TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLIDER

The replica is part of a traveling exhibition called A Call to Honor: Tomb of The Unknown Soldier. The Americanism Committee of the Exchange Club in Rome, Georgia, is responsible for the exhibition and brings the replica to all parts of the United States. It was constructed by Phillip Burkhalter Builders of Rome in 2015. It is the hope of the Exchange Club of Rome and the National Exchange Club that the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform are never forgotten, for without their supreme sacrifice of their lives, and in the case of the unknowns, their identity, our way of life would not be possible. The tomb is an exact half size of the actual Tomb at Arlington. All of the artwork was carved with a hand Dremel and it was painted to resemble the marble of the real one at Arlington National Cemetery by Mr. Chuck Schmult, a wellknown and extremely talented Rome, Georgia artist.

TO M B OF THE UnknownSoldier replica

AUG. 10 -11

The history of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was also an important part of the event. The representatives from the Call to Honor tell peo- STORY BY MARY BUCHHOLZ ple about what the tomb symbolizes. The tomb also represents a place for those who lost loved ones who could not be returned, to pay tribute and mourn. While those who guard the tomb make sure the soldiers’ spirits live on. “The importance is we need to never forget the sacrifice by what this replica and what the real tomb in Arlington, Virginia represents and “The importance is we need to never forget the sacrifice that’s the sacri- by what this replica fices of not only their lives but their identity for us so we can and what the real tomb in Arlington, Virginia represents.” enjoy the free- - BILL KING doms we enjoy in America,” said Bill King, A Call To Honor: The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Replica Project Manager.

“The tomb guards have the best phrase that we’ve heard,” said King. “A soldier never really dies until he is forgotten, tomb guards are never going to forget, and we added to that with our own little saying, neither will we, because they did it for us.” The Guard is changed every thirty minutes during the summer (April 1 to Sept. 30) and every hour during the winter (Oct 1 to Mar 31). The Tomb in Virginia is guarded, and has been guarded, every minute of every day since 1937. The Tomb was placed at the head of the grave of the World War I Unknown. West of this grave are the crypts of Unknowns from World War II (south) and Korea (north). Between the two lies a crypt that once contained an Unknown from Vietnam (middle). However his coming to remains were positively identified in 1998 through DNA testing as belle fourche First Lieutenant Michael Blassie, United States Air Force, and were removed to his hometown. Those three graves are marked with white marble slabs flush with the plaza. The replica includes these symbolic crypts just in front of the tomb. 7 AM - 7 PM | 512 6TH AVE. FREE | BELLE FOURCHE COMMUNITY HALL