterans Day is a time to
honor the survivors, and to be grateful for their service and sacrifice
to defend what we as Americans believe.
This
holiday (originally known as Armistice Day) was established to remember
the 1918 signing of the Armistice Treaty and to honor the heroes of
World War I. In 1921, Congress resolved to build a tomb to honor the men
who died overseas.
Sergeant Edward Younger was given the task of choosing one of four unknown American soldiers to bring home for burial. When the Navy ship
Olympia arrived
in Washington on November 9th with the body of the fallen soldier,
America responded. The Calvary band played "Onward Christian Soldiers"
as the casket was taken to the U.S. Capitol, where the soldier was laid
in State. President Warren G. Harding, governmental officials, and
thousands of Americans paid their respects to this fallen soldier.
On
the morning of November 11th, this soldier was given a military
procession to Arlington National Cemetery and buried at what is known
today as the
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This tomb has been guarded around the clock by dedicated
servicemen and women
since 1948. The honor for the sacrifice of this soldier was recently
once again evident when the guards refused to leave their post during
Hurricane Sandy, which was reminiscent the soldiers' determination to
guard the tomb during Hurricane Isabel in 2003.
The honor paid to this soldier is the same respect that all of our
veterans deserve. It was in 1954 that Veterans Day was officially
renamed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to honor American veterans of
all wars. These brave men and women who
are willing to sacrifice their lives for our freedom should be celebrated and venerated.
On this special day when we pause to reflect on the sacrifices made
across the years by men and women willing to lay down their lives to
protect and defend our Constitution, our freedoms, and our way of life,
let’s be proactive in our gratitude.
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Thank a veteran or active military member in uniform
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Attend a Veterans Day parade
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Pray for the military families
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Remind those around you of the significance of this day.
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Listen to Tuesday's WallBuilders Live Program
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