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In Flanders Fields

By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)

Canadian Army

IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow

Between the crosses row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields

Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington Cemetery

Salute and Semper Fi.

Thank you Marie.

And thank you soldiers.

Good thoughts Magenta. I would guess that with the new DNA technology, there will be fewer Unknowns.

I am not sure what the protocol would be to exhume those already buried. There would have to be a sample to compare to.

I will have to investigate...it does seem I read something about this some time ago. Just do not remember the details.

I asked the same question to my Dad 40 years ago.

He told me that out of respect they were to remain undisturbed.

That doesn't help the families of lost sons and daughters.

But let them rest.

That is what I think i read also.

Recently a local soldier who was MIA in Viet Nam in the 70's was ID'd and returned home to his family..after 37 years. he died on his 19th birthday.

magenta flame;622691 wrote: I know they are doing it with remains found in Vietnam so it can't be a blanket rule. The data base is huge. You see I'm thinking about those who got the telegramme of "MIA presumed dead". I don't know, closure of some kind I would suggest. Especially if that person is on home soil in the actual tomb. To me it's like sacrificing one families closure to account for others and I would have thought no body would want to do that with someones actual identity, in the end it's the only thing we have.

I've spoken to a Vietnam Vet friend of mine who is very open about the War.

he said, people assume that the only bullets you'd find next to bodies or lodged in bones etc. would be Soviet/Chinese made. No one wants to know about any other probablility, don't want to know about the realities of War. I guess that is so.


You make sense there Megs although I think you're Vet friend said it pretty well.

It's over.

Let's let it go.

Marie5656;622676 wrote: Good thoughts Magenta. I would guess that with the new DNA technology, there will be fewer Unknowns.

I am not sure what the protocol would be to exhume those already buried. There would have to be a sample to compare to.

I will have to investigate...it does seem I read something about this some time ago. Just do not remember the details.


The Tomb of the Unknowns contains the remains of one serviceman from World War I, two servicemen from World War II (one from Europe and one from the Pacific), and four servicemen from Korea. From 1984 until 1998, the tomb contained the remains of one serviceman from the Vietnam War, but he was exhumed in 1998 after being identified as an Air Force pilot who was shot down in 1972 over North Vietnam.

Now, all basic trainees have their DNA recorded by the Department of Defense so that all remains can be identified.