Memorial Flag Pillow

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier may be America’s most well-known grave site. Located near the center of Arlington National Cemetery, the Tomb of the Unknowns is a monolithic marble sarcophagus that holds the remains of unknown American soldiers who fought and died during World War I, World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. The marble tomb is carved with three Greek figures representing Peace, Victory and Valor and laurel wreaths representing the six major battles of World War I and inscribed with the words: “Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God.”

Upon internment, each unknown soldier was awarded a Medal of Honor. The medals and the flags that draped the soldiers’ coffins are displayed in the Memorial Amphitheater located directly behind the tomb. Specially trained members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry, known as The Old Guard, stand watch over the tomb 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year to honor the brave soldiers who died defending our country.

The marble slab from which the Tomb  of the Unknowns was carved was mined from the Yule Marble Quarry near the tiny town of Marble, Colorado in 1931. Marble for the Lincoln memorial also came from the same quarry which was owned by the Vermont Marble Company. Following both World War I and World War II, many U.S. communities erected local veterans memorials to unknown soldiers to honor their war dead.