Cracks wrap their way around and across the white marble monument. The cracks are growing larger and deeper as time passes. The monument is seventy-four years old and was created from Marble cut from a quarry in Colorado. The monument stands across the Potomac River from Washington, DC in Arlington National Cemetery. Beneath the monument is a crypt which contains the remains of three unknown soldiers from the two World Wars and the Korean War. Cracks were originally noticed in the 1940s. While the tomb has been patched repeatedly, the cracks continue to grow and deepen. Studies done indicate this will continue. John Haines of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, offered to pay for a replacement block of marble. The block sits waiting for shipment. Since the cemetery has been consulting with the public and historic-preservation groups, this process is stagnating. Let's hope that we do what is right and fix or replace this precious monument. Many Americans are drawn to visit Arlington Cemetery every year. This sadly falls in the category of 'who knew'. When the monument was installed, I'm sure no one expected this problem to surface. I'm touched by this problem and hope the cemetery reaches the ultimate goal - effectively solve the problem. |
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