Help Save the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery!

[Matthew.Rector]

I wasn't certain where to put this, so Mods-feel free to move it elsewhere or remove it entirely. Perhaps in the Modern-Day Servicemen folder?

No doubt some of you recieved this notice from the National Trust.....

Help Save the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery!

It's hard to believe, but officials at Arlington National Cemetery plan to replace the original Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with a new replica solely because of repairable cosmetic imperfections. This 1932 monument is nationally significant and eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

The 48-ton marble block has two nonstructural cracks which pose no threat to visitors or the historic structure. Surprisingly, federal bureaucrats want the replica carved from new stone that experts agree will likely again crack along its grain just as marble does naturally when exposed to the elements. Repair and proper care of the Tomb (re-grouting the cracks and using only gentle cleaning methods instead of high-pressure power-washing) is possible and is the preferred method for fixing the existing cracks, as other marble monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial were repaired.

Once the National Trust learned about this ill-considered plan, we raised the alarm with Members of Congress and tried unsuccessfully to consult with those who administer the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

A decision to determine the fate of the Tomb Monument is expected by September 30th. Your help is needed to weigh in with decision-makers to help save the memorial.

Please Contact your Senators and ask them and the Senate Committee on Armed Services to explore alternatives to replacing the memorial; and.

Contact John Metzler, superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery and ask him to repair rather than replace the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

[Johan Steele]

Re: Help Save the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery!

If the Federal Govt can sign off on a million dollar Woodstock museum they can bloody well allocate the money needed to repair the Tomb of the Unknowns.

[paulcalloway]

Re: Help Save the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery!

Clicking these two links is the easiest form of advocacy you'll ever do.

Please Contact your Senators and ask them and the Senate Committee on Armed Services to explore alternatives to replacing the memorial; and.

Contact John Metzler, superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery and ask him to repair rather than replace the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Did you click them?

[Michael Comer]

Re: Help Save the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery!

Did you click them?

__________________

Yes, I did.

[CSA Leatherneck]

Re: Help Save the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery!

Matthew,

Thanks for the info. Hope everyone will help out!

[Mark6thNHE]

Re: Help Save the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery!

Done and passed on to others to do the same!

[KathyBradford]

Re: Help Save the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery!

Fascinating reads here

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/ceremonies/index.html

Tomb of the Unknowns Monument Replacement/Repair Project Report

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/photo_gallery/ANC.pdf

Awe-inspiring place!

[Johan Steele]

Re: Help Save the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery!

The frustration with something like this is the cavalier attitude, IMO, with which monuments to important things are dealt w/. Plenty of money for Global Warming signs & a Woodstock museum but when it comes time to maintain a real National treasure...

I apologize for a rant brought on by knowing how much money is wasted for... garbage.

[Dignann]

Re: Help Save the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery!

Completed.

Johan - what is this million dollar Woodstock museum you say the feds have signed off on? I can't seem to find anything about it on the Net.

Eric

[Citizen_Soldier]

Re: Help Save the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery!

Greetings,
It would be great if they were able to perform preservation maintenance on the current Tomb of the Unknown Soldier due to it's historical significance, however I'm not well aquainted with the current level of deterioration, preservation needs, and maintenance plan of the tomb. According to the National Trust it's only cosmetic, however there must be somewhat of a valid reason why Arlington officials are wishing to replace the monument. Especially considering that if the damage is only cosmetic, it could be repaired much more economically than replacment. Without a doubt, I will submit emails to the links provided in this thread to show support concerning alternatives in regards to replacing the monument, but we only have one side to the story here.

In concerning another subject in this thread, Woodstock is a huge cultural event in our nation's history which holds the interest of many of our fellow citizens. The use of one million dollars (really kind of a small amount when speaking of museum development for something like this) in order to preserve the history of the event and interpret it, is great! We must remember that there are other time periods of American History that are worth preserving and interpreting besides and in addition to The War of the Rebellion and Military History.

I base my opinions in this post on my experience working in the museum profession and the historic preservation field.

Darrek Orwig

[Johan Steele]

Re: Help Save the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery!

Completed.

Johan - what is this million dollar Woodstock museum you say the feds have signed off on? I can't seem to find anything about it on the Net.

Eric

Eric, I stumbled across the data a week or two ago while researching sources to help repair & preserve a couple Iowa CW monuments, it was site detailing all of the various pork projects that have gone through Congress in the last couple years. I didn't keep the link primarily because I was so aggravated to find that neither the state or federal govt was all that interested in repairing monuments put up to honor those who served to defend this country, most funding for such work has been done through private donations. This kind of added to that aggravation.

Does Woodstock deserve a museum? I don't know, IMO, more historically significant and frankly worthy projects deserve that earmark.

[JustRob]

Re: Help Save the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery!

What they should really worry about is the other Tomb of the Unknown Solider at Arlington. It's the one at the Lee House containing the remains of a number of Civil War Unknowns.

[threepdr]

Re: Help Save the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery!

As a veteran and a historic preservation proffesional, I guess I will have to chime in here. I think everyone is missing the point. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a memorial to the Unknown Soldiers within. It is not a "monument" in its own right. It is there for only one reason, to honor those soldiers who did not come home, and more specifically those who have lost their identity as a result of thier sacrifice.

The VA also replaces headstones when they become damaged or eroded or otherwise unpresentable to the point they do not properly honor the soldier who is intered beneath it. The same should always be true for Tomb of the Unknown.

Obviously, the Tomb has become iconic and an important part of our national cultural landscape far, far beyond a simple headstone, but honoring the Unknowns should be the ultimate priority. The Tomb has gone through 4 or 5 renovation already. It may be time for new Marble.

I don't care if they replace the marble panels every year, as long a the tomb remains as beatifull as it was meant to be and pays the highest honor to the men inside.

Now if someone wants to save the crumbling marble that is removed to develop a monument somewhere else, I'd support that idea to the fullest.

[GermanDraftee]

Re: Help Save the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery!

Tomb of the Unknowns Monument Replacement/Repair Project Report

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/photo_gallery/ANC.pdf

Before hitting those links, be sure to read the project report, via the link provided by Kathy Bradford. No one appears to be contemplating any action (out of 4 possibilities) without seriously considering the emotional, historical, and structural impact of their decisions. After reading the report, I was disturbed by the wording of the release from the National Trust. To my reading, the phrasing is misleading and inflammatory.

The most recent article on the process I could find is here: http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs...plate=printart

From my reading, I believe there are valid arguments to made for either replacement or repair. Our input in this debate is highly valued by those who are charged with making the final decision. I am not advocating either option here. I am merely suggesting that, whatever position we take, our opinions are informed and our input sober.

Just one more opinion,

[Emmanuel Dabney]

Re: Help Save the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery!

The latest:

Thank you for taking action in our campaign to convince public officials to preserve, not demolish the Tomb of the Unknowns - one of our most important war memorials and our only national monument to those who fought in World War I.

Because of YOUR action and thousands of others like you, the Senate adopted an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (H.R. 1585) sponsored by Senator Akaka (D-HI) and cosponsored by Senator Webb (D-VA) that would delay any hasty action and require the Secretaries of the Army and Veterans Affairs to report to Congress with an assessment of the feasibility and advisability of repairing the monument rather than replacing it. The bill is still being debated and awaits full passage in the upcoming weeks.

Even though the Senate will not complete action on the measure before the Army’s September 30th deadline, the outcry over the Cemetery’s plan and the resulting interest in Congress has forced the Army to delay action. But our work is not done. We must continue in our efforts to convince the Superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery that repairing the Tomb is not only feasible, but is a much more fitting tribute to all Veterans.

We at the National Trust have redoubled our efforts to make sure that everyone knows what is at stake. We are reaching out to preservation and veterans’ groups to build a national coalition to preserve the monument. But we still need YOUR help! Here’s what you can do right now:

- Tell a Friend! Help keep the pressure on the Superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery by passing an action alert along to someone who shares your concern on this issue. Send this email to a friend, and ask them to CLICK HERE to add their voice to this effort. If we are to prevail, thousands more Americans need to be heard from.
- Share your Story! If you have a personal story to relate about the Tomb of the Unknowns or your experience as a veteran, visit our website and leave a comment on our new blog.
- Make a donation to support our Campaign! We will use your gift to support the National Trust’s efforts to raise awareness about the importance of preserving the Tomb of the Unknowns for future generations.

Thank you again for taking action in support of our Campaign to save the Tomb of the Unknowns. With your continued dedication, we will prevail in our efforts to preserve this authentic symbol of those who have paid the ultimate price to protect our way of life.


The National Trust for Historic Preservation
September 2007