World War II

General Information

Selection

Transport

Final Selection

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The Navy was given the responsibility of selecting one of the two Unknown Candidates.  Once the two candidates had been selected, they were transported to a location off the east coast of the United States for the final selection ceremony aboard the USS CANBERRA. 

The ceremony began on May 26, 1958 .  One by one, the three teams of pallbearers (the Korean War Unknown Soldier, previously selected, was also part of the ceremony), their steps in time to the measured cadence of Chopin's "Funeral March," carried the three caskets up to the rain-swept ceremonial area on the after-lower-missile deck.  Each team of pallbearers was guarded by a US Marine, with rifle  carried at "port arms."

With the sky-pointed Terrier missiles as backdrops, the caskets were placed in a row with the World War II Unknown Candidates on either side of the Korean War Unknown Soldier.   Behind them,  Armed Forces Color Guard strained to keep their colors erect against the wind.  On either side of the USS CANBERRA rode the attending ships, the USCG Cutter INGHAM rolling gently at starboard and the USS BLANDY to port.

Hospital Corpsman First Class William R. Charette, the Navy's only recipient of the Medal of Honor still on active duty (he received it during the Korean War), was designated to make the final selection of the World War II Unknown Soldier.

To the soft roll of drums, HM1 Charette marched briskly to the foot of the caskets, picked up the selection wreath of carnation--a white star in a red field--faced the caskets, saluted, and returned to the head of the biers.

For a short time he stood silent, looking first to the left and then to the right. HM1 Charette, after first moving to the left, turned and  walked to the casket on his right, placed the wreath carefully at the head, stepped back and saluted.

With the final selection compete, and the caskets of the World War II and Korean War Unknown Soldiers transferred back the USS BLANDY, the Unknown Candidate not selected was readied for burial at sea.  The USS CANBERRA headed for deeper water.  With the shrill whistle of the boatswain's pipe, the order "Bury the dead" passed over the loudspeaker. As the ship stopped in her course, the wind died and the sea calmed.

The remains of the unselected candidate were then removed from the casket, wrapped in the traditional white sailcloth shroud, and draped with the American flag.  Reverently he was carried by six Navy pallbearers to a small mahogany platform on the starboard side of the ship.  Here the ship's company were assembled on deck.  Before the hushed assemblage four chaplains, representing different faiths, each prayed in turn.

With the ship rolling easily on the ocean swells, the final words of committal were spoken and the command of "Commit" was given. As the bearers tilted the mahogany sliding board, the weighted canvas shroud slid into the choppy waves, and the remains of this Unknown American settled into 113 feet of water, thirty-three miles east of the Cape Henry Light.  After the benediction, the firing of three volleys, "Taps" was sounded by a Navy bugler, ending the ceremony.