Sec. 2. Findings
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Congress finds the following: The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a memorial site at Arlington National Cemetery. On March 4, 1921, Congress approved the burial of an unidentified soldier of the United States on the site to commemorate the unknown soldiers who died during World War I. As of the date of enactment of this Act, the site also includes unknown soldiers from World War II and the Korean War. These graves are marked with white marble slabs embedded in the plaza below the original sarcophagus.
The original white marble sarcophagus of the unknown soldier from World War I features 3 Greek figures representing peace, victory, and valor. There are 6 wreaths, 3 sculpted on each side, which represent the major campaigns of World War I. The original unknown soldier lay in the rotunda of the Capitol from his arrival in the United States until Armistice Day, 1921. President Warren G. Harding officiated at the interment ceremonies at the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and in any weather by Tomb Guard sentinels. The sentinels, all of whom are volunteers, are considered to be the best of the elite 3rd Infantry Regiment of the Army (commonly known as the Old Guard ), headquartered at Fort Myer, Virginia. Inscribed on the back of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier are the words, Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God .