Congress to study Tomb fixes

At this time, the monument won’t be replaced.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress has blocked the possible replacement of the cracked Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery, deciding instead to study repairs to the existing marble monument.

A defense bill President Bush signed into law Jan. 28 included an amendment to prevent replacement of the tomb, pending a report to Congress. The cemetery had been leaning toward replacing the monument, which was installed in 1931, to maintain its dignity.

But now that replacement of the stone has been stalled, the cemetery plans to make repairs to the monument later this year, said John Metzler, the cemetery’s superintendent. The last repairs were made in 1989.

The work — with guidance from National Park Service stone conservators — involves replacing the existing grouting on the monument and cleaning the stone with water and a soft brush.

Millions of people visit the tomb each year where soldiers guard the sculpted sarcophagus at all times. It overlooks Washington from across the Potomac River in Arlington and is the scene of Memorial Day wreath-laying ceremonies by the president.

A crypt beneath the monument holds the remains of three unidentified servicemen killed in the two world wars and the Korean War. A Vietnam War veteran buried there was later identified through DNA testing and removed.

An inscription on the 48-ton marble block reads: “Here Rests in Honored Glory an American Soldier Known But to God.”

The first cracks were noticed in the 1940s, according to cemetery officials. The most noticeable crack now cuts through the middle of the monument, slicing through sculptures of Greek figures representing Peace, Victory and Valor on one side, and running below the words “an American.”

“Though cracked, this monument represents the patriotic spirit of all of the brave unidentified men and women who have fought and died in America’s wars,” Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., said in a statement. Webb sponsored the amendment to halt replacement of the tomb with Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii.

The monument is a “national treasure that has been weathered by time,” much like the Liberty Bell and the Star-Spangled Banner, Akaka said.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has been fighting efforts to replace the tomb with a replica. The existing monument should be preserved, not replaced, says Richard Moe, the group’s president. Preservationists consider the cracks to be cosmetic.

Cemetery officials are required to report to Congress on repair or replacement options within about six months.