Soldier the Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Cross. Following this ceremony special representatives of foreign governments associated with the United States in World War I, each in turn conferred upon the unknown the highest military decoration of their nation, as follows:

Belgium "Croix de Guerre" by Lt. Gen. Baron Jacques, representing the Belgian Government.

Victoria Cross by Admiral of the Fleet Earl Beatty accompanied by General the Earl of Cavan, representing the King of England. French "Medaille Militaire" and French "Croix de Guerre" by Mars' al Foch, representing the French Government.

Gold Medal for Bravery by Gen. Armande Diaz, representing the Italian Government.

Romanian "Virtutes Militara" by the Romanian Minister, Prince Bibesco, representing the Romanian Government.

Czechoslovak War Cross by the Czechoslovak Minister, Dr. Bedrich Stepanek, representing the Czechoslovak Government.

Virtuti Militari by the Polish Minister, Prince Lubomirski, representing the Polish Government.

At the conclusion of these ceremonies the remains, preceded by the clergy, the President and Mrs. Harding and others seated in the apse, were borne to the sarcophagus where a brief committal service was held. With three salvos of artillery, the sounding of taps and the national salute, the impressive ceremonies were brought to a close, thus completing another page in American history.

It was originally intended that the simple white marble tomb placed over the grave of the Unknown Soldier immediately after the interment, should serve as a base for an appropriate superstructure. Accordingly, very shortly after the ceremonies on November 11, 1921, the question of selecting a suitable monument to complete the tomb was given consideration. It was not until July 3, 1926, however, that the Congress finally authorized the completion of the tomb and the expenditure of $50,000 therefor.

The act referred to above provided that the Secretary of War secure competitive designs according to such regulations as he might adopt to complete the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The act further provided that the accepted designs should be subject to the approval of the Arlington Cemetery Commission, the American Battle Monuments Commission and the Fine Arts Commission. In accordance with the provisions of the act, the Secretary of War prepared a program for the completion of the tomb and invited architects of standing reputation who were citizens of the United States to submit designs. Seventy-four designs wee submitted and, from among them, five were selected for further study. The selections were made by a Jury of Award comprised of the following: Mr. Charles A. Coolidge, F.A.I.A., chairman; Mr. Paul P. Cret, a prominent architect and a member of the American Institute of Architects; Mr. D. H. Burnham, likewise a prominent architect and a member of the American Institute of Architects; Hon. Hanford MacNider, former Assistant Secretary of War; Mrs. William D. Rock, representing the American War Mothers and Mr. Victor Mindeleff, architectural adviser.

The selected competitors were required to restudy their designs and prepare models of plaster of paris. When these models were received,

the Jury of Award studied each one, taking into consideration the surroundings of the tomb, the amphitheater at which it is located and which serves as a background for it, and the final effect after the completed monument, was in place. After going into the matter most carefully and thoroughly, the jury finally recommended an anonymous design to be the winning one. When their decision had been reached, a sealed envelope accompanying the design was opened and it was found that the winning design was the work of Mr. Thomas Hudson Jones, sculptor, and Mr. Lorimer Rich, architect, of New York City.

The design selected is in the form of a sarcophagus, simple but impressive, and most appropriate for the purpose for which desired. The total height from the Memorial Amphitheater Plaza is 8 feet 2 inches. The width is 8 feet at the base and 6 feet 8 inches at the top. The length is 13 feet 11 inches at the base and 12 feet 4 inches at the top. The severity of the design is relieved by Doric pilasters in low relief at the corners and along the sides. The panel of the front, facing the city of Washington and the Potomac, has carved upon the marble a composition of three figures commemorative of the spirit of the Allies in the war. In the center stands "Victory," with her palm branch to reward the devotion and sacrifice that went with courage to make the cause of righteousness triumphant; on one side a male figure symbolizes "Valor" and on the other stands "Peace." Each of the sides is divided into three panels by Doric pilasters, in each panel of which is carved an inverted wreath. On the back appears the inscription "Here Rests In Honored Glory An American Soldier Known But To God." This is the only inscription appearing on the tomb.

The marble is the finest and whitest of American marble-Yule, Colorado marble, the same as used in the Lincoln Memorial. The tomb is made of only four pieces of marble-the die, which is all in one piece and one of the largest ever quarried, weighing over 50 tons; the base; the subbase, and the capstone.

With the selection of the design of the monument to complete the tomb, the next step was to secure an appropriation from Congress for the work. This was done and on December 21, 1929, a contract for completion of the tomb itself was entered into.

In order to provide an appropriate setting for the tomb when completed, certain changes were necessary in the grounds, roadways, and landscaping in the immediate vicinity of the tomb. To accomplish this, plans were prepared to provide an elaborate approach from the east and on February 28, 1929, Congress authorized the construction of the necessary approaches to the tomb.

Over the years from the time of its completion in 1932, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in its simple and impressive beauty, has become a majestic and enduring memorial commemorating those brave heroes who, on the field of battle, made the supreme sacrifice for their Nation in her hour of need.

World War II and later the conflict in Korea gave impetus to congressional action to bring home other symbolic Unknowns of the Armed Forces of the United States to rest in Arlington National Cemetery near or b ide the Unknown Soldier of World War I. Initial authority for such memorialization was given by Public Law 429, 79th Congress, approved June 24, 1946. This legislation directed the Secretary of the Army to return a World War II unknown from overseas, and to arrange his burial near or beside the Unknown Soldier in Arling

ton. Events in Korea subsequent to June 21, 1950, resulted in presidential recommendation that the interment of a World War II unknown be postponed until it appeared advisable to revive the matter. Following cessation of hostilities in Korea, Public Law 429 was amended by Public Law 975, 84th Congress approved August 3, 1956. This legislation provided that burial of an unknown from Korea should take place in Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day 1958 in conjunction with the burial of the World War II unknown.

THE UNKNOWNS OF WORLD WAR II AND KOREA

Whereas combat participation of U.S. military forces in World War I was confined to a European theater of operations; the Armed Forces of the United States during World War II participated in a war of truly global proportions with combat theaters in Europe, Africa, and Asia. These factors necessitated a different and more elaborate procedure for choice of a World War II unknown than was the case following World War I.

Simple but impressive ceremonies for selection of the unknown to represent the trans-Pacific phase of World War II were conducted at Hickam Air Force Base, Honolulu, Hawaii, on May 16, 1958. As the recovered remains of all the unknowns who lost their lives in the Pacific area were concentrated in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Honolulu, Hawaii, and in the Fort McKinley American Cemetery and Memorial, Republic of the Philippines, six caskets of unknowns-four from the Fort McKinley Cemetery and two from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific-were brought to Hickam Air Force Base for the selection ceremony.

Gen. Laurence S. Kuter, commander in chief, Pacific Air Forces designated Col. Glen T. Eagleston, of the 313th Air Division, a combat pilot with an impressive record in both World War II and Korea, to select the candidate-unknown from the Pacific area. As the audience rose and military personnel were brought to attention, Colonel Eagleston lifted a white carnation lei from an empty bier destined to receive the honored casket on final selection. He approached the six flag-draped caskets arranged under a canopy on the mall of the Air Force base, and after a few seconds hesitation placed the lei on one of the caskets. Military pallbearers accompanied by a muted roll of drums then bore the selected unknown to the waiting bier. Pacific Air Force Staff Chaplain (colonel) Howell G. Guin delivered a prayer of dedication and the national anthem was played.

Maj. Gen. Matthew K. Deichelmann, representing the commander in chief, Pacific Air Forces, gave a brief address. Then, custody of the trans-Pacific candidate-unknown was transferred to the commander in chief, Pacific Fleet, Adm. Herbert G. Hopwood. Now in custody of the Navy, the remains were taken to the Naval Air Station at Barber's Point where in the early hours of the day they departed by special flight for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where on May 23 they were taken aboard the cruiser Boston, the world's first combatant guided missile ship, for a rendezvous with the cruiser Canberra off the Virginia Capes.

Coincident with the plans and activities culminating in the ceremony of choice of the World War II candidate-unknown in the transPacific area, comparable plans to select the trans-Atlantic World War II candidate-unknown were being drawn and implemented in

Europe. To assure that all the unidentifiable dead of World War II buried in the American military cemeteries in Europe and North Africa were properly represented, 13 principals and 13 alternates among the unknowns buried in the cemeteries were designated by lot for disinterment. The 13 completely unidentifiable unknowns finally exhumed were taken to the Army mortuary in Frankfurt, there to be rearranged by successive teams of military personnel to assure their complete anonymity.

The 13 unknowns of the transatlantic World War II areas were then removed to the beautiful World War II Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial in Epinal, France. There on May 12, 1958, surrounded by the graves of 5,255 American war dead of World War II, one casket containing the remains of an unknown American was chosen as the candidate-Unknown of the transatlantic World War II area. Maj. Gen. Edward J. O'Neill, Commanding General, U.S. Army, Communication Zone, Europe, was the officer designated to make the selection. As General O'Neill moved to a position near the bottom of the steps in front of the canopy sheltering the 13 flag-draped caskets, he saluted and bowed his head as the chaplain offered a prayer of guidance. He then ascended the steps and walked slowly past the 13 caskets, pausing briefly in front of each casket. He then descended the steps to his original position and received from his aide the selection wreath of red and white carnations forming a white star on a crimson field with an evergreen background. General O'Neill again ascended the steps, paused at the fifth casket from the east, placed the wreath in front of the casket, stepped back, saluted, and returned to the visitor's stand. The transatlantic candidate-Unknown of World War II had been selected.

Following the selection ceremony the remains of the candidateunknown were flown to Naples, Italy, where one of the newest destroyers of the Navy, the U.S.S. Blandy, awaited.

On May 14, 1958, the remains of the candidate-unknown were placed on board the Blandy which departed from Naples just before noon destined for a meeting with the Canberra off the Virginia Capes in late May. A continuous guard of honor was maintained with each member of the crew being given an opportunity to stand his watch as a mark of respect for the unknown.

Ceremonies for the final selection of the symbolic unknown to represent the unidentified dead of the Korean conflict were observed at about the same time that the candidates-unknown were being selected from the transatlantic and transpacific theaters of World War II. The place chosen for the ceremony was the beautiful National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii, last resting place of the unknowns of the Korean conflict. There on May 15, 1958 M. Sgt. Ned Lyle, 25th Infantry Division, holder of the Distinguished Service Medal for heroic service in Korea, made the selection. Sergeant Lyle faced the four flag-draped caskets of unknown remains resting on biers in a grassy oval plot opposite the entrance to the cemetery, looking and deliberating on each one. Then, bearing a large circular carnation wreath with blue and white carnations arranged at the center to represent the Korean Service Medal Ribbon, he walked to the end casket to his left and placed the selection wreath.

Following the ceremony the remains of the unknown of the Korean conflict were taken to the Naval Air Station at Barber's Point for transportation by Navy Air Transport to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

with the candidate-unknown of the transpacific theater of World War II. There the remains of the two unknowns were placed on board the Boston preparatory to the at sea meeting with the destroyer Blandy and the Canberra.

During the early hours of May 26, 1958, the Blandy, bearing the remains of the World War II trans-Atlantic candidate- Unknown, and the Boston, carrying the trans-Pacific candidate-Unknown and the Unknown of the Korean conflict, met at sea. The Blandy then transferred her hero-dead by highline to join the other two Unknowns aboard the Boston. The Boston escorted by the Blandy headed toward another morning rendezvous off the Virginia Capes with the Canberra. This ship flying the flag of Adm. Jerauld Wright, Commander in Chief of the Atlantic Fleet, had been designated the ceremonial ship on whose decks the final choice of the Unknown of World War II would be made.

Near the Virginia Capes in an area where ships were torpedoed during World War II the two ships met for transfer of the remains of the three Unknowns from the Boston to the Canberra. In less than 10 minutes the transfer of the three caskets by highline between the two ships had been effected, and the Boston then departed, her mission completed.

On board the Canberra preparations were underway anticipating the final selection ceremony to begin at noon, May 26, 1958. The remains of the Unknown of the Korean conflict were placed in a bronze ceremonial casket, marked with an engraved plate. Meanwhile, two separate teams of pallbearers working independently of each other rearranged the caskets of the World War II candidates-Unknown to preserve their anonymity by eliminating all clues to the area of their origin. Finally, the remains were transferred to the bronze ceremonial caskets provided for that purpose.

The final selection ceremony began promptly at noon. Three teams of pallbearers bore the caskets from the missile handling compartment of the ship to the ceremonial area on the after-lower missile deck and there positioned them in a row of shallow biers-the World War II candidates-Unknown to the right and left of the Unknown of the Korean conflict.

Rear Adm. Lewis S. Parks, commander of the ceremonial task group paid tribute to the Unknowns; Lt. Comdr. Ross H. Trower, the ship's chaplain, read the invocation; and then Admiral Parks introduced Hic William R. Charette, the Navy's only active enlisted holder of the Medal of Honor, for the climax of the ceremony. As drums rolled softly, Charette proceeded to the foot of the caskets, picked up the selection wreath of carnations-a white star in a red field-faced the caskets, saluted, and returned to the head of the biers. For a short time he stood silent, looking first to the left and then to the right. After first moving to the left, he turned, walked to the casket on his right, placed the wreath carefully at the head, stepped back, paused for a moment and saluted. The World War II Unknown had been chosen.

At 1 o'clock the Blandy came alongside the Canberra for the final transfer of caskets at sea. The two Unknowns who were to be interred in Arlington National Cemetery were carefully and rapidly highlined aboard the destroyer for the homeward trip up the Potomac to Washington.