Washington D.C. -- Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Seeing those photos makes my eyes rain!
Retired CPO wrote:
I've been there several times. It always brings tears. But I don't understand, how can we know this Unknown Soldier earned a Medal of Honor if we don't even know his name? Or the circumstances of his death?
They do know who he was from DNA. You can Google and read all about it. But the Monument stays for all the unknowns.
roxiemarty wrote:
They do know who he was from DNA. You can Google and read all about it. But the Monument stays for all the unknowns.
I thought the Unknown Soldier was from the 1st World War. Did they have DNA then? Did they have DNA for the 2nd World War, Korea? Did someone open the tomb and check the DNA against someone else? Who maybe?
I don't mean to be a PITA but it just doesn't sound plausible. I will Google and see. I appreciate your post.
EDIT:
I DID just Google and found that the unknown from Vietnam had been identified but I saw nothing about the WW1 or WW2 Unknown Soldier. If I missed something please let me know.
Dennis
SteveFranz wrote:
The only thing you need to know is that he died for his country - for me - for you - for all of us.
Well, thanks. I'm glad someone knows the only thing I need to know!
My mind can rest easy now!
Again...No one knows who he/ she was. No one knows the circumstances of his death. No one knows that he wasn't a deserter killed while running for the hills. No one knows if he was a REMF who never carried a weapon. No one knows.
I'm a 20 year Military Veteran, I didn't do anything to earn a MOH but I know a bit about the dedication and work it takes to serve my country. I know about signing on the dotted line, volunteering to give my all, up to and including my body and my life to the service of my country. How about you, Steve???
dennis2146 wrote:
Chief, like you I don’t know either. But my GUESS is the President/Congress at the time awarded the MOH as an honor to whoever the unknown soldier was as an honor to all soldiers who have lost their lives in battle.
Dennis
Thanks, Dennis. That would be my guess too.
RodeoMan wrote:
Chief, we may not know the circumstances of this particular soldier's service, but we also know that there have been and will be any number of service members who have given their lives or will give them under circumstances that would have had them under consideration for the Medal of Honor. Perhaps this person also stands in for all of these also unknown heroes.
Thank you. I couldn't agree with you more, RodeoMan. That's why I think the highest possible Military Honor should be vetted thoroughly. No mistakes allowed! No political hijinks allowed!
Retired CPO wrote:
Well, thanks. I'm glad someone knows the only thing I need to know!
My mind can rest easy now!
Again...No one knows who he/ she was. No one knows the circumstances of his death. No one knows that he wasn't a deserter killed while running for the hills. No one knows if he was a REMF who never carried a weapon. No one knows.
I'm a 20 year Military Veteran, I didn't do anything to earn a MOH but I know a bit about the dedication and work it takes to serve my country. I know about signing on the dotted line, volunteering to give my all, up to and including my body and my life to the service of my country. How about you, Steve???
Well, thanks. I'm glad someone knows the only thin... (
show quote)
Chief as usual, I agree 100%. I thank the man for serving but I honestly do not know if he was awarded the MOH or not. We have no idea who he might be and that is OK with me; I respect his participation no matter what he did but to claim he is now known through DNA when there was no known DNA testing back then does not make sense. The Googling did point out that the once Vietnam Unknown was known but then that would not make him eligible to be buried there. Surely someone in Vietnam could claim that spot but if read correctly there was an Air Force veteran in the Vietnam tomb but he was removed as he should have been.
I KNOW I am 100% like you when someone tells me, That is all you need to know, OR, Nuff Said. That BS does not work for me and like you I will be the one who says that is all I need to know.
While I am at it, Thank You for your service. I am proud you are KNOWN as well as the millions of others who have served to protect this nation, who DID sign on that dotted line not knowing if they would ever see family or not again. Thank you ALL who served. It was a pleasure for me and my family members who served.
Dennis
Yes, they chose several unknowns from several wars. And the one from Nam has been identified. You read correctly. The Monument stays to honor all who were lost in wars.
Retired CPO wrote:
Well, thanks. I'm glad someone knows the only thing I need to know!
My mind can rest easy now!
Again...No one knows who he/ she was. No one knows the circumstances of his death. No one knows that he wasn't a deserter killed while running for the hills. No one knows if he was a REMF who never carried a weapon. No one knows.
I'm a 20 year Military Veteran, I didn't do anything to earn a MOH but I know a bit about the dedication and work it takes to serve my country. I know about signing on the dotted line, volunteering to give my all, up to and including my body and my life to the service of my country. How about you, Steve???
Well, thanks. I'm glad someone knows the only thin... (
show quote)
I didn't do a 20 year career like you, but I did do a 3 year tour in the Marines. I would be classified as a REMF, worked for HQ 2nd Div at Camp Lejeune. Although I pre-Vietnam, I have health issues from the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. (me & about a million other vets and dependents who were there & drank the water)
dennis2146 wrote:
Chief as usual, I agree 100%. I thank the man for serving but I honestly do not know if he was awarded the MOH or not. We have no idea who he might be and that is OK with me; I respect his participation no matter what he did but to claim he is now known through DNA when there was no known DNA testing back then does not make sense. The Googling did point out that the once Vietnam Unknown was known but then that would not make him eligible to be buried there. Surely someone in Vietnam could claim that spot but if read correctly there was an Air Force veteran in the Vietnam tomb but he was removed as he should have been.
I KNOW I am 100% like you when someone tells me, That is all you need to know, OR, Nuff Said. That BS does not work for me and like you I will be the one who says that is all I need to know.
While I am at it, Thank You for your service. I am proud you are KNOWN as well as the millions of others who have served to protect this nation, who DID sign on that dotted line not knowing if they would ever see family or not again. Thank you ALL who served. It was a pleasure for me and my family members who served.
Dennis
img src="https://static.uglyhedgehog.com/images/s... (
show quote)
Thanks very much Dennis. I agree with everything you have said. And right back at you for your service. It can't be said often enough and those who haven't served have no idea.
I have nothing against those who did not. I have nine brothers. Through the years about half of us have served. All Navy except one black sheep Air Force wienie
Some of us did one tour, some of us did Max Time and retired. At one time there were five of us serving at the same time. As well as my wife, who also retired honorably ten years after I retired! And with one more stripe than I retired with! :-))
One of my nephews, son of a brother who didn't serve, is now in the U.S. Marines, the first in the family that I'm aware of. We are all very proud of him!
Let me echo your last paragraph. THANK YOU to all who have served, including the unknown soldiers, whoever they may be!!
And thank you to the ones that kept the home fires burning so there was a home to come back to!
It was a pleasure and an honor to have served my country through the best years of my life! (18 to 38). Not always pleasurable, but the least I could do!
SteveFranz wrote:
I didn't do a 20 year career like you, but I did do a 3 year tour in the Marines. I would be classified as a REMF, worked for HQ 2nd Div at Camp Lejeune. Although I pre-Vietnam, I have health issues from the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. (me & about a million other vets and dependents who were there & drank the water)
Thank you for your service!
Well stated, and most, if not all veterans will concur. I salute you.
waymond wrote:
Well stated, and most, if not all veterans will concur. I salute you.
If you click on "Quote Reply" we will know to whom you are speaking
If this is directed to me, Retired CPO, I appreciate it and I agree with you. And I thank you!
If you want to reply, then
register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.