4 March 1921: Congress bestows the Medal of Honor on unknown WWI soldiers from Britain and France

Today, we honor and remember our allies from WWI: GREAT BRITAIN AND FRANCE, whose unknown fallen soldiers were awarded (posthumously) The Medal Of Honor of The United States of America.

The Citation reads:

“By virtue of an act of Congress approved 4 March 1921, the Medal of Honor, emblem of highest ideals and virtues, is bestowed in the name of the Congress of the United States upon the unknown, unidentified British soldier and French soldier buried, respectively, in Westminster Abbey and Arc de Triomphe.

Whereas: Great Britain and France, two of the Allies of the United States in the World War, have lately done honor to the unknown dead of their armies by placing with fitting ceremony the body of an unknown, unidentified soldier, respectively, in Westminster Abbey and in the Arc de Triomphe; and

Whereas: animated by the same spirit of comradeship in which we of the American forces fought alongside these Allies, we desire to add whatever we can to the imperishable glory won by the deeds of our Allies and commemorated in part by this tribute to their unknown dead:

Now, therefore, Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States of America be, and he hereby is, authorized to bestow with appropriate ceremonies, military and civil, the Congressional Medal of Honor upon the unknown, unidentified British soldier buried in Westminster Abbey, London, England, and upon the unknown, unidentified French soldier buried in the Arc de Triomphe, Paris, France”.

General Pershing, on behalf of the United States of America, conferred the Medal of Honor on the Unknown Warrior on 17 October 1921 and this now hangs in a frame on a pillar near the grave (photo). In October 2013 the Congressional Medal of Honor Society presented the Society’s official flag to the Unknown Warrior and this is framed below the medal.

May all those lost in, “The Great War”, Rest In Peace…

Read the entire article on the LinkedIn website.

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