What do you think?
Rate this book
The Unknowns: The Untold Story of America's Unknown Soldier and WWI's Most Decorated Heroes Who Brought Him Home
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is sacred ground at Arlington National Cemetery. Originally constructed in 1921 to hold one of the thousands of unidentified American soldiers lost in World War I, it now also contains unknowns from World War II and the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and receives millions of visitors each year who pay silent tribute.
When the first Unknown Soldier was laid to rest in Arlington, General John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force in WWI, seleted eight of America's most decorated, battle-hardened veterans to serve as Body Bearers. For the first time O'Donnell portrays their heroics on the battlefield one hundred years ago, thereby animating the Tomb by giving voice to all who have served. The Body Bearers appropriately spanned America's service branches and specialties. Their ranks include a cowboy who relived the charge of the light brigade, an American Indian who heroically breached mountains of German barbed wire, a salty New Englander who dueled a U-boat for hours in a fierce gunfight, a tough New Yorker who sacrificed his body to save his ship, and an indomitable gunner who, though blinded by gas, nonetheless overcame five machine-gun nests. Their stories slip easily into the larger narrative of America's involvement in the conflict, transporting readers into the midst of dramatic battles during 1917-1918 that ultimately decided the Great War.
Celebrated military historian and bestselling author Patrick O'Donnell illuminates the saga behind the creation of the Tomb itself and recreates the moving ceremony during which it was consecrated and the eight Body Bearers, and the sergeant who had chosen the one body to be interred, solemnly united. Brilliantly researched, vividly told, The Unknowns is a timeless tale of heeding the calls of duty and brotherhood, and humanizes the most consequential event of the twentieth century, which still casts a shadow a century later.
When the first Unknown Soldier was laid to rest in Arlington, General John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force in WWI, seleted eight of America's most decorated, battle-hardened veterans to serve as Body Bearers. For the first time O'Donnell portrays their heroics on the battlefield one hundred years ago, thereby animating the Tomb by giving voice to all who have served. The Body Bearers appropriately spanned America's service branches and specialties. Their ranks include a cowboy who relived the charge of the light brigade, an American Indian who heroically breached mountains of German barbed wire, a salty New Englander who dueled a U-boat for hours in a fierce gunfight, a tough New Yorker who sacrificed his body to save his ship, and an indomitable gunner who, though blinded by gas, nonetheless overcame five machine-gun nests. Their stories slip easily into the larger narrative of America's involvement in the conflict, transporting readers into the midst of dramatic battles during 1917-1918 that ultimately decided the Great War.
Celebrated military historian and bestselling author Patrick O'Donnell illuminates the saga behind the creation of the Tomb itself and recreates the moving ceremony during which it was consecrated and the eight Body Bearers, and the sergeant who had chosen the one body to be interred, solemnly united. Brilliantly researched, vividly told, The Unknowns is a timeless tale of heeding the calls of duty and brotherhood, and humanizes the most consequential event of the twentieth century, which still casts a shadow a century later.
362 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2018
252 people are currently reading
2050 people want to read
About the author
Patrick K. O'Donnell
14 books270 followersO’Donnell is a bestselling author, critically acclaimed military historian and an expert on elite units. The author of twelve books, including: Washington’s Immortals: The Untold Story of an Elite Regiment Who Changed the Course of the Revolution, The Unknowns, First SEALs, Give Me Tomorrow, The Brenner Assignment, We Were One, Beyond Valor, and Dog Company, he has also served as a combat historian in a Marine rifle platoon during the Battle of Fallujah and speaks often on espionage, special operations, and counterinsurgency. He has provided historical consulting for DreamWorks’ award-winning miniseries Band of Brothers and for scores of documentaries produced by the BBC, the History Channel, and Discovery and is the recipient of several national awards. He also regularly contributes to several national publications and shows.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
September 8, 2021
A great book not only about the body-bearers of the Unknown Soldier of America from World War 1, but also of the military involvement of the American Expeditionary Force during the war. The book is well written and researched and follows a chronological path of events surrounding American forces during operations. Each character is well introduced and his and his units actions well described, along with the political games being played during these operations to give more depth to the book. The detail about how the Tomb of the Unknown came to be in Arlington is also well covered.
The 8 body bearers were 5 from the US Army (infantry, cavalry, engineers, field and heavy artillery), 2 from the US Navy and 1 US Marine who took part in the most well known operations of American forces, and who had quite epic careers in the war, it is only a pity that they did not have a fighter pilot in there as a body bearer, as this would have rounded off the book quite well. Also included in the stories are General Pershing and other great commanders of the war, Sgt. York and the Lost Battalion which is more well known but still good to read about. Highly recommended and I hope there are similar books of the bearers from World War 2 and the Korean War.
The 8 body bearers were 5 from the US Army (infantry, cavalry, engineers, field and heavy artillery), 2 from the US Navy and 1 US Marine who took part in the most well known operations of American forces, and who had quite epic careers in the war, it is only a pity that they did not have a fighter pilot in there as a body bearer, as this would have rounded off the book quite well. Also included in the stories are General Pershing and other great commanders of the war, Sgt. York and the Lost Battalion which is more well known but still good to read about. Highly recommended and I hope there are similar books of the bearers from World War 2 and the Korean War.
August 8, 2018
With this narrative, Mr. O’Donnell has written a fascinating look at the men who escorted the body of WW I’s Unknown Soldier from France to his burial at Arlington. The author looks at the 8 men who were the “Body Bears” for the Unknown. He gives a brief biographical sketch of each man and then recounts their WW I combat experiences. Each man was a combat veteran. All eight were NCOs and were on active duty at the time the Unknown was selected. 2 had been awarded the Medal of Honor, several had either a DSC or the Navy Cross, several had been wounded in combat. 5 served in the Army, 2 in the Navy and 1 was a Marine. 4 served in the US 2nd Division and 1 had been a POW.
In addition to the stories of the 8 men involved, Mr. O’Donnell tells the story of the US involvement in general. He looks at the political pressure Gen Pershing was under from the US Gov't to have the US Army fight as an American Army and from his Allies to use the Americans pouring into France as replacements for French and British units. In addition, he looks at Pershing’s instance on training the US Army in “Open Warfare” much to the dismay of both his French and British allies. Pershing’s Open Warfare tactics were what everyone was doing in 1914/15 and every other combatant had abandoned the idea as suicidal. Later as the Americans become more involved with offensive operations, this instance on “Open Warfare” lead to excessive US casualties, roughly 3/4th of US casualties came in the last 6 weeks of the war.
Because 4 of the Body Bears served in the 2nd Division, the Division figures prominently in the narrative. O’Donnell identifies it as an “elite” formation. Personally, I think this that is going a little too far. Because the Marine Body Bearer was at Belleau Wood, the author give a good account of the action and how the Marines got all of the credit for the battle. The usual accounts of the battle leave out the Divisions other Brigade (the Army one). Mr. O’Donnell explains why this is so and rectifies that omission to a great degree. Another account of the 2nd Division the author relates is its participation in stopping the German Spring Offensive at the 2nd Battle of the Marne. In this account, he hardly mentions the US 3rd Division which had as much to do with stopping the German advance as the 2nd. To the day the 3rd ID is known as “The Rock of the Marne.”
As the author follows the individual Body Bearers, he gives a decent overview of the main actions the Americans fought on the Western Front. These include the afore mentioned Belleau Wood and 2nd Battle of the Marne, St. Mihiel, and of course the Meuse-Argonne. In telling the story of the Meuse-Argonne, Mr. O’Donnell also includes the stories of the “Lost Battalion” and commander - Major Charles Whittlesey and his XO Capt George McMurtry. Both were awarded Medals of Honor for their actions. The author also relates Sgt Alvin York’s story.
Finally, the story of just how the Unknown soldier was chosen, the efforts made to make sure the body could never be identified, the ceremonies in France and in and around Washington D.C are related. In this section, the author also tells of the fate of Major Whittlesey.
Mr. O’Donnell ends the book by looking at the actual burial ceremony and a look at the lives of the 8 men after the entombment of the Unknown. He also looks at the selection of the Unknowns for WWII, Korea and Viet Nam. In telling the story of the Viet Nam Unknown, the author lets the reader know that the Unknown was later identified and reinterred at his family’s request. The tomb for the Viet Nam Unknown is currently empty. Mr. O’Donnell speculates that with the advances in identifying remains, it will in all probability remain so.
In spite some of the problems noted, all in all this is a very good look at the US’ involvement in WWI and the reasons for the procedures in selecting the US’ Unknown Soldier. Solid 4 star read for me.
In addition to the stories of the 8 men involved, Mr. O’Donnell tells the story of the US involvement in general. He looks at the political pressure Gen Pershing was under from the US Gov't to have the US Army fight as an American Army and from his Allies to use the Americans pouring into France as replacements for French and British units. In addition, he looks at Pershing’s instance on training the US Army in “Open Warfare” much to the dismay of both his French and British allies. Pershing’s Open Warfare tactics were what everyone was doing in 1914/15 and every other combatant had abandoned the idea as suicidal. Later as the Americans become more involved with offensive operations, this instance on “Open Warfare” lead to excessive US casualties, roughly 3/4th of US casualties came in the last 6 weeks of the war.
Because 4 of the Body Bears served in the 2nd Division, the Division figures prominently in the narrative. O’Donnell identifies it as an “elite” formation. Personally, I think this that is going a little too far. Because the Marine Body Bearer was at Belleau Wood, the author give a good account of the action and how the Marines got all of the credit for the battle. The usual accounts of the battle leave out the Divisions other Brigade (the Army one). Mr. O’Donnell explains why this is so and rectifies that omission to a great degree. Another account of the 2nd Division the author relates is its participation in stopping the German Spring Offensive at the 2nd Battle of the Marne. In this account, he hardly mentions the US 3rd Division which had as much to do with stopping the German advance as the 2nd. To the day the 3rd ID is known as “The Rock of the Marne.”
As the author follows the individual Body Bearers, he gives a decent overview of the main actions the Americans fought on the Western Front. These include the afore mentioned Belleau Wood and 2nd Battle of the Marne, St. Mihiel, and of course the Meuse-Argonne. In telling the story of the Meuse-Argonne, Mr. O’Donnell also includes the stories of the “Lost Battalion” and commander - Major Charles Whittlesey and his XO Capt George McMurtry. Both were awarded Medals of Honor for their actions. The author also relates Sgt Alvin York’s story.
Finally, the story of just how the Unknown soldier was chosen, the efforts made to make sure the body could never be identified, the ceremonies in France and in and around Washington D.C are related. In this section, the author also tells of the fate of Major Whittlesey.
Mr. O’Donnell ends the book by looking at the actual burial ceremony and a look at the lives of the 8 men after the entombment of the Unknown. He also looks at the selection of the Unknowns for WWII, Korea and Viet Nam. In telling the story of the Viet Nam Unknown, the author lets the reader know that the Unknown was later identified and reinterred at his family’s request. The tomb for the Viet Nam Unknown is currently empty. Mr. O’Donnell speculates that with the advances in identifying remains, it will in all probability remain so.
In spite some of the problems noted, all in all this is a very good look at the US’ involvement in WWI and the reasons for the procedures in selecting the US’ Unknown Soldier. Solid 4 star read for me.
November 13, 2018
The title of this book, "The Unknowns", might be a little misleading for some readers, myself included. I thought it would be a story of how the unknown soldiers of the various wars from WWI to Vietnam were chosen and how the Memorial came into being. Of course that information is contained in the book but it is not what the book is about and for that I am grateful because what it is about is so much better. What the author has given us are the stories of the 8 men selected to escort the body of the Unknown Soldier back to the U.S. for entombment. All of these 8 men were distinguished combat veterans some of whom were Medal of Honor winners. The author tells each of their stories and the combat experiences that lead to their distinction and recognition and therein is the substance of this book.
As I have mentioned in other reviews of histories I've read I delight in those that are about the common person living through the events that are immortalized in history. We all know about the big battles, the famous generals, the gallant heroes but I prefer to read about the unknown mortal that was simply doing what was required and who simply just wanted to survive to live another day. That is the kind of story this author tells in this book. Of course the author does his best to place each man's story in the context of WWI and what was going on at the particular time of each escort's heroics. Gratefully, the author doesn't go into a great deal of detail and simply provides a cursory overview of the engagement in question and then lets the escort's story unfold in graphic detail. These stories really bring home the horror of that war. I have read in other books that on average 5,000 men died each day of that 4+ year war. Of the approximately 100,000 American deaths only half were from combat related causes while the rest died of disease. The unpreparedness of the American Army in all departments is readily apparent and it was the common soldier, sailor, and Marine that suffered for this. But this was a different time when standing armies were still regarded with suspicion especially in democracies. The U.S. did its best and it did far better than what the French or British probably deserved and they sure were good at looking the U.S.'s gift horse in the mouth. This is a very good book whose timely publication during the centennial anniversary of the Armistice of WWI makes it an even more important book to read. Enjoy.
As I have mentioned in other reviews of histories I've read I delight in those that are about the common person living through the events that are immortalized in history. We all know about the big battles, the famous generals, the gallant heroes but I prefer to read about the unknown mortal that was simply doing what was required and who simply just wanted to survive to live another day. That is the kind of story this author tells in this book. Of course the author does his best to place each man's story in the context of WWI and what was going on at the particular time of each escort's heroics. Gratefully, the author doesn't go into a great deal of detail and simply provides a cursory overview of the engagement in question and then lets the escort's story unfold in graphic detail. These stories really bring home the horror of that war. I have read in other books that on average 5,000 men died each day of that 4+ year war. Of the approximately 100,000 American deaths only half were from combat related causes while the rest died of disease. The unpreparedness of the American Army in all departments is readily apparent and it was the common soldier, sailor, and Marine that suffered for this. But this was a different time when standing armies were still regarded with suspicion especially in democracies. The U.S. did its best and it did far better than what the French or British probably deserved and they sure were good at looking the U.S.'s gift horse in the mouth. This is a very good book whose timely publication during the centennial anniversary of the Armistice of WWI makes it an even more important book to read. Enjoy.
April 20, 2018
Very moving and well researched book about Americans in WWI. A new angle, new story, well told. Bravo! Well timed for 100th anniversaries etc.
March 9, 2023
An absolutely phenomenal book!
It was well-written and very informative. I had no idea about all of the logistics that went into choosing the original Unknown Soldier. It was also nice to learn about the body bearers who brought him home.
It was well-written and very informative. I had no idea about all of the logistics that went into choosing the original Unknown Soldier. It was also nice to learn about the body bearers who brought him home.
January 17, 2025
I'm not sure what I expected from this book, but I was pleasantly surprised. It's a collection of stories based on the experiences of decorated WW1 veterans, who were picked to be casket bearers for the Unknown Soldier.
Each of the casket bearers, representing the Navy, Cavalry, Infantry, Marines, Engineers, and Artillery each had a section or two dedicated to their story. All the major American battles of WW1 were represented as well.
The changing stories, placed on a common backdrop, made each chapter interesting. It also helped illuminate to me the background story of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I very much enjoyed the book.
Each of the casket bearers, representing the Navy, Cavalry, Infantry, Marines, Engineers, and Artillery each had a section or two dedicated to their story. All the major American battles of WW1 were represented as well.
The changing stories, placed on a common backdrop, made each chapter interesting. It also helped illuminate to me the background story of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I very much enjoyed the book.
March 23, 2023
Some parts that describe actual battles get a bit confusing. There's also a little about a lot of people that will have you wondering "wait who's that" when they aren't brought up for a hundred pages. Over all though it's a beautifully written heartbreaking book.
Read
February 11, 2019Very interesting! Now I need to go back to the WWI museum and Arlington National Cemetery.
June 9, 2018
I received a free Kindle copy of The Unknowns by Patrick K. O'Donnell courtesy of Net Galley and Grove Atlantic, the publisher. It was with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and my fiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus pages.
I requested this book as I am a great deal about World War I, but not on the process for selecting the Unknown Solider and his coffin bearers. This is the first book by Patrick K. O'Donnell that I have read.
The subtitle for this book is : The Untold Story of America's Unknown Soldier and WW I's Decorated Heroes Who Brought Him Home. I found the book to be somewhat disappointing as the bulk of the book is more focused on the events of World War I (of which there are many others) and less on the Unknown Soldier process and this bearers. The most interesting parts of the book are where the author actually focuses on the subject matter as it is the part has been inadequately covered in the past.
I recommend this book to anyone who has not read much about World War I and has an interest in the subject. If you have read a lot about World War I you can skim read until you get to the parts that actually deal with the subject of the book.
I requested this book as I am a great deal about World War I, but not on the process for selecting the Unknown Solider and his coffin bearers. This is the first book by Patrick K. O'Donnell that I have read.
The subtitle for this book is : The Untold Story of America's Unknown Soldier and WW I's Decorated Heroes Who Brought Him Home. I found the book to be somewhat disappointing as the bulk of the book is more focused on the events of World War I (of which there are many others) and less on the Unknown Soldier process and this bearers. The most interesting parts of the book are where the author actually focuses on the subject matter as it is the part has been inadequately covered in the past.
I recommend this book to anyone who has not read much about World War I and has an interest in the subject. If you have read a lot about World War I you can skim read until you get to the parts that actually deal with the subject of the book.
March 26, 2022
Patrick O'Donnell tracker the military careers and exploits of John J. Pershing and the men who were the body bearers of the "Unknown Soldier" of World War I. He goes beyond that, though, writing an exciting "in the trenches" account of their exploits along with those of other truly colorful warriors enmeshed in the conflict. The reader will also get a fairly good account of the events leading up to the war and its general progression, although it is by necessity a brief (and incomplete) overview of the American experience. He could write a separate book on the "Harlem Hellfighters", who receive brief mention in the book.
As with many of his other books, O'Donnell doesn't spare the reader the graphic descriptions of men killed and maimed in battle. He doesn't sugar coat the carnage of war. Men get blown in the part, decapitated, stabbed, shot, and pick axed to death. I think this is a strength of his writing, as it dissolves any notions the reader may have of war being a glorious adventure only occasionally tinged with the poignancy of loss. It isn't, and he makes this clear.
As with many of his other books, O'Donnell doesn't spare the reader the graphic descriptions of men killed and maimed in battle. He doesn't sugar coat the carnage of war. Men get blown in the part, decapitated, stabbed, shot, and pick axed to death. I think this is a strength of his writing, as it dissolves any notions the reader may have of war being a glorious adventure only occasionally tinged with the poignancy of loss. It isn't, and he makes this clear.
September 29, 2020
" A voice seemed to say ‘This is a pal of yours….’ Something seemed to say ‘Pick this one.’” ~ Sgt. Edward Younger
Sgt. Edward Younger always believed something very unusual happened in the French town of Chalons-sur-Marne on the morning of October 24, 1921. It was the day he chose America’s first unknown soldier to die on foreign soil. This soldier would return home to rest in the newly-constructed Tomb of the Unknown in Arlington National Cemetery.
On the morning of October 23, 1921, Younger was ordered to report to his commanding officer who informed him that he and five other soldiers from different units would serve as pallbearers for the Unknown Soldier.
In March 1921, Congress had passed a resolution calling for the selection of an unknown American soldier from France and authorized the building of a memorial in Arlington National Cemetery. The Quartermaster General was ordered to arrange for the selection of America’s unknown from among 1,237 unidentified fallen soldiers. Four bodies were exhumed on October 22, 1921 from four battlefield cemeteries and taken to Chalons-sur-Marne in northern France on the following day.
For many years Younger spoke publicly about the event.
"At first it was an idea that we (the six soldiers) were to be just pallbearers, but when we lined up in the little makeshift chapel, Major Harbold, the officer in charge of grave registrations, told us, 'One of you men is to be given the honor of selecting the body of the Unknown Soldier.' He had a large bouquet of pink and white roses in his arms. He finally handed the roses to me. I was left alone in the chapel. There were four coffins, all unnamed and unmarked. The one that I placed the roses on was the one brought home and placed in the national shrine."
Sgt. Younger shared a powerful bond with every one of the four soldiers resting in his mortuary packing case. He had been wounded by an artillery shell At Vaux, (Aisne-Marne Offensive) where one of the unknown soldiers had lost his life. He was wounded a second time by machine gun fire in the St. Mihiel drive, where another unknown soldier died. He had fought and helped bury bodies on the battlefields of the Somme and Meuse-Argonne Offensives –- the same battlefields of the two remaining unknown men lying in their flag-draped coffins.
Younger had fought and lived in the very same places where these men had fought and died. Younger tried to picture the battles “the boy who slept within (each casket) had been through, and I reflected whether I might have fought with him or known him.”
Alone and in silence, Younger circled the four caskets. He touched each one. He knelt and prayed. Then something drew him to the second casket on the right.
“It was as though something had pulled me” he said. “Something seemed to stop me each time I passed the coffin. As I moved toward it, the mysterious pull grew irresistible; I could not have turned back now had I tried…. A voice seemed to say ‘This is a pal of yours….’ Something seemed to say ‘Pick this one.’”
Who was this "Unknown"? Or rather who were these "Unknowns"?
Patrick K. O'Donnell tells us their story by telling us about the lives of the eight Body Bearers and several other American heroes such as Sergeant Alvin York and Major Charles Whittlesley. Unknowns and Body Bearers both faced the same horrors. Had the Unknowns had a bit more luck, they might have been one of those who fought and lived. Had the Body Bearers been less fortunate...well, let's just say that they all survived too many close calls.
For example, one Body Bearer that O'Donnell describes is Lieutenant Sam Woodfill. Woodfill was to become one of the most celebrated American soldiers of the early 20th century. General John Pershing called him the most outstanding soldier in World War I. But on his first mission during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive to coordinate relieving another rifle company in contact with the enemy, the small group of officers he was moving through the woods with came under machine gun fire.
Everyone dived for cover, but Woodfill landed in a shallow shell hole. He got his entire body below the lip of the depression but his backpack was still clearly visible, which induced the German machine gunner to pay special attention to him. The German riddled Woodfill's pack and invited other gunners to target that lone American.
Woodfill figured he wouldn't survive the game for long and managed to pull out a picture of his wife from his shirt pocket on which he penciled what he thought would be his final message to her. Fortunately, the unit he was relieving eliminated the German machine gunners before they could finish him.
Woodfill might well have become another fixture in those woods which he described as "simply covered with rotting horses, dead men, human hands and feet, shoes half filled with flesh and bones, blood, mud, filth, and stench."
Yes, the stories of the Unknowns and the Body Bearers are closely intertwined.
As O'Donnell recounts the biographies and combat experiences of of the individual body bearers, he simultaneously provides a good overview of the main actions the Americans fought on the Western Front. These include Belleau Wood and 2nd Battle of the Marne, St. Mihiel, and of course the Meuse-Argonne. In addition he tells the story of the US involvement in general. He looks at the political pressure Gen Pershing was under from the US Gov't to have the US Army fight as an American Army and from his Allies to use the Americans pouring into France as replacements for French and British units.
This is a very moving and well researched book book that helps us appreciate how horrific that war was, and the changes it brought to warfare, to politics, and to how we honor our war casualties.
Sgt. Edward Younger always believed something very unusual happened in the French town of Chalons-sur-Marne on the morning of October 24, 1921. It was the day he chose America’s first unknown soldier to die on foreign soil. This soldier would return home to rest in the newly-constructed Tomb of the Unknown in Arlington National Cemetery.
On the morning of October 23, 1921, Younger was ordered to report to his commanding officer who informed him that he and five other soldiers from different units would serve as pallbearers for the Unknown Soldier.
In March 1921, Congress had passed a resolution calling for the selection of an unknown American soldier from France and authorized the building of a memorial in Arlington National Cemetery. The Quartermaster General was ordered to arrange for the selection of America’s unknown from among 1,237 unidentified fallen soldiers. Four bodies were exhumed on October 22, 1921 from four battlefield cemeteries and taken to Chalons-sur-Marne in northern France on the following day.
For many years Younger spoke publicly about the event.
"At first it was an idea that we (the six soldiers) were to be just pallbearers, but when we lined up in the little makeshift chapel, Major Harbold, the officer in charge of grave registrations, told us, 'One of you men is to be given the honor of selecting the body of the Unknown Soldier.' He had a large bouquet of pink and white roses in his arms. He finally handed the roses to me. I was left alone in the chapel. There were four coffins, all unnamed and unmarked. The one that I placed the roses on was the one brought home and placed in the national shrine."
Sgt. Younger shared a powerful bond with every one of the four soldiers resting in his mortuary packing case. He had been wounded by an artillery shell At Vaux, (Aisne-Marne Offensive) where one of the unknown soldiers had lost his life. He was wounded a second time by machine gun fire in the St. Mihiel drive, where another unknown soldier died. He had fought and helped bury bodies on the battlefields of the Somme and Meuse-Argonne Offensives –- the same battlefields of the two remaining unknown men lying in their flag-draped coffins.
Younger had fought and lived in the very same places where these men had fought and died. Younger tried to picture the battles “the boy who slept within (each casket) had been through, and I reflected whether I might have fought with him or known him.”
Alone and in silence, Younger circled the four caskets. He touched each one. He knelt and prayed. Then something drew him to the second casket on the right.
“It was as though something had pulled me” he said. “Something seemed to stop me each time I passed the coffin. As I moved toward it, the mysterious pull grew irresistible; I could not have turned back now had I tried…. A voice seemed to say ‘This is a pal of yours….’ Something seemed to say ‘Pick this one.’”
Who was this "Unknown"? Or rather who were these "Unknowns"?
Patrick K. O'Donnell tells us their story by telling us about the lives of the eight Body Bearers and several other American heroes such as Sergeant Alvin York and Major Charles Whittlesley. Unknowns and Body Bearers both faced the same horrors. Had the Unknowns had a bit more luck, they might have been one of those who fought and lived. Had the Body Bearers been less fortunate...well, let's just say that they all survived too many close calls.
For example, one Body Bearer that O'Donnell describes is Lieutenant Sam Woodfill. Woodfill was to become one of the most celebrated American soldiers of the early 20th century. General John Pershing called him the most outstanding soldier in World War I. But on his first mission during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive to coordinate relieving another rifle company in contact with the enemy, the small group of officers he was moving through the woods with came under machine gun fire.
Everyone dived for cover, but Woodfill landed in a shallow shell hole. He got his entire body below the lip of the depression but his backpack was still clearly visible, which induced the German machine gunner to pay special attention to him. The German riddled Woodfill's pack and invited other gunners to target that lone American.
Woodfill figured he wouldn't survive the game for long and managed to pull out a picture of his wife from his shirt pocket on which he penciled what he thought would be his final message to her. Fortunately, the unit he was relieving eliminated the German machine gunners before they could finish him.
Woodfill might well have become another fixture in those woods which he described as "simply covered with rotting horses, dead men, human hands and feet, shoes half filled with flesh and bones, blood, mud, filth, and stench."
Yes, the stories of the Unknowns and the Body Bearers are closely intertwined.
As O'Donnell recounts the biographies and combat experiences of of the individual body bearers, he simultaneously provides a good overview of the main actions the Americans fought on the Western Front. These include Belleau Wood and 2nd Battle of the Marne, St. Mihiel, and of course the Meuse-Argonne. In addition he tells the story of the US involvement in general. He looks at the political pressure Gen Pershing was under from the US Gov't to have the US Army fight as an American Army and from his Allies to use the Americans pouring into France as replacements for French and British units.
This is a very moving and well researched book book that helps us appreciate how horrific that war was, and the changes it brought to warfare, to politics, and to how we honor our war casualties.
August 8, 2018
A major portion of the book drifted from the title subject of coffin bearers for the Unknown Soldier, rather highlighting some of America’s heroic WWI battles. The concluding chapters brought the book back to its origin in fine fashion. There were a few errors but the welcomed fresh information, including numerous ties to the Marine Corps 49th Co. of 1/5 noting company commander Capt. George W. Hamilton at Belleau Wood, Soissons and St. Mihiel, and later as major and battalion commander at Blanc Mont and the Meuse River Crossing, was appreciated.
July 5, 2018
Very informative and interesting. I always knew about the historic Tomb of the Unknown Soldier but never really knew the whole story of how and why it was established. The book tells the story of those hero’s who became the honor guard detail for the first Unknown and the journey to Arlington. A truly amazing story.
July 24, 2018
Great history of WWI that unfortunately has too frequently fallen to the footnotes. I wish a little more went into the history of the literal monument as that is what the public sees. However, presenting the stories of the men that would become the Body Bearers presented many brave American war stories.
May 31, 2025
amazing book about the pall bearers of the unknown soldier. each person's stories of heroism for their country in WW1 is recounted. I read this in observance of memorial day. it was tough to read. the sheer violence of war is well documented. I'm in awe of those who fought for our democracy .
April 8, 2019
Very interesting book Many of us have visited the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. But I for one had no idea of the history and the idea behind the monument.
October 15, 2021
excellent
June 3, 2023
The book tells the story of WW1 by following the battles in which the Body Bearers fought. The last chapters tell how the unknown soldier was selected and brought back to America. I learned a lot about the Great War. I especially enjoyed the final chapters and how the Unknown Soldier represents all of the fallen and the purposes for which they died.
August 2, 2021
I really liked this book because it focuses on the people who carried the casket of the Unknown soldier of World war 1. I also didn’t know much about the AEF and the struggle that it had dealing with the French and British, so I thought that was interesting. I think the book was well written and gave lots of information!
February 15, 2022
Audible.com 13 hours Narrated by Dan Woren (A)
My birthplace is Washington, D.C., and I love the city and its buildings, monuments, and memorials. I always include the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier at Arlington National Cemetery when giving suggestions to friends who plan to visit the nation's capital. When I saw this book, I knew I had to read it. This book is a tribute to the Doughboys of World War I, the Forgotten Generation. My grandfather Frank Black from Indiana served as a Navy cook on a ship during the war, and afterwards he stayed in D.C. and married my grandmother, a resident of the city. This is the second book in 2022 that I've read about the history of a war of which I know very little. This book gave a good overview of the war's greatest battles and all the forgotten heroes. I was totally surprised to learn that there a representative "unknown soldier" not just from WW 1 but also from WW2 and the Korean War buried here. I'm buying a hard copy of this book for my library to shared with my four grandsons.
My birthplace is Washington, D.C., and I love the city and its buildings, monuments, and memorials. I always include the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier at Arlington National Cemetery when giving suggestions to friends who plan to visit the nation's capital. When I saw this book, I knew I had to read it. This book is a tribute to the Doughboys of World War I, the Forgotten Generation. My grandfather Frank Black from Indiana served as a Navy cook on a ship during the war, and afterwards he stayed in D.C. and married my grandmother, a resident of the city. This is the second book in 2022 that I've read about the history of a war of which I know very little. This book gave a good overview of the war's greatest battles and all the forgotten heroes. I was totally surprised to learn that there a representative "unknown soldier" not just from WW 1 but also from WW2 and the Korean War buried here. I'm buying a hard copy of this book for my library to shared with my four grandsons.
September 12, 2018
Read More Book Reviews on my blog
It's Good To Read
Overview:
This well-written non-fiction book, details how the US Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in Arlington, Virginia, came to be in 1921.
Marie Meloney, then editor of the Delineator, began the movement, which was taken up by US Representative Hamilton Fish, and the legislation was signed by President Woodrow Wilson. (While of course the country wanted to venerate its fallen, I got the sense the political will came due to the French having built theirs first, under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris in 1920).
The ceremony took place on Nov 11, 1921, the first Veteran’s Day.
Main Characters:
Eight men were chosen for the duty of being a Body Bearer, in the ceremony to honour the fallen soldier, to carry the casket to its final resting place and, in words which are now the motto of the pall-bearing unit, “be the last to let him down”.
General Pershing selected eight highly decorated individuals to serve, from across all the major branches and disciplines of the US military - Army, Navy, Cavalry, Marines, Artillery, Engineers.
In the novel, the author gives the background to each of these extremely courageous individuals, as well as detailing their breath-taking feats on the field of battle (or the ocean, in the case of James Delaney). Each of these stories is deserving of a book in their own right.
These men were:
* Lt Samuel Woodfill
* Chief Gunner’s Mate James Delaney
* Corporal Thomas D Saunders
* First Sergeant Harry Taylor
* First Sergeant Louis Razga
* Color Sergeant James Dell
* Gunnery Sergeant Ernest Janson
* Chief Water Tender Charles Leo O’Connor.
Their deeds include:
One who sustained nearly fatal burns over most of his body to save his ship and ship-mates, a Cheyenne warrior who with another soldier breached barbed wire, and took a castle and 63 enemies prisoner, a sailor who fought a U-boat for hours, a cowboy who re-created the Charge of the Light Brigade, a gas-blinded gunner who wiped out five machine-gun nests, others who suffered but fought through horrific wounds at battles such as Belleau Wood, Saint-Mihel and The Meuse-Argonne.
Summary:
The actual Unknown Soldier was chosen from 2,148 dead men, unrecognisable and untraceable, and still held in France. Of the 2,148, the choice for the fallen soldier was narrowed down to 8 bodies, which were taken from each of the four US cemeteries in France. The criteria were that they were US Service personnel, they died from combat wounds, and were completely untraceable (before the days of DNA testing).
Following the French example, an enlisted man, Sergeant Edward F Younger, was detailed to select the final body. There had been a lot of care gone into ensuring even the identical caskets could not be traced back to the cemeteries, so the origin of the bodies were truly unknown. Sergeant Younger laid a spray of white roses on his chosen casket.
This casket, with roses, then was taken from its resting place in Chalons-sur-Marne, in procession and afforded the highest possible military honours by both the French and US military, to a train in Paris, then to Le Havre, and then sailed on the ship Olympia to the Potomac in the US. Throughout the whole trip, the casket was given an honour guard, and full tributes.
We are given the full detail:
The lying-in-state and subsequent viewing by thousands of people, of the ceremony itself with the dignitaries involved (from President Harding down), to the casket being placed on Lincoln's catafalque, including the image of a humble Gen. Pershing walking with the troops in the procession, as well as the sometimes unsavoury elements of political bickering around monies required for the eventual completion of the monument.
However, this book is more than just that. It also gives details of the horrors of World War One (fact: no-one alive today fought in that war), and details some of the renowned battles (such as the struggle for Belleau Wood), forgotten battles, or those that never made the news. They are stories about real-life men, and come unsanitised, which makes for gripping reading. It also gives details around the operation of the German High Command, and the overall complexity each side faced in the war.
What I Liked:
- The first five chapters outlining the experience of the men, and their backgrounds, gave me a real connection with them.
- It is easy to read, even for those with no in-depth knowledge of the War.
- Extremely well-researched (e.g. the processional details, the Congressional details, etc.). The author even accessed personal diaries. The book has ample notes and an index.
What I Didn’t Like:
- Some chapters were a bit long, which could be a little off-putting.
- While naturally US-focused, it smacked a little of the opinion that the US saved the day in WWI, which argument is not really advanced anymore even by serious US historians and scholars.
Overall:
I really enjoyed this book. Well-written, the research shines through in every aspect, and got me interested in a story which I had never even considered before, even when I stood at the Tomb. This book really brought these men to life, and I am always in awe to think of the bravery of such soldiers.
While not intending to be the primary reason, it does give an excellent overview of the US involvement in WW1, and will serve as an introduction into the work on the subject.
I would thoroughly recommend this book. It is vividly told, gives a voice to a now-vanished generation, and is a compelling read.
Acknowledgements:
My thanks to NetGalley and the author for giving me a free copy of this book, in return for an honest and objective review.
Overview:
This well-written non-fiction book, details how the US Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in Arlington, Virginia, came to be in 1921.
Marie Meloney, then editor of the Delineator, began the movement, which was taken up by US Representative Hamilton Fish, and the legislation was signed by President Woodrow Wilson. (While of course the country wanted to venerate its fallen, I got the sense the political will came due to the French having built theirs first, under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris in 1920).
The ceremony took place on Nov 11, 1921, the first Veteran’s Day.
Main Characters:
Eight men were chosen for the duty of being a Body Bearer, in the ceremony to honour the fallen soldier, to carry the casket to its final resting place and, in words which are now the motto of the pall-bearing unit, “be the last to let him down”.
General Pershing selected eight highly decorated individuals to serve, from across all the major branches and disciplines of the US military - Army, Navy, Cavalry, Marines, Artillery, Engineers.
In the novel, the author gives the background to each of these extremely courageous individuals, as well as detailing their breath-taking feats on the field of battle (or the ocean, in the case of James Delaney). Each of these stories is deserving of a book in their own right.
These men were:
* Lt Samuel Woodfill
* Chief Gunner’s Mate James Delaney
* Corporal Thomas D Saunders
* First Sergeant Harry Taylor
* First Sergeant Louis Razga
* Color Sergeant James Dell
* Gunnery Sergeant Ernest Janson
* Chief Water Tender Charles Leo O’Connor.
Their deeds include:
One who sustained nearly fatal burns over most of his body to save his ship and ship-mates, a Cheyenne warrior who with another soldier breached barbed wire, and took a castle and 63 enemies prisoner, a sailor who fought a U-boat for hours, a cowboy who re-created the Charge of the Light Brigade, a gas-blinded gunner who wiped out five machine-gun nests, others who suffered but fought through horrific wounds at battles such as Belleau Wood, Saint-Mihel and The Meuse-Argonne.
Summary:
The actual Unknown Soldier was chosen from 2,148 dead men, unrecognisable and untraceable, and still held in France. Of the 2,148, the choice for the fallen soldier was narrowed down to 8 bodies, which were taken from each of the four US cemeteries in France. The criteria were that they were US Service personnel, they died from combat wounds, and were completely untraceable (before the days of DNA testing).
Following the French example, an enlisted man, Sergeant Edward F Younger, was detailed to select the final body. There had been a lot of care gone into ensuring even the identical caskets could not be traced back to the cemeteries, so the origin of the bodies were truly unknown. Sergeant Younger laid a spray of white roses on his chosen casket.
This casket, with roses, then was taken from its resting place in Chalons-sur-Marne, in procession and afforded the highest possible military honours by both the French and US military, to a train in Paris, then to Le Havre, and then sailed on the ship Olympia to the Potomac in the US. Throughout the whole trip, the casket was given an honour guard, and full tributes.
We are given the full detail:
The lying-in-state and subsequent viewing by thousands of people, of the ceremony itself with the dignitaries involved (from President Harding down), to the casket being placed on Lincoln's catafalque, including the image of a humble Gen. Pershing walking with the troops in the procession, as well as the sometimes unsavoury elements of political bickering around monies required for the eventual completion of the monument.
However, this book is more than just that. It also gives details of the horrors of World War One (fact: no-one alive today fought in that war), and details some of the renowned battles (such as the struggle for Belleau Wood), forgotten battles, or those that never made the news. They are stories about real-life men, and come unsanitised, which makes for gripping reading. It also gives details around the operation of the German High Command, and the overall complexity each side faced in the war.
What I Liked:
- The first five chapters outlining the experience of the men, and their backgrounds, gave me a real connection with them.
- It is easy to read, even for those with no in-depth knowledge of the War.
- Extremely well-researched (e.g. the processional details, the Congressional details, etc.). The author even accessed personal diaries. The book has ample notes and an index.
What I Didn’t Like:
- Some chapters were a bit long, which could be a little off-putting.
- While naturally US-focused, it smacked a little of the opinion that the US saved the day in WWI, which argument is not really advanced anymore even by serious US historians and scholars.
Overall:
I really enjoyed this book. Well-written, the research shines through in every aspect, and got me interested in a story which I had never even considered before, even when I stood at the Tomb. This book really brought these men to life, and I am always in awe to think of the bravery of such soldiers.
While not intending to be the primary reason, it does give an excellent overview of the US involvement in WW1, and will serve as an introduction into the work on the subject.
I would thoroughly recommend this book. It is vividly told, gives a voice to a now-vanished generation, and is a compelling read.
Acknowledgements:
My thanks to NetGalley and the author for giving me a free copy of this book, in return for an honest and objective review.
May 7, 2018
The Unknowns is subtitled as the story of American’s unknown soldier and the heroes who brought him home. The body bearers and their exploits are described, some rather scantly. Much more attention is given to other personalities and aspects in World War I, like George Patton and Eddie Rickenbacher, and the desire of French and British generals to use American soldiers as cannon fodder after they’d wasted their men.
The book is full of little details I’d never heard before, such as how America used gas sparingly prior to the final Meuse-Argonne campaign. Then, they drenched German positions and warned the doughboys not to hunt for souvenirs.
The whole ceremony of selecting the Unknown, bringing him home, and entombing him is a moving story.
May 23, 2019
Anyone visiting Arlington, Verdun, or the Marine Corps museum should take a look at this book. It's been a century since the US put its blood and treasure into the Western Front to end the stalemate, but the fact that most of the veterans have passed on does not decrease the importance of their story at all. I think O'Donnell has put together a solid narrative on our commitment to this conflict and the way in which we honor our heroes. Very readable and well-done. Recommend.
May 14, 2019
The Unknowns Book Review
Explosions rock the ground and thousands of men in muddy boots line up the trenches. The Unknowns by Patrick K. O’Donnell is an informative yet thrilling story about WWI, eight highly decorated soldiers, and everyone else who has fought for their country yet gone forgotten. This book’s genre is a nonfiction war story. Some might find this kind of informative book boring, but for me, I was always turning the page and looking for what happened to the soldiers. Throughout the story, you learn the tales of the eight heroic soldiers and the horrifying battles and wartime lifestyles that they went through.
There is no main character in this book, but there are the eight characters that are talked about a fair amount more than others: Samuel Woodfill, Thomas Saunders, James Dell, Harry Taylor, James Delaney, Charles O’Connor, Louis Razga, and Ernest Janson. These eight people are the body bearers and the book will generally start off with an explanation as for why they are in a certain location. The author will then tell their story up to a checkpoint and then jump from them to talking about a battle or some general WWI fact that will lead to another story. Between talking about the soldiers, the author also explains the unknown soldier more and more until everything comes together.
The thing I like most about this book is the level of detail the author goes into. The author explains every key detail thoroughly so even someone who has no idea of what happened during the war could finish the book and have a solid concept of the war starting when the Americans joined. The author talks about not only the countries involved, but the different armies, commanders, and battles that each were involved in and their influence on it. From before the book, I only knew a few famous names like Verdun and the general ideas of fighting like trench combat, but after reading this book I have learned of various different battles, famous regiments, techniques used, and commanders.
The second thing I like about the book is how it skips around to keep you interested and attentive. Normally in non-fiction books, people grow bored after just reading plain old facts over and over, but in this book, you will get through a part of one person's story and then be left on a cliffhanger as you read someone else’s story or learn some key details about battles, people, or political events. During the book, I didn’t grow bored and just start skimming, because the story was constantly changing and I was forced to pay close attention.
The final thing I like about the book is detailed battle scenes. The author could’ve simply stated in certain parts that the soldiers would fight and then one side would win, but instead, there is detail about every action taken during the sequence. Near the start of the book, the author will talk in great detail about the speed of the ships, their battle tactics, and leaves you guessing who will win. While it may not be a pleasant sight, the detail provided gives the reader a clear vision of the battles taking place and lets you connect more deeply to the story.
To conclude, I found the book to be an enjoyable read and rated it ⅗ stars. The book is an enjoyable read and you will rarely if ever find yourself bored so beyond belief that you just skim or skip pages. I definitely recommend this book to all war enthusiasts and especially big WW readers. This book provides great detail to those interested in the war, but I would also offer a moderate recommendation of this book to the average reader as well. Not everyone is interested in war or even informative books but learning more never hurts and especially when it is enjoyable to learn.
Explosions rock the ground and thousands of men in muddy boots line up the trenches. The Unknowns by Patrick K. O’Donnell is an informative yet thrilling story about WWI, eight highly decorated soldiers, and everyone else who has fought for their country yet gone forgotten. This book’s genre is a nonfiction war story. Some might find this kind of informative book boring, but for me, I was always turning the page and looking for what happened to the soldiers. Throughout the story, you learn the tales of the eight heroic soldiers and the horrifying battles and wartime lifestyles that they went through.
There is no main character in this book, but there are the eight characters that are talked about a fair amount more than others: Samuel Woodfill, Thomas Saunders, James Dell, Harry Taylor, James Delaney, Charles O’Connor, Louis Razga, and Ernest Janson. These eight people are the body bearers and the book will generally start off with an explanation as for why they are in a certain location. The author will then tell their story up to a checkpoint and then jump from them to talking about a battle or some general WWI fact that will lead to another story. Between talking about the soldiers, the author also explains the unknown soldier more and more until everything comes together.
The thing I like most about this book is the level of detail the author goes into. The author explains every key detail thoroughly so even someone who has no idea of what happened during the war could finish the book and have a solid concept of the war starting when the Americans joined. The author talks about not only the countries involved, but the different armies, commanders, and battles that each were involved in and their influence on it. From before the book, I only knew a few famous names like Verdun and the general ideas of fighting like trench combat, but after reading this book I have learned of various different battles, famous regiments, techniques used, and commanders.
The second thing I like about the book is how it skips around to keep you interested and attentive. Normally in non-fiction books, people grow bored after just reading plain old facts over and over, but in this book, you will get through a part of one person's story and then be left on a cliffhanger as you read someone else’s story or learn some key details about battles, people, or political events. During the book, I didn’t grow bored and just start skimming, because the story was constantly changing and I was forced to pay close attention.
The final thing I like about the book is detailed battle scenes. The author could’ve simply stated in certain parts that the soldiers would fight and then one side would win, but instead, there is detail about every action taken during the sequence. Near the start of the book, the author will talk in great detail about the speed of the ships, their battle tactics, and leaves you guessing who will win. While it may not be a pleasant sight, the detail provided gives the reader a clear vision of the battles taking place and lets you connect more deeply to the story.
To conclude, I found the book to be an enjoyable read and rated it ⅗ stars. The book is an enjoyable read and you will rarely if ever find yourself bored so beyond belief that you just skim or skip pages. I definitely recommend this book to all war enthusiasts and especially big WW readers. This book provides great detail to those interested in the war, but I would also offer a moderate recommendation of this book to the average reader as well. Not everyone is interested in war or even informative books but learning more never hurts and especially when it is enjoyable to learn.
February 12, 2024
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is one of America's iconic monuments where a soldier representing all Americans lost in war are remembered. The story of how that came to be is the subject of the book.
O'Donnell tries to tell the story of the men who would be pall bearers for the casket that carried the unknown soldier home. However, he spends more time retelling the story of World War I and its various battles that you actually forget what pall bearer he's talking about. The stories of the individual men are probably too threadbare to actually write about them, but whatever O'Donnell was trying to do with this book, it didn't work.
Worse yet, O'Donnell applies Casket Bearer as an honorific (e.g., Casket Bearer Sargent James Smith) where it should not be. It is an attempt at hagiography that fails and only serves to annoy the reader each time its used. Were it not for the tremendous amount of exposition the author goes through, it would be easier to remember who the casket bearers would be. A simple run-through of the battles where they fought would have provided more clarity to the narrative of these American heroes. One has to wonder if the author was determined to demonstrate his knowledge of the Great War, given that he leads tours of WWI battlefields for disabled veterans.
The actual story of the creation of the memorial, and the process it took to get the soldier are far more interesting. The narrative is also quite direct and straightforward. No one is lost in the weeds trying to figure out where the story is going at that point, but it's hard to regain the readers' full attention once you've lost the plot.
BOTTOM LINE: An average book about a great monument that deserved a better treatment.
O'Donnell tries to tell the story of the men who would be pall bearers for the casket that carried the unknown soldier home. However, he spends more time retelling the story of World War I and its various battles that you actually forget what pall bearer he's talking about. The stories of the individual men are probably too threadbare to actually write about them, but whatever O'Donnell was trying to do with this book, it didn't work.
Worse yet, O'Donnell applies Casket Bearer as an honorific (e.g., Casket Bearer Sargent James Smith) where it should not be. It is an attempt at hagiography that fails and only serves to annoy the reader each time its used. Were it not for the tremendous amount of exposition the author goes through, it would be easier to remember who the casket bearers would be. A simple run-through of the battles where they fought would have provided more clarity to the narrative of these American heroes. One has to wonder if the author was determined to demonstrate his knowledge of the Great War, given that he leads tours of WWI battlefields for disabled veterans.
The actual story of the creation of the memorial, and the process it took to get the soldier are far more interesting. The narrative is also quite direct and straightforward. No one is lost in the weeds trying to figure out where the story is going at that point, but it's hard to regain the readers' full attention once you've lost the plot.
BOTTOM LINE: An average book about a great monument that deserved a better treatment.
June 11, 2020
Patrick O’Donnell’s The Unknowns is mistitled, but well worth the read. The subtitle, “The Untold Story of America’s Unknown Soldier and WWI’s Most Decorated Heroes Who Brought Him Home” does a better job of explaining the scope of this book, which I might have titled “Bearers of the Unknown,” because ninety percent of this book is devoted to telling the story of the body bearers who brought home the body that is interred in Arlington Cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and the remaining ten percent focuses on how the Tomb came to be and how the Unknown was selected, brought back, and interred. To be fair, the Unknown is just that: nothing is known about him, and therefore a difficult subject on which to base a book.
O’Donnell tells the story of each of the men selected to bring back the body of the Unknown Soldier, telling us who they were before the war and what harrowing events led to their becoming some of the most decorated soldiers in America at the time. He also introduces us to the men who led the bodybearers: wellknown names like Pershing and Patton. Because these men were from different branches of service and earned their medals during different events and offensives, what O’Donnell ends up with is a complete overview of American involvement in the war, but from a more intimate point of view than more histories. This book is informative, moving, and very readable. O’Donnell gives enough detail to make the events come to life without getting bogged down in tedious detail or indulging in too much technical jargon and analysis.
O’Donnell tells the story of each of the men selected to bring back the body of the Unknown Soldier, telling us who they were before the war and what harrowing events led to their becoming some of the most decorated soldiers in America at the time. He also introduces us to the men who led the bodybearers: wellknown names like Pershing and Patton. Because these men were from different branches of service and earned their medals during different events and offensives, what O’Donnell ends up with is a complete overview of American involvement in the war, but from a more intimate point of view than more histories. This book is informative, moving, and very readable. O’Donnell gives enough detail to make the events come to life without getting bogged down in tedious detail or indulging in too much technical jargon and analysis.
April 16, 2022
No one before has chronicled the complete story with such detail and completeness as Patrick O’Donnell of the complete story of the brave men who fought in WWI, their heroism and the link to how some of those heroes came to be the 8 ‘body bearers’ that led to the creation of our Tomb of the Unknowns. A riveting story of unparalleled drama and research, readers are enthralled by the fighting sequences and horror and lives of those who fought and died under the command of the great GEN John Pershing and his Marine contemporaries. Between the evolution of the submarine as a weapon of war, trench warfare, poison gas, and the use of bayonets in close combat, and the unlucky who were at the receiving end of artillery or machine guns we are right there in the thick of it. O’Donnell leaves it all there for us to process. At the end of it all is the memorialization of ONE unknown American, following the example of the British and the French, who would represent the American fighting man—whether he be white, black or Indian—in an unmarked sacred place at Arlington to represent the sacrifices of all who had fallen—the culmination of those body bearers, the selection process of the one who would ‘select’ the unknown, and the implications of that decision would put into place a tradition we revere every day, and notably on Memorial Day. You’ve got to read this gripping history behind those who gave their full measure in the Great War and how we remember them today, and into perpetuity.
July 5, 2024
I have always been fascinated by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, so the title and cover of this book caught my eye. I should have paid more attention to the subtitle and the book blurb, as the book wasn’t quite what I expected.
I was hoping for more information about the Tomb and the ceremony that it’s known for. What I got was a detailed history of the eight men who were chosen as Body Bearers – the men who carried the casket from the ship on which it arrived in the US to the caisson that would transport it to the newly created Tomb of the Unknown.
Maybe those who are more familiar with American military actions in World War I would not get so bogged down in the details, but almost all of it was new to me, and it was a *lot to take in. In turns, I was horrified, amazed and incredulous at the stories of these eight men and their units.
I appreciated the ‘lesson’ on how the Tomb of the Unknown came to be, and how the first Unknown was chosen. I never thought about how today’s technology has made it nearly impossible for remains to be unidentified, thus ending the tradition of placing Unknowns from recent wars in the Tomb, but it makes sense.
Although the book wasn’t what I expected going in, I ended up liking it and what I learned from it. As many times as I’ve been to Washington, DC, I’ve never spent much time at Arlington, but this book makes me want to go there to see the Tomb of the Unknown for myself.
I was hoping for more information about the Tomb and the ceremony that it’s known for. What I got was a detailed history of the eight men who were chosen as Body Bearers – the men who carried the casket from the ship on which it arrived in the US to the caisson that would transport it to the newly created Tomb of the Unknown.
Maybe those who are more familiar with American military actions in World War I would not get so bogged down in the details, but almost all of it was new to me, and it was a *lot to take in. In turns, I was horrified, amazed and incredulous at the stories of these eight men and their units.
I appreciated the ‘lesson’ on how the Tomb of the Unknown came to be, and how the first Unknown was chosen. I never thought about how today’s technology has made it nearly impossible for remains to be unidentified, thus ending the tradition of placing Unknowns from recent wars in the Tomb, but it makes sense.
Although the book wasn’t what I expected going in, I ended up liking it and what I learned from it. As many times as I’ve been to Washington, DC, I’ve never spent much time at Arlington, but this book makes me want to go there to see the Tomb of the Unknown for myself.
June 8, 2019
This book was a well-researched chronicle of US involvement in WWI that used the eight "Body Bearers" of the Unknown Soldier as a throughline. Deliberately chosen to represent the full spectrum of combat experiences during that war, these men represent the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Coastal Artillery. It's an interesting and brisk general history, but since it only reflects the US perspective, it does not present anything about the causes or background of the war. This would be a good companion volume to a more general war history, such as John Keegan's The First World War.
The Unknown Soldier doesn't make an appearance until the penultimate 28th chapter. (There are also an afterword and epilogue.) That makes sense; as an Unknown, he couldn't be incorporated into the narrative. That said, it makes the book's title somewhat misleading, especially since the final two chapters seem a bit like a rushed afterthought.
The author is a former Marine Corps unit historian, and he writes like a former Marine Corps unit historian. The Oorah! is strong with this one. At times it comes off more propagandistic than scholarly, and there are a few turns of phrase that seem anachronistic (e.g. deserters described as "in the rear with the gear.") Still, a worthwhile, enjoyable and informative read.
The Unknown Soldier doesn't make an appearance until the penultimate 28th chapter. (There are also an afterword and epilogue.) That makes sense; as an Unknown, he couldn't be incorporated into the narrative. That said, it makes the book's title somewhat misleading, especially since the final two chapters seem a bit like a rushed afterthought.
The author is a former Marine Corps unit historian, and he writes like a former Marine Corps unit historian. The Oorah! is strong with this one. At times it comes off more propagandistic than scholarly, and there are a few turns of phrase that seem anachronistic (e.g. deserters described as "in the rear with the gear.") Still, a worthwhile, enjoyable and informative read.
January 23, 2024
Inspiring story of the selecting of the first Unknown Soldier by following the lives of the pallbearers of the body. Since the Unknown Solider is unknown, there can be no biography of him, but by following the lives of the other soldiers the reader gets a general feel of what was happening during the fighting during World War One.
I've read stories about World War One and this book is just a taste of the horrors of that war. No sense in going through every horror in detail. The summary is bad enough. After all.. I have to eat.
I was interested all the way through, and we find out more or less what happened to the pallbearers after the burial of the Unknown Soldier. Some ended their lives tragically, others ignobly, and others did well. There seemed to be no real connection between the heroics done during the war and their later lives as civilians. After all, most civilian lives do not require death defying heroics.
I'd love to read this book again, but then I expected that of this author. I loved his other book, "We Were One: Shoulder to Shoulder with the Marines Who Took Fallujah".
I've read stories about World War One and this book is just a taste of the horrors of that war. No sense in going through every horror in detail. The summary is bad enough. After all.. I have to eat.
I was interested all the way through, and we find out more or less what happened to the pallbearers after the burial of the Unknown Soldier. Some ended their lives tragically, others ignobly, and others did well. There seemed to be no real connection between the heroics done during the war and their later lives as civilians. After all, most civilian lives do not require death defying heroics.
I'd love to read this book again, but then I expected that of this author. I loved his other book, "We Were One: Shoulder to Shoulder with the Marines Who Took Fallujah".
Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews