December 2021

Page A12 DECEMBER 2021 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS Se c t i on A www. vischerfuneralsupplies.com Call 651-450-7727 to request a wholesale catalog, Our Extra-Large Cremains Bags (13”x 15”) are perfectly sized for the Standard Plastic Human Service Urn. or visit UrnBags.com to order some bags. Just $2.90 each*. * Bags sold in multiples of 10 Choose from Black, Blue, or Burgundy J t $3. 0 each* Choose fr m Black, Blue, rgundy, Green or Gray The Korean unknown soldier was chosen from four fallen heroes exhumed from the National Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii (“Punchbowl”). Master Sergeant Ned Lyle, AUS, made the final selection. Both the World War II and Korean unknown soldiers ar- rived in Washington on May 28, 1958. They lay in state in the US Capitol until May 30. Caissons transported these fall- en in procession across the Arlington Memorial Bridge to the Memorial Amphitheater. President Dwight D. Eisenhower presented the posthumous Medal of Honor medals to these unknown and they were placed next to their World War I comrade on the plaza. When the Vietnam War concluded, it was only a matter of time before this conflict’s fallen would have an unknown to be honored. On Memorial Day, May 28, 1984, this fallen hero was laid to rest. President Ronald Reagan honored the un- identified soldier. The identity of the Vietnam unknown was solved through DNA. His name was 1st Lieutenant Michael J. Blassie, an Air Force pilot, who flew 132 missions in less than four months, before his plane was hit by ground fire. His family asked for his remains to be returned to them. He was buried in the Jef- ferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, MO, where he joined his father George Blassie, a World War II veteran. The Vietnam unknown’s grave will not bear another veteran or probably any future veteran as DNA and other develop- ments make identity an eventual reality. Engraved in the sarcophagus style marble slab, on the east side that faces Washington, are the figures of Valor, Victory, and Peace. The side of the tomb that faces the plaza continually re- minds the public of its purpose. The wording reads: “Here Rests in Honored Glory an American Soldier Known But To God.” A civilian guard began to protect the tomb in 1925, and since July 2, 1937 the tomb has been guarded around the clock. On April 6, 1948, the 3rd US Regiment “The Old Guard” was assigned to guard the Tomb. Their commitment, presence, and intensive training, gives the appropriate honor to those who are lie in honor at the Tomb of the Unknowns. T he T omb S entinel ’ s C reed : “My dedication to this sacred duty is total and whole- hearted. In the responsibility bestowed on me never will I falter. And with dignity and perseverance my standard will remain perfection. Through the years of diligence and praise and the discomfort of the elements, I will walk my tour in humble reverence to the best of my ability. It is he who commands the respect I protect. His bravery that made us so proud. Surrounded by well-meaning crowds by day alone in the thoughtful peace of night, this soldier will in honored glory rest under my eternal vigilance.” Observations Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Sentinel Shane Vincent re- flected on what the Tomb means: “Many people think the ul- timate sacrifice is giving up your life, but these soldiers gave up not only their lives but their identities,” he said in an inter- view with Washington DC’s Daily Caller . He continued, “When you see a WorldWar II veteran strug- gling to get out of his wheelchair so that he can stand during taps, and salute during taps, that really hits home. It lets you know exactly what this place really is about,” Vincent said. That place is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier that cele- brated its 100th year on November 11, 2021. Congressman Hamilton Fish, III of New York, a World War I veteran, observed as England buried an unknown soldier in Westminster Abbey and France honored an unknown at the Arc de Triomphe. He made it his mission for America to hon- or an unknown. Representative Fish earned a Silver Star for action in combat as he served with the 369th Infantry, known as the “Harlem Hellfighters”. Brigadier General William D. Connor was also impressed with our allies’ recognition of those who sacrificed all but would not have a family to mourn them. In 1919, he brought the idea to Army Chief of Staff General Peyton C. March. March thought that the Army Graves Registration Service would be able to identify all the fallen soldiers. Congress was chosen to find the appropriate place to honor the unknown. Places such as Pershing Square Park in Midtown Manhattan and the U.S. Capitol were considered. The place- ment in the Capitol would be the tomb readied for President George Washington that was never used, as he was interred at Mount Vernon. The tomb was not considered to be readily ac- cessible to the public to pay their respects. Various places in New York, including Central Park, were also considered. Congressman Fish introduced a bill to bring our unknown to our capital city. H.J. Resolution 426 was brought before the 66th Congress. The bill would allow a tomb to be construct- ed adjacent to the new amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery . Fish stated, “It is hoped that the grave of this unidentified warrior will become a shrine of patriotism for all the ages to come, which will be a source of inspiration, reverence and love of country for future generations.” Four remains of unknown US soldiers were exhumed from French cemeteries where they were buried. They were taken to the city hall in Chalons-sur-Marne and displayed on their shipping cases for the selection of one unknown veteran. They switched the shipping case biers to make the choice more anonymous. Sgt. Edward F. Younger of Headquarters Com- pany, 2nd Battalion, 50th Infantry, American Forces in Ger- By Steven Palmer many was chosen to select the honored unknown veteran from the four. Younger was wounded in combat and highly decorated for valor. Sgt. Younger walked among the four and placed a white rose on the casket that he selected. The fallen soldiers’ remains that were not selected were interred at Meuse Argonne Cemetery in France. The chosen remains were taken by caisson from Chalons-sur- Marne to LeHavre and was placed on the USS Olympia and crossed the Atlantic Ocean to the Washington Navy Shipyard. 90,000 citizens paid their respects as the casket lay in state in the US Capitol Rotunda. On November 11, a horse drawn cais- son conveyed the casket from the Capitol, across the Arlington Memorial Bridge to Arlington National Cemetery to the new Memorial Amphitheater that was dedicated on May 15, 1920. The older amphitheater, dedicated in the early 1900s, was not big enough to handle the visitors. The new amphitheater had an excellent location for the pro- posed Tomb of the Unknown. President Woodrow Wilson placed the Memorial Amphitheater cornerstone in 1915. In this stone was placed a copper box containing copies of the Bible, The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, a US Flag, the designs for the amphitheater, Pierre Charles L’Enfant’s de- sign for Washington, DC, a 1915 US coin and postage stamp, an engraved photo of President Woodrow Wilson and other docu- ments pertinent to the amphitheater. The frieze on the amphitheater gives a list of 44 battles fought by the US, from the Revolutionary War through the Spanish- American War. On November 11, 1921, a state funeral was held for this un- known fallen soldier. There was a requested nationwide two-min- ute silence in the memory of this soldier and all others unknown to us. President Warren G. Harding presented the Medal of Honor to the unknown soldier by placing it on his casket. The tomb was first installed as a stone slab. There was no barrier to keep the public from spending time as they saw it at the tomb; many thought the tomb slab was an appropriate place to hold a picnic. Congress approved the completion of the Tomb in 1926. The tomb as we see it today was completed in 1932. President Dwight D. Eisenhower approved a bill that further honored the unknown of World War II and Korea. The World War II unknown was selected from 19 unidentified remains tak- en from graves in Hawaii, Europe and the Philippines. This was narrowed to two identical caskets, one from the European The- ater and one from the Pacific Theater. Hospital Man First Class William R. Charette, the Navy’s only active-duty Medal of Hon- or recipient at the time, made the selection aboard the USS Can- berra, a guided missile cruiser. The casket of the unknown fallen hero that was not selected received burial at sea. 100 Years of Sacred Honor Steven Palmer entered funeral service in 1971. He is an honors graduate of the New England Institute of Applied Arts & Sciences. He has been licensed on both coasts, he owned theWestcott Funeral Homes of Cottonwood and Camp Verde, AZ, where he remains active in operations. Steve offers his observations on current funeral service issues. Hemay be reachedbymail at POBox 352, Cottonwood, AZ 86326, by phone at (928)634-9566, by fax at (928)634-5156, by e-mail at steve@westcottfuneralhome.como r throughhiswebsite at www.westcottfuneralhome.com or on Facebook. F U N E R A L H O M E & C E M E T E R Y N E W S w w w . N o m i s P u b l i c a t i o n s . c o m Monthly Columns online at The Travel Plan by Inman to Bring Travel Protection to Everdays’ Network of 3 Million Plus Users BIRMINGHAM,MI—Everdays and Travel Plan by Inman are excited to announce their new partnership. With a laser focus on the modern consumer, the Ever- days app and platform captivates audiences and brings the value of funeral service directly to the next generation of planners. With an average buyer age of 63 and aver- age cremation service package sale of $6,500, Everdays is resonating with younger planners that are focused on getting the services in place that loved ones will need. Consumers who plan and fund their funerals on Ever- days can now elect to add the Travel Plan by Inman direct- ly to their preneed policies. From payment to documen- tation, the entire transaction happens in the app with no human touch. With Ever- days’ drive to enhance ease of use and convenience for its network of planners, and Inman’s travel service that brings peace of mind to families across the country, this partnership is a natu- ral fit that aligns with both companies’ shared passion for making sure everyone has what they need long before – and after – the passing of a loved one. “Our planners are young, out there living their lives to the fullest. We put their needs and on-the-go lifestyle first, and now they can take a deep breath knowing their plan doesn’t get more complicated just because they leave town,” said Mark Alhermizi, Ever- days founder and CEO. “We always want to make sure we’re meeting the needs of the modern consumer, and for us that means ensuring they are taken care of no matter where they are, and without the fear of added expense. Including the Travel Plan by Inman makes this a reality for us and we’re ex- cited to offer this important service to our users.” “We are honored to work with an innovative company like Everdays and look forward to a future of serving families across the country together,” states Dave McComb, CEO of Inman ShippingWorldwide and Travel Plans by Inman. As the fastest-growing company in end-of-life planning, Everdays is the only consumer-first and consumer-friendly brand to captivate and engage with millions of 55 plus plan- ning consumers across the country who are looking for a modern solution that fits their lifestyle and needs. Customers can plan and fund their funerals 100 percent online using any one of their trusted funeral home providers nationwide to ful- fill their plan and preneed policy. For funeral homes seeking to learn more about partnering with Everdays, visit https:// partners.everdays.com/ or contact director of partner success, Andrew Gissal, at 248-480-2405 or sales@everdays.com. The Travel Plan by Inman is a travel protection product of Inman Shipping Worldwide which is sold preneed. Inman has served the funeral service profession since 1978 and is the oldest and largest repatriation firm in the country. The Travel Plan brings a loved one home for ceremony if the die 75 miles or more from their legal address. Owners, Dave McComb is a fourth-generation funeral director and under- stands the needs of the funeral professional. @Nomis.Publications Like us on