The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was dedicated at Arlington National Cemetery in 1921.
The dedication occurred on November 11, 1921, the third anniversary of the World War I armistice. The ceremony honored an unidentified American service member whose remains had been brought from France after the war.
The monument was originally called the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Unknown service members from World War II and the Korean War were later interred nearby in 1958, broadening the site’s meaning as a memorial to unidentified Americans from multiple conflicts.
The tomb is often confused with the broader Arlington Memorial Amphitheater, which surrounds it and was dedicated in 1915. The Tomb itself is the later structure and burial site. The Tomb Guard, a specialized ceremonial unit, has maintained a continuous watch since 1948.