Why do we guard the grave of an Unknown Soldier?

War has always taken our best and brightest when they are too young, with their entire life ahead of them. Families of fallen servicemen need to have closure. . . so they can move past their grief and loss. With the lethality of modern weapons, identifying the bodies of our warriors was more difficult in the past, and many times the military could not provide families with positive identification. Their pain continued as they wondered about their loved one.
The unknown soldiers buried in the Plaza represent the missing and unknown service members for four different wars. Being buried at Arlington gives these families a place to grieve and pray. We stand watch over their graves in humble reverence, ensuring they rest in peace. These Americans have not only given their lives, but their identities for our freedom and way of life.

I am proud to have been able to stand watch over their graves, and I feel a closer bond with the veterans of these wars. Knowing that their sacrifice will not be forgotten as they are guarded by the young men and women of our nation, makes me very proud to be an American.

This has been the most difficult part of the website. How does one briefly summarize a war? World War II and the Vietnam War were the most difficult to write, as they had such a huge impact on our nation in many ways. I know that I have missed many different battles and dates, but I hope you will take the time to learn more about these events, and their impact on our nation. General George S. Patton, Jr. said it best: The soldier is the Army. No army is better that its soldiers. The Soldier is also a citizen. In fact, the highest obligation and privilege of citizenship is that of bearing arms for one's country.
 
Hence it is a proud privilege to be a soldier  a good soldier [with] discipline, self-respect, pride in his unit and his country, a high sense of duty and obligation to comrades and to his superiors, and a self confidence born of demonstrated ability.

Every American who has worn the uniform of our country has my deepest respect and admiration.

Where did the idea come from?

The idea of honoring the unknown dead originated in Europe after World War I. The first country to honor its unknown warriors from that war was Great Britain. While on the Western Front, Reverend David Railton thought of arranging for the body of one, unknown serviceman to be transported back to England, and buried with full honors. Mr. Railton tried to express why (he) felt this was so important. In a letter he recalled an incident near Armentieres, where he came across a grave with a rough wooden cross inscribed "An unknown British soldier, of the Black Watch":

"How that grave caused me to think! But, who was he, and who were they [his folk]? Was he just a laddie? There was no answer to those questions, nor has there ever been yet. So I thought and thought and wrestled in thought. What can I do to ease the pain of father, mother, brother, sister, sweetheart, wife and friend? Quietly and gradually there came out of the mist of thought this answer clear and strong, "Let this body - this symbol of him - be carried reverently over the sea to his native land. And I was happy for about five or ten minutes."

As in the United States, his idea was not meeting the best reception by the Government. However, after many veterans and families of soldiers killed in action lobbied for action, the Government went ahead with the selection and burial.

The unknown warrior was laid to rest in Westminster Abbey on Armistice Day, 11th November, 1920, in an impressive ceremony which included the unveiling of the Cenotaph. The body, borne on a gun carriage was covered with a Union Jack, on which were laid a steel trench helmet, a khaki belt and a crusader's sword. At the memorial service held in the Abbey the coffin was presided over by a guard of honor comprising Victoria Cross winners, which is the highest award for valor. The King scattered French soil, which had been specially brought from Flanders, over the coffin as it was laid to rest. The inscription read:
A BRITISH WARRIORWHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR1914-1918FOR KING AND COUNTRY
 
The commanding general of American forces in France, Brigadier General William D. Connor, learned of the French project while it was still in the planning stage. Favorably impressed, he proposed a similar project for the United States to the Army Chief of Staff, General Peyton C. March, on 29 October 1919. General March denied the proposal, as it appeared that the Army Graves Registration Service eventually would identify all American dead, thus there was no need for such a memorial. Furthermore, the United States had no burial place for a fallen hero similar to Westminster Abbey or the Arc de Triomphe.

On 21 December 1920, Congressman Hamilton Fish, Jr., of New York introduced a resolution calling for the return to the United States of an unknown American soldier killed in France and his burial with appropriate ceremonies in a tomb to be constructed at the Memorial Amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery. The measure was approved on 4 March 1921 as Public Resolution 67 of the 66th Congress.

The body of an unidentified soldier, killed in France, was laid to eternal rest in the plaza of the Memorial Amphitheater on 11 November 1921. This soldier represents all the unidentified and missing from World War I.

Since that time an unidentified American service member has been laid to rest, with the highest honors, for World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
 

After the ceremonies were completed, a simple marble crypt was placed over the Unknown Soldier. This base remained as such, until the decision to build an elaborate sarcophagus was made. The decision came about after too many people had to be asked NOT to have their lunch on the Unknown Soldiers grave. 

The Tomb as you see it today, was designed by Lorimer Rich and sculpted by Thomas H. Jones. The overall cost to construct the sarcophagus, entirely out of White Yule Marble from Colorado, was $48,000. It took over a year to complete, and was unveiled on 9 April 1931.
The Tomb is broken into different parts, each weighing in at very heavy weights. The entire Tomb, minus the crypts, weighs 79 tons, and has 7 pieces:
Sub-Base....15 tons, 4 pieces Base........16 tons, 1 piece Dye.........36 tons, 1 piece Cap.........12 tons, 1 piece
 
On the North and South faces of the Tomb, you can see a total of 6 inverted wreaths. Each of these wreaths have a certain number of leaves and berries, and if you ask a Tomb Guard he will rattle off the numbers. The wreaths are inverted to represent mourning, as well as the six major battle campaigns of World War I:

ArdennesBelleau WoodChateau-ThierryMeusse-ArgonneOisiu-EiseuSomme
On the East face of the Tomb you will find three figures, carved into the marble. This is the face most visitors to the Tomb do not see. The three figures, from left to right, represent Peace, Victory and Valor.

Peace (on the left) is holding a dove in her left hand, while holding the right hand of Victory.
Valor (on the right) is holding a broken sword in his hands and is facing Victory.
Victory (in the middle) is holding the hand of Peace and extending an olive branch towards Valor. This symbolized the devotion and sacrifice that went with courage to make the cause of righteousness triumphant.

As with any large marble memorial, there eventually flaws will develop as the marble settles. After the 12 ton cap was put in place a natural crack developed around the entire Tomb, about 3 feet off the base. On one wreath, the tip of a leaf was broken off.
On the West face of the Tomb, which in on the plaza and faces the Memorial Amphitheater, there is an inscription:

Here Rests In Honored Glory An American Soldier Known But To God