The Tomb
© Apple Ridge Publishers: All Rights Reserved
The definitive, narrative
history for the Centennial of
the Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier as told by former
Arlington National Cemetery
historian, Philip Bigler
For
one
hundred
years,
the
Tomb
of
the
Unknown
Soldier
has
served
as
the
nation’s
most
cherished
shrine
to
the
country’s
fallen
military
soldiers.
The
Tomb
of
the
Unknown
Soldier:
A
Century
of
Honor,
1921-2021
,
tells
in
detail
this
amazing
story
within
the
context
of
American
history.
Following
a
tradition
established
by
the
British
and
French,
an
American
Unknown
from
the
Great
War
was
interred
on
the
plaza
of
the
Memorial
Amphitheater
on
Armistice
Day
1921.
The
hastily
build,
simple
marble
sarcophagus
served
as
the
nation’s
primary
monument
to
the
Unknown
until
the
addition
of
the
more
elaborate
and
current
die
stone
in
1932.
In
1958,
Unknowns
from
World
War
II
and
the
Korean
War
were
buried
in
separate
crypts
in
front
of
the
main
monument.
A
Vietnam
Unknown
was
designated
and
buried
in
1984
but
his
body
would
be
later
disinterred an identified through the use new DNA technology.
Professor
Bigler
spent
two
years
conducting
primary
source
research
at
the
National
Archives,
the
Commission
of
Fine
Arts,
the
Eisenhower
Library,
the
Library
of
Congress
and
other
national
repositories.
His
investigation
has
resulted
in
the
most
complete
and
well-documented
history
of
the
Tomb
ever
compiled
and
includes
many
newly
discovered
facts
and
fascinating
details.
The
book
includes
comprehensive
chapters
on
the
selection
of
all
of
the
American
Unknowns
as
well
as
on
the
subsequent
identification
of
the
Vietnam
Unknown
as
1LT
Michael
Blassie
(USAF).
Likewise,
there
are
detailed
chapters
on
the
construction
and
dedication
of
the
Memorial
Amphitheater
as
well
as
on
the
Tomb
sentinels.
The
book
also
includes
a
complete,
historical
timeline,
several
informative
appendices,
extensive
endnotes, and a comprehensive bibliography.
