[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5258]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          TOMB OF THE UNKNOWNS

  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, this Sunday, March 4, will mark the 86th 
anniversary of the enactment of a measure which established the Tomb of 
the Unknowns, honoring those members of the U.S. Armed Forces who fell 
in battle but who were not able to be identified, those ``known but to 
God.''
  By its very nature, war takes life. Parents lose children, children 
lose parents, and with each passing this country loses a son or 
daughter that makes this Nation what it is, great. No funeral or 
ceremony can stop the pain that cuts deep into the families of 
servicemembers who have been killed in action. But for the families of 
servicemembers missing in action, the cutting pain of loss remains an 
open wound.
  At the end of the First World War, this country asked itself 
questions related to those American soldiers who were unknown or 
missing in action. Where would those families come to pray, to grieve? 
Where would the rest of us go to ponder how it is we should honor them?
  Eighty-six years ago, Members of Congress, standing in the Capitol 
where we stand today, sought to respond to those questions. Eighty-six 
years later, the Tomb of the Unknowns stands honored and guarded. Since 
1937, Tomb Guards of the 3rd U.S. Infantry have safeguarded those 
buried in the tomb, every minute of every day, never failing. They 
epitomize our Nation's commitment to honor all of America's unknown and 
missing soldiers.
  On this occasion, choosing to reflect on the Tomb of the Unknowns and 
what it means would be of value to us all. We should think of the the 
families of the missing, the spirits of the unknown soldiers, and of 
the Tomb Guards, who honor them. For myself, I extend heartfelt 
feelings my prayers for the families, my deepest gratitude to those 
unknown soldiers, honored by us all, though ``known but to God,''and my 
respect to those entrusted to guard the tomb.

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