Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: IDENTITY REVEALED Decades Later | History's Greatest Mysteries: Solved
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- Опубликовано: 12 ноя 2020
- The Tomb of the Unknown Solider once held 4 bodies. Now there are only 3. Discover the remarkable story of Michael Joseph Blassie, who was buried in the tomb for decades before being identified, in this episode of History’s Greatest Mysteries: Solved, a new History digital original series.
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CREDITS
Host
Laurence Fishburne
Executive Producers
Sarah Walker
Brian Huffman
Producer
John Schlirf
Editor
John Schlirf
Manager, Rights & Clearances
Chris Kim
Agency: Zealot
Zealot Producer
Rich Melé
Zealot Associate Producer
Carlie Lindower
Writer
Evan Perlman
Editor
Nat Magee
Assistant Editor
Clarissa Marquez
Finishing
Michael Green
Mixer
Brett Graves
Music Supervisor
Natalie Wali
Graphics
Forrest Mulcahy
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VP, Marketing Production, A+E Networks
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Matt Neary
Music Courtesy of:
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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 
Развлечения
1st LT . Michael Joseph Blassie, did his duty even after death. Representing all those who never made it home. From 1984 to 1994 he stood on guard.
that is a lovely thought
Lieutenant Blassie.... You are relieved, Sir.... Rest in Peace.....
Good evening Sarcon. It is not really important, but Lt Blassie was in the tomb until 1998.
Very well said
@@kakalimukherjee3297 well russia was suplying them so
Technically, the Tomb is not supposed to just be the resting men who were never identified, but also a memorial to every soldier who died and never received a proper burial
Correct. Thousands of American soldiers are buried in unmarked mass graves with Brits and French troops in France.
Exactly... it's symbolic... the fact that the WW1, WW2, and Korean remains are unknown means those remains could be any of the unknown soldiers that sacrificed their lives... as such it resembles ALL of the unknown soldiers
He literally said that in the very beginning of the video
@@jon3s115,everything American Is under attack now! The left is out to cancel everything that makes this country special!
Especially in the navy.
Wrap em up and into the ocean they go.
( Also, many marines, army, and airforce have the same burial in the ocean)
No bodies for the loved ones.
Our family is one who finally got closure! My mother’s cousin, PFC Arthur Hopfensperger, was KIA in Korea 1950. His body was found in a farmer’s field in the early 2000’s. He was identified in 2012 and given a full military funeral 62 years later! The soldier who was the head of the funeral detail told us that the military never stops looking for lost soldiers until they are finally home. Submit a DNA sample. Your long lost loved one May be in that repository in Hawaii waiting to come home.
Finally!! A wound that weal heal. I am happy for you. No man or woman, no one ever left behind!!
Amazing
@@DeShakeel Semper Fi. USMC.. bring them home. Our fallen and our soldiers. They all belong here!!!!
I am so happy to hear your family got closure. I hope every family gets closure and thank you for your families sacrifice. I have great respect for your mother's cousin and all those that have served, and are serving now. Unfortunately some soldiers may take a long time to be found as battles cover allot of ground, often uninhabited at the time and who knows how long until it is inhabited and the remains are discovered and delivered to the proper country that they died fighting for. But hopefully one day there will be no unknown soldier.
thats one reason why i love and respect america a lot, bc they do so much for their soldiers.
Here it is! The History Channel as it used to be before all the alien stuff! So glad it’s back!
Yeah ikr
Just one video/show doesn't mean it's back. Stop overreacting.
Aliens are cool too but this is cooler
@@Pulang_Diwa cry more
Well now that the government has admitted the existence of intelligent extraterrestrial beings, it’s only a matter of time before they come out with some more alien content lol
The best part of this story is when they flew his body home the military cargo plane changed its call sign to one Capt Blassie was using when he was killed. As they landed the radio message went out to the effect of:"Callsign X. Returning to base. Mission accomplished" I had a lump in my throat when I read that...
Thanks, and now I got that lump too.
The lump must be contagious. I have it too now.
I have it to
Dude this lump is spreading faster than Covid...
@@riceracm well then
1st Lt. Blassie’s father ,George, saved our father’s life! George and dad worked together, side by side, as meat cutters and when my father cut himself very badly George Blassie immediately applied pressure to our dads severed artery and kept pressure applied on the entire ride in the police car to the hospital saving our father’s life!! I still clearly remember the day even though I was just five years old and my mom hurriedly saying “Quick! We have to go to the hospital, daddy cut himself really bad!”. George Blassie then formed a special committee to raise funds to help support my mother and my five siblings during dads recovery! George Blassie gave us two more years with our father! Thank you to the Blassie family for all you have done for us and given to the nation! We will never forget.
Our dad, George Blassie and Michael Blassie all now rest in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
What a coincidence
Wow what a coincidence
So it seems the apple didn’t fall far from the tree....now that’s good parenting
Wow
What a coincidence, wait what's the coincidence?
I was always led to believe that in the not knowing, families, wives, mothers and children could go to this memorial in the hopes that perhaps their missing loved ones might be the ones that rested there. Thank you and thanks to all who’ve served and sacrificed so that we may live free.
The unknown warrior in london is like you said. I dint agree with naming this soldier. It should be for everyone who has lost a loved one
@@motorcyclewild5873 yea personally I feel like every soldier would be willing to lay down their identity to represent something greater. Being buried an unknown soldier is probably the biggest honor our nation can give because you become an unbreakable idea.
@@TheOnlyMike4082 most definitely
The unknown in Canada is the same way. In fact it was a requirement that the body not be identified before it was brought back from France.
MinutemanSam if that’s what funds will go to then fine. But take your head out of sand as you should know money will be wasted on illegal wars, regime changes none of which helps us service members.
SO MUCH RESPECT FOR THESE MEN. Never forget.
You're right we should never forget these men major respect to all the fallen.
I will never forget and always respect. Especially I have a brother and cousin currently in the military.
Never forget, but how about remembrance of our Luciferian brothers in arms LeBron, Troy Aikman, Kaepernick, etc.?
@@marcuslaker5876 huh?
@@marcuslaker5876 no
All gave some , some gave all ! SALUTE.
🙏
👏👏👍
Many of us flew in the same battle (An Loc) in 1972. An Loc was one of the major battle sites during the 1972 North Vietnamese Invasion.
Thank you sir for serving our great nation, and welcome home!
That took a level of bravery I only dream of
Appreciation and respect sent sir
From one veteran to another THANK YOU
@1- Hitta Thank you for your support.
All gave some, some gave all. RIP fellow Veterans 👍🏻🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
🙏
👏👏👍
This is heart warming. Seriously. The families who finally have closure must feel at least some relief knowing what happened. God bless them all.
Every kid in school should learn history and especially our nations hero’s who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. So much of history is being lost and changed because they are not taught
As a tourist I visited Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I am a Vet. USN. All I can say is the feeling were intense. It was if I felt the essence of the Unknowns Souls. Quite an experience. LONG LIVE THE REPUBLIC
These service men need our love and respect always. I salute you all
This is the History channel. Not bs reality show nonsense. More of this please
Bless every soldier who gave his life for the sake of this great nation.
My favorite part about visiting DC was seeing the tomb of the unknown soldier. You can see the marks on the ground from the men who watched over the tomb all these years and its a really strong feeling.
Thank you for your service Of Bassie, fly high soldier!!
Airman*
@@DrexelPretzel Thank you for addressing Lt. Blassie correctly!
I'm glad he was identified.
Welll than what’s the point of it being called the unknown soldier
Their identities are unknown, but they will always be *KNOWN* and remembered as Heroes.
Very interesting video. It's very good that an identified soldier has been identified to help bring closure to his family. Lawrence Fishburne did a great job narrating the video, very dignified. A salute to all our fallen military heroes.
This was outstanding. The history channel is a gem.
It will be a gem when they (The History Channel) and others call it what it should be, Tomb of the Unknown, instead of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Was a gem
@@thomas6789 Precisely. Was a gem.
While there seemed to be errors in the science and chain of custody, the US should never stop searching or identifying the remains of the unknown soldiers. Science and technology is constantly improving and the misidentification of LT Blessings should not deter them from retesting the remains of unknowns.
It's just impossible.
There is actually a Joint Military unit, that their sole mission is finding and identifying MIAs.
I don't think people realize how many u known soldiers there are, especially from Vietnam and further back in history....We literally have cemeteries full, because if they couldn't be 100% certain of an identity, they were then classified as unknown
Thank you for those who have served. They protect our country. Thank you.
This men gave there hearts and blood so we don't have to and they gave there life's for are Freedom and for vietnam veterans that did not get there welcome home we welcome you guys home
Just lost my daddy who served 30 years in the US Army . Back to back tours in Vietnam being shot down. He went on to serving many other conflicts in Honduras also Africa and then on to Desert Storm. Losing his best friend and many other friends along the way we are very blessed to have him 70 years we had him
I was blessed in returning home from my tour of Nam. I did suffer life threatening wounds from a Russian made B40 (RPG) but was swiftly attended to and flown to a mobile hospital, then on to Saigon. In that same blast, two of my buddies were killed standing on either side of me. RIP Jessie and Larry.
Interesting, we’re you in 5th group?
@@heathw.7243 yes, from 12/4/66 to 12/1/67
Welcome home my man. Thank you for your service
It is a dishonor to all unknown soldiers for anybody that has found the identity of the soldier in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to release that identity to anyone
Good evening Johnathan. It was a Pentagons scandal. They knew who he was when they buried him. They had always known who he was.
And Pentagon was warned over and over that the remains they were about to bury in the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier were not UNKNOWN.
But the Pentagon ordered Central Identification Laboratory Hawaii to destroy the identifying effects and send the body to DC.
Col Johnie Webb in Hawaii objected, but complied. He placed all the identifying effects in the casket, sealed it, and sent it to DC. When they opened the casket, they found Blassies flight suit with his name on it, effects from his F37 jet, parachute, flotation device and other things which identified the Unknown.
It was the greatest boondoggle the Pentagon has ever perpetrated.
Jefferson Barraks National Cemetary is not in Jefferson MO. It's in St. Louis
Yup. Big oversight on this video. Good call.
Jefferson cemetery is a beautifully immaculately Cared for national treasure. Some say, and I agree, that it is only second to Arlington.
@@battle_p9291 yes, I grew up within walking distance. Also the adjacent park to the cemetary is where I spent a lot of time.
@@MS46Z my mother is buried in Jefferson Barraks National cemetery.
I have 1 great grandpa 2 great uncles and one great grandmother buried there.
This is a tear jerker. God bless all soldiers.
I remember reading about Lt. Michael Blassie because his date of death is my day of birth. I only wish that after he was identified that they would have let him keep his medals and honours 🤍 It's an honour to feel a connection to this brave young man. RIP Lt. Blassie 🤍
He kept the medals he deserved. He only received the MOH as an Unknown. Family disgracefully tried to cash in on it.
Thank-you for your service Michael. Welcome home !!
No soldier, who gave the ultimate sacrifice, should go unknown. PERIOD.
There are 84,000 of them from WWII alone. You and I do not know how unrecognizable an 88mm shell can make a human body.
Awesome video, brought tears 😭. My respect and admiration to all service men and woman serving our nation to and all veterans who served our country with honor!!
God Bless you Lt. Blassie.
Blasi family. Venice, Ca
We need more of this stuff, History Channel. Enough with the cold weather Alaska reality shows lol
I’m curious. Could they do a DNA test on the remains of the others unknowns and try to piece together whether or not they fought in the wars that their remains were found? Idk maybe I just don’t known what I’m talking about but man this is awesome I would love the see the others identified
It's hard to find viable DNA on old remains
It is possible they already have the dna of those on file waiting for someone to inquire and possibly be a match
@jeebuz..... I, too, would like to see ALL our military finally come home. But, in addition to the body having viable DNA to test, which is likely..... However, we also need someone else's DNA to compare with. For our soldiers lost in ww1 and ww2..... Sadly, there may no longer be anyone left to compare with....
so would I. If nothing else, Genealogical investigators might be able to find out who they are! They are excellent at doing it!!!
@@arthurbrunelle9828 if they can find children, grandchildren, or even neices and nephews, they can do it. theres a brittish team of investigators doing this in the UK. and they're IDing people from WW1 still. we can track serial killers through their DNA using 3rd cousins. we DEFINITLY can keep a record of DNA for all our unkowns in case it comes up.
It's so touching the respect that was shown for unknown soldier's arrival from France after being exhumed. But also the unrelenting respect and honor showed thereafter.
"Morpheus reveals identity of person who took the red pill."
Red Pill Blue Pill Morpheus Walruses
@@ChizAfterHours morpheus drinkin a 40 in the death basket
I was looking for a Morpheus comment
Good, now he can move out.
Thank you for your service brother...we've got the watch now..people like you lead the way for men like to yo join and serve in our military..thank you for your sacrifice
How can people dislike this
I've seen his grave at Jefferson Barracks before. I have a lot of family and friends buried there, and someday will be, myself. Such a beautiful cemetery.
I've witnessed the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier it gives me chills also it's kind of a biter sweet the tomb of the unknown soldier the families of the three unidentified soldiers won't probably ever knew it is their loved one at the same time at least whoever they are should be at peace knowing they yeah we don't know there names but they are and will not ever be forgotten same with all of The MIA/POW and KIA soldiers gone but never ever forgotten
I knew the Blassie family. They were wonderful people and Michael was a true hero.
I've been to the tomb. I was there during the changing of the guard, it's truly amazing how much care, precision and passion, just the amount of effort in general they put into protecting the tomb. I was told while I was there that there was a hurricane, or something like one, maybe just a severe storm and the guard was told to go home, and he refused, along with the other guards that rotate protecting the tomb.
They will never leave
They will never break ranks
They will always be on watch
3rd Infantry
The Old Guard
Nobody was ever told to go home not was there any stand down order. Internet myth.
@@tommyodonnell9 I heard they were given the option and they all volunteered to stay. I bet the authority that gave them the option knew what the response would be.... There are few more dedicated units anywhere in the world than them. The qualification badge they get as a Sentinel is the 2nd rarest in the US Army after Army Astronaut I believe
@@ZATennisFan There has never been an option to abandon the Unknowns. Option was given to stand guard at the top of the stairs, by the Trophy Room, still very close but technically outside the chains. Everyone declined and remained on the plaza. Unfortunately some in the media exaggerated it, and then the internet totally blew it out of proportion. (One of the wildest tales is that the president ordered them inside, and they disobeyed it. 🙄)
I had a Sgt that was part of that very detail. And you, sir are wrong. They WERE given the option to go home for that hurricane. My Sgt. was one of the first to say he was staying that he wasn't going to leave his post. He was scheduled to take the next shift. He continued getting ready. They were also given the option to stay in the guards shack. Don't know about the others, but he didn't. He did his shift as if it were 80° and sunny.
Thank you sharing this story I never heard this story before. God bless the family and welcome home Airman
Thank you for your service. God bless
I'm not gonna lie I cried watching this. I'm glad at least one was given back his identity and I hope all those recoverd after and before can one day have there's back to.
My respects to those fallen but never forgotten
Just a little bit of trivia with the actor Laurence Fishburne who portrayed a sergeant and then a specialist flanigan in the movie "gardens of stone" which profiled the United States Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment which guards the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery.
I learned something today. I am glad the Blassie family was able to take their young man home.
Lt. Blassie is currently buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, which is a 5-10 minute drive from where I live. May he Rest In Peace.
May they these heroes never be forgotten.
thank you joseph for your service
What an amazing story and informative. Some day I’ll go there.
Thank you for your service and sacrifice you made
Thank you for your service
R.I.P Lt Joseph Blassie Thank you for your service. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🕊🕊🕊🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
I like these videos. Easily digestible, very interesting topics. Keep em coming.
The idea of the unknown soldier was he’s unknown, no prejudice no class, no race, no religion, unknown rank, he was just a soldier who we pay respect to
Wow and wow. Respect! Thank you to the History Channel.
Peace to this man's family. They got some closure.
Excellent piece! Very well done! We who served and survived Thank You for the respect this piece presents.
Great narration from morpheus. Glad that unknown service member has been finally identified.
Wow ! This brings back some memories !
I remember when his verification was big news in his home town of St.Louis which is mine also. Not only that but national news.
R.I.P Michael Blassie
In 6th grade i wrote a poem about the unknown soldiers, it was so well recieved i got to go to the us and read the poem at their remembrance ceremonies with the Rolling Thunder Bike group in Maine. Best time of my young life. Lest We Forget
If you ever have the chance to go there, do. The centuries are amazing. Oh and follow directions. They will stop stop what they are doing until you obey. Rain sleet snow. Amazing to watch.
That was beautiful!❤🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲 thank you for your service Michael Blassie.
Thank you mr fishburne.
Love this episode.
Tears in my eyes
Such an Honor
My respect to Lawrence Fishburne as a person and an actor!! Interesting tidbit here, he acted in the Francis Ford Coppola’s film, The Garden of Stones (1987), as one of the US Army’s Old Guard soldiers!
WOW! I am so glad the Blassie family got closure
I have been to the tomb, and I didn't know the history. Thank you. May all RIP
My Great Uncle, Roland, was almost an unknown from WWII, he fell on 8 June 44 after a bad drop scattered paratroopers, thankfully for my Grandparents/GreatGrandparents, he was not unknown and they were able to lay him to rest. God bless all who have served, those who fell and those who continued and still continue to uphold the highest ideals of America.
I remember going to the tomb of the unknown soldier back in 2017 on a school trip it was a pretty sobering experience
Awesome story and a closer for one family
The most amazing part is the marks worn on the floor from the same paths travelled thousands of times everytime the walk is made for the changing
Thank for that we need to show respect to all of our soldiers and veterans.
I salute my fallen brothers, and one day, I shall be a member of The Old Guard.
thanks History Channel , we must never forget
Heartbreaking
this seems like a great show, sadly Canada's Tomb of the unknown only came to be in May 2000, which is shocking, i thought my country had one since at least ww1, i guess the one in France was the more important one
And the Canadian tomb has been vandalized :(
Really? I don’t like the govt and Canada sometimes but no need to do that to a tomb of soldiers
@Fuq Utube you think anyone would fess up to doing that?🤣
i do funeral honors at Jefferson Barracks, i will have to check out Lt Blassie's gravesite soon!
Outstanding
So glad the British came up with this, brilliant idea. Can only imagine the pain of not knowing the final resting place of a loved one, but hopefully this would go some way in honoring them
Wow this makes me miss old history channel
Wonderful!!
I never want them to be known. I want all the families of the missing, pow, kia, etc. to have a possibility of their family member being one of the soldiers being constantly guarded and honored
My great grandfather served in the United States Army during ww2 and landed on Utah beach at 6:52 am as an infantryman.. he was a sgt. At the time.. we got to visit Arlington and The tomb of the Unknown soldier with him in 2008 the year before he passed and I’d never seen him so emotionally charged in my life.. I truely do thank all men and women who take the sacrifice to serve our country in the armed forces!! Y’all are the reason we can live in this country free today!! ❤🪖🇺🇸
We need to Honor our soldiers, they gave their life for us. Amen.
I remember reading about the British tomb of the unknown and the case of the funeral of a 14 year old boy fighting in the trenches of ww1 he was buried with full military honours and was not from a good family but from up north a coal mining town nice to see the yanks have something similar “age shall not weary them! But by the going down of the sun we shall remember them!”
What a brave young soul. I’m always amazed at the sheer bravery and selflessness of these courageous men, woman and children. Much respect to all those who serve and served honorably. We owe so much to those who came before us.
Was the 14 year old from Port Lairge or Waterford? Because I just read a book on that
That's a tale a hundred times over here in the Appalachian Mountains, of the United States.
Young boys left the coal mines and fought and died in far off lands they couldn't even say the name of.
Heroes everyone, whether from Wales or the hills and hollows of Kentucky we must never forget what they done.
@@deweysturgill6220 Yeah a lot of Welshmen end up in the military.
He's really home 😢❤❤❤❤
In France after WWI, there were 4 unknowns that were placed in a church. A French citizen was given a wreath, and told to place it in front of one of the caskets. Whichever casket was selected was to be the unknown.
Thanks, Morpheous.
That was fascinating!!!!
That’s just AWESOME 💙!
Thanks, Morpheus.
The unknown solder could be anyone, and thus he is everyone. He stands for everyone who died without a name.
The Unknown Solder serves as proxy for all those who lost every part of their loved one.
If I'm not found for my funeral, im not going.
That had to hit them pretty hard when they heard that. Twenty years later finding out they could say a final goodbye.