Tombs of Unknown Soldiers Trivia Quiz

Answer: France & Great Britain

The vast majority of battlefield dead - particularly Commonwealth dead - were never returned to their families. One source indicated this was to avoid a disastrous effect on home front morale, but such a policy meant that many grieving families had no closure. British Army chaplain David Railton is credited with initiating the Tomb idea, which quickly gained a groundswell of approval, both politically and publicly.

Britain and France went to great lengths to ensure that their respective fallen soldiers were from their own nations, with no possibility of later identification. In this way, the Unknowns would symbolically represent the thousands of unidentified soldiers that never came home. Both countries conducted memorial services on 11 November 1920. Britain's Unknown is interred in Westminster Abbey; France's Unknown rests in the Arc de Triomphe.

To illustrate how absolutely devastating this war was to an entire generation, a small part of the funeral cortège for the British Unknown was composed of 100 widows who had lost THEIR HUSBANDS AND ALL THEIR SONS to the war. One HUNDRED!

The countries named in each incorrect choice were adversaries in WW I.

Answer: Similar Tombs had already been started by England and France

As early as 1916, discussions in Great Britain and France sought ways to memorialize the staggering numbers of their unknown dead. The Tomb concept took hold, and planning began in both countries shortly after the Armistice. The US took notice, and began its own review. Army Chief of Staff General Peyton March was somewhat cool about the idea, explaining that Army Graves Registration might eventually identify all US unknowns, thus rendering the Tomb useless. But the project was completed, and the American Unknown was interred on 11 November 1921, the third anniversary of the Armistice.

The concept of national tombs spread through following years; at least 40 Tombs/Memorials to Unknown Soldiers were built around the world in countries as far-flung as Egypt, Venezuela, Namibia, and Ukraine. Brazil's Monument and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier of World War II is in faraway Pistoia, Tuscany, Italy. Lesser known Tombs in the US include the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, and the Tomb of the Unknown Confederate Soldier in Biloxi Mississippi.

Answer: WW I

The US Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was completed in 1921, long before WW II and Vietnam. The soldier in the Tomb was recovered from a WW I cemetery in France.

Surprisingly, there is no "official" name for the Tomb; by common usage, it is usually referred to as the "Tomb of the Unknown Soldier," or (after 1958) "Tomb of the Unknowns."

There is another monument to war unknowns at Arlington Cemetery, though it is not nearly as well known as the 1921 Tomb. Located at Arlington House - the one-time home of Robert E. Lee - the Civil War Unknowns Monument marks the mass burial site of 2111 Union AND Confederate dead.

Answer: Almost certainly Army

The horrific number of casualties and the static nature of 1914-1918 battlefields resulted in many thousands of unknown dead and "missing" troops. Because the US entered the war much later (1917), US casualties were far less than those of most other combatants, but America still suffered about 7500 POW/MIA casualties; some 4400 remained MIA in 2017.

Two branches of the US military were most directly engaged in battlefield action: the US Army suffered over 50,000 killed in action (KIA); the Marines, about 2457. The fledgling US Army Air Service (ancestor to the USAF) had 235 combat deaths, but airmen were far less likely to have fallen unnoticed into the morass of the battlefield. The vast majority of aviators would likely have been identified by various means. US Navy combat deaths were about 431. By its very nature, most naval deaths were at sea - NOT on land. But 20 of those Navy deaths were Pharmacist Mates (PhM), the "combat medics" who fought alongside their USMC brothers. So there is an incredibly small chance that one of those medics became the Unknown.

Statistically, the original Unknown is almost certainly Army, possibly Marine, and almost certainly not Navy. But in the end, it's moot. No matter the branch; the honorific term "Soldier" is appropriate.

Answer: An enlisted man chose France's Unknown Soldier

The decision by French officials - that an enlisted soldier would select the Unknown - was emulated by Quartermaster General Harry Rogers. A precedent was thus set for determining future US Unknowns.

After their status as unidentified US "soldiers" was confirmed, sets of remains were collected from four different war cemeteries in France. Twice wounded combat veteran and Distinguished Service Cross awardee Sergeant Edward F Younger was assigned the selection duty. The unknown soldier he chose was returned to the US; the remaining three were buried in the Meuse-Argonne War cemetery.

Answer: On USS Olympia

There were no secret troopships. And there were no transatlantic flights or railways across the Atlantic in 1921. The establishment of the various Tombs of WW I Unknowns around the world were widely publicized, with much ceremony.

After appropriate honors in Chalons-sur-Marne, the Unknown was taken by train to Le Havre, and placed aboard USS Olympia (Admiral Dewey's flagship at the 1898 Battle of Manila Bay). The cruiser arrived at Washington Navy Yard 9 November, 1921. From there, the body was transported by caisson in a military funeral procession, to the Capitol Rotunda, where it lay in state.

Answer: Greenpeace

Over 40 organizations participated in the funeral procession. In addition to numerous military-related groups, contingents from diverse backgrounds included the Salvation Army, Jewish Veterans of the World War, YMCA, and Knights of Columbus. The WW I Unknown may have been an officer or black or Southern or Jewish, but no one knew for certain. For a time - however brief - Death and Anonymity became the Great Equalizers.

Greenpeace did not exist until 1971 thus obviously did not join the procession.

Answer: KNOWN BUT TO GOD

"Lest We Forget" has a special place in the hearts of Commonwealth members. The phrase is seen on memorials and tombs, and is a closing statement in services conducted on ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day. It reminds us of the sacrifices made by soldiers of the Commonwealth, particularly those of the First World War. The two remaining choices are fictitious.

The ornate carvings on the US Tomb die block were created by the Piccirilli brothers of New York City. This renowned family of sculptors also did the Lincoln Memorial statue and the famous lions of the New York Public Library. Since the current Tomb edifice was installed in 1931, weathering has taken a toll on the marble; cracks were reported as early as 1963. Several repairs have been completed, but discussions about repair, restoration, or complete replacement seem to be an ongoing process.

Answer: Interment of WW II and Korean War Unknowns

The WW II selections - although more complicated - followed a pattern similar to the WW I selection. In France, an Army general selected one of 13 unknowns brought from Atlantic theater cemeteries; the remaining 12 were re-interred. In Hawaii, an Air Force colonel chose one of six unknowns from Pacific theater cemeteries. At the National Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl), Army Master Sergeant Ned Lyle chose one of four Korean War unknowns as the Unknown Soldier of the Korean War. The five remaining WW II and three Korean War unknowns were reburied in Hawaii.

The two WW II unknowns and the Korean War Unknown were transferred via aircraft and Navy vessels to the cruiser USS Canberra, off the Virginia coast. Aboard Canberra, Medal of Honor awardee Petty Officer 1st Class William Charette made the final selection of the WW II Unknown. The remaining unknown from the Second World War was then buried at sea with full honors. The WW II and Korean Unknowns were transferred to USS Blandy for transport to the Washington Navy Yard. On 30 May, 1958 The two Unknowns were taken, with appropriate honors, to Arlington National Cemetery, to rest alongside their WW I brother.

The precedent remains - the final selections of the Unknowns, from WW I, WW II, and the Korean Conflict were done by enlisted men.

Answer: He was eventually identified

In 1972, a partial set of remains was recovered from an aircraft crash site near An Loc, Vietnam. Forensic evidence confirmed the body as that of an unidentified US flyer. In 1984, this airman was designated (note that this was not a "selection" - there were no other sets of remains from which to "select") as the Unknown of the Vietnam War by USMC Sergeant Major Allan Kellogg. Like the others, this Unknown was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, and buried with full military honors.

Over the following years, rapid advances in DNA technology and mounting supporting evidence made an exact identification quite likely. In May of 1998, the remains were exhumed for testing, and were confirmed as those of Michael J Blassie, a US Air Force 1st Lt. Blassie was ultimately reburied in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, in his home state of Missouri. The empty crypt was marked with the words: "Honoring and Keeping Faith with America's Missing Servicemen."

Despite requests from Blassie's family that his MOH be retained, the award was rescinded. In an understandable but heartbreaking decision, the Department of Defense determined the Medal had been awarded to the "Unknown Soldier of Vietnam" to honor all the missing servicemen of that conflict; once Michael Blassie was positively identified, he was no longer "missing."

All the Tomb Unknowns were killed in action; all the Unknowns are posthumous recipients of the Medal of Honor. Not a citizen? We don't know who these men were; How would we know their citizenship? We only know that they were US soldiers who died in action.

Answer: All of these

There were no guards at the Tomb from its 1921 dedication until the mid-1920s. But improper conduct of some visitors over the years resulted in posting civilian watchmen during Cemetery visiting hours (the Tomb remained unguarded after closing hours). The US Army assumed daylight guard duties in 1926, and on 2 July 1937, Tomb Guards began standing post around the clock. The Tomb of the Unknowns has been under continuous guard since then. Nearly 80 years, as of this writing!

Arlington National Cemetery began security search scans of all visitors in November 2016. This is obviously intended as a safeguard against terrorist threats and tragic incidents such as the 2014 attack at Canada's Unknown Soldier Tomb.

Answer: New Zealand

The equivalent English words atop his Tomb read simply "An Unknown New Zealand Warrior." This Unknown Soldier is interred in Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in Wellington. The park - designed to honor all New Zealanders of WW I - was approved in 1919. The War Memorial Carillon was completed in 1932, but further construction was delayed by the onset of the Great Depression and WW II. The Hall of Memories was finished in 1964, and final completion of the Park was in 2015. Special ceremonies commemorated the Centennial of "the Great War." On Anzac Day, 25 April 2015, an estimated 50,000 people attended Dawn Service at the Park!

Marking the Soldier's return, Air Marshal Bruce Ferguson said "I told him we're taking him home and that those who are taking him home are soldiers, sailors and airmen, past and present. I asked the Warrior to be the guardian of all military personnel who had died on active service. I then promised that we, the people of New Zealand, will be his guardian for ever".

Like most other Commonwealth nations, very few New Zealand soldiers killed in the war were returned home. The vast majority - thousands of them unknown - remain in French or Commonwealth War Grave cemeteries. This lone Warrior is representative of the 18,000 who died in WW I, and another 12,000 who have died in service since. A marker (also inscribed in Maori and English) at his original grave at Caterpillar Drive Cemetery, Longueval France, tells of his return home to New Zealand. This particular headstone may be viewed online.

Answer: Canberra, Australia

The Australian War Memorial - opened 1941 in Canberra - commemorates the sacrifices of all Australians who have served, particularly those who died in service. The Memorial is in a beautiful park-like setting, and has three separate areas.

The Commemorative Area includes the Hall of Honour, with its Roll of Honour - tablets bearing the names of 102,000+ Australians who died in service to their country. At the very heart of the Hall is the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier. In 1993, an unidentified Australian soldier was brought home from a Commonwealth War Graves cemetery near the Somme, and interred in the Tomb.

The War Memorial also houses an extensive Museum and military collection, and a Research Center. Amazing collections, exhibits, and interactive displays educate and inform young and old alike.

Every day of the year (save Anzac Day, Remembrance Day, and Christmas Day when the Memorial is closed), at about 16:55 Sydney time, preparations are made for the Last Post Ceremony. Each Last Post honors the life and passing of one person named on the Roll of Honour. This daily ceremony may be viewed live on the internet. After watching several Last Posts online I must say - they are very poignant and moving experiences.

From half a world away, I am awed beyond words. It will take nearly 300 years to honor all those names - another sign of the terrible cost of war.

Answer: A Tomb Guard was shot and killed by an armed gunman

Corporal Nathan Cirillo of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders was standing as Ceremonial Guard at the Tomb, when he was shot by a suspected terrorist gunman. Cpl Cirillo died later at a hospital. The shooter ran into a Parliament building, where he was killed by Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers.
A comment on the repercussions of that terrible day: a FAQ regarding the US Tomb of the Unknowns is "are the weapons loaded?" The reply, in essence: "Given the ...tragic events in Canada...we will no longer...[answer] questions...regarding current security and armament at the Tomb...Rest assured, that the US Army has the post secured as it has been since we started guard duty at the shrine in 1926."

Canada's Unknown was the single soldier selected from among 1603 of his unidentified WW I comrades in the military cemetery at Souchez France. The headstone that marked his resting place for nearly 80 years was also removed, replaced by a simple grave marker that describes his return to Canada. On 28 May 2000, following full military honors, he was interred in the Tomb located in front of the National War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario. As part of the ceremony, handfuls of soil from his original burial plot in France, and from all of Canada's provinces and territories were placed upon his casket. The Ceremonial Guard detail began in the summer of 2007, and generally is posted from April to November.

And what of his original headstone? It rests in solitary repose in the Canadian War Museum's Memorial Hall; there are no other items displayed in the Hall. The Hall has single window - carefully placed - so that direct sunlight fully illuminates the headstone for a brief moment on one date each year. The moment? 11 AM. The date? 11 November. In the research I've done, this is unique.

Answer: Japan

The shrine is located in Kyoto, and contains two million memorial tablets in honor of Japanese killed in World War II. A Memorial Hall honors the Unknown Soldier of WW II. This Memorial is unique in two respects: It is not a tomb; there are no remains enshrined there. And more important, the Memorial honors the unknown dead of ALL countries who fought in that war.

The inscription reads:
"· IN MEMORIAM · THE WORLD'S UNKNOWN SOLDIER · KILLED IN WORLD WAR II · All honor to him, friend or foe, · who fought and died for his country! · May the tragedy of his supreme · Sacrifice bring to us, the living, · Enlightenment and inspiration: · Fill us with ever-mounting zeal · For the all-compelling quest of peace · World peace and universal brotherhood · "

A most fitting closing thought - and hope - at the end of this quiz.