The Known Soldiers

Construction is to begin in Arlington National Cemetery this autumn on the fourth Tomb of the Unknown Soldier -- to be dedicated to the U.S. fighting men who have fallen in Viet Nam.

There is a macabre hitch in the Army memorial agency's plans, though. Of the 45,810 Americans killed in Viet Nam between Jan. 1, 1961 and July 8, 1972, all have been identified.

Two factors have created this peculiar problem. Viet Nam is a small-unit war, where most of the fighting has involved companies in paddyfields and hamlets. In World War II, whole corps were at the front, with three to five divisions often on the attack at the same time. Thus several days -- and several miles of terrain -- could pass before the head counts began. Also, unidentified bodies as a rule were hastily buried in Europe, whereas in Viet Nam an identification team stays on the job until the dead are identified. Finally, the graves registration service has become more expert, tracing clues down to the number of gold inlays in a man's mouth. As one Army officer put it: "Americans are just better identified than they were. They are more fingerprinted and that sort of thing."

Arlington Engineer Bobbie R. Beller has not given up the Unknown Soldier project. Recently, Seller said: "We hope there won't be one, but . . . it's pos sible that one will be found in a final sweep of the battlefield." Seller added: "If not, the tomb will not be used." Perhaps, given the special agony and futility of the Viet Nam War, some sort of monument should be erected to the men who died there -- known or not.

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