TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER

[TheSecretsInTheCrust]

Interesting facts about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Sentinels
of the Third United States Infantry Regiment "Old Guard"
1. How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of
the Unknowns and why?
     21 steps. It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute, which is the
     highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary.
2. How long does he hesitate after his about face to begin his return walk
and why?
     21 seconds, for the same reason as answer number 1.
3. Why are his gloves wet?
     His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.
4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time, and if not,
why not?
     No, he carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his
march across the path, he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the
outside shoulder.
5. How often are the guards changed?
     Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365
days a year.
6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to?
     For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between
5' 10" and 6' 2" tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30".
Other requirements of the Guard:
They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks
under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty FOR THE REST OF
THEIR LIVES. They cannot swear in public FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES and
cannot disgrace the uniform {fighting} or the tomb in any way.
After TWO YEARS, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their
lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only 400
presently worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives
or give up the wreath pin.
The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and
cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of
the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt. There are
no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for duty in front
of a full-length mirror.
The first SIX MONTHS of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone, nor watch TV.
All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in
Arlington National Cemetery.  A guard must memorize who they are and where
they are interred.  Among the notables are: President Taft, Joe E. Lewis
{the boxer} and Medal of Honor winner Audie Murphy, {the most decorated
soldier of WWII} of Hollywood fame.  Every guard spends FIVE HOURS A DAY
getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.
The Sentinels Creed:
My dedication to this sacred duty is total and wholehearted. In the
responsibility bestowed on me never will I falter. And with dignity and
perseverance my standard will remain perfection. Through the years of
diligence and praise and the discomfort of the elements, I will walk my
tour in humble reverence to the best of my ability.   It is he who commands
the respect I protect. His bravery that made us so proud. Surrounded by
well meaning crowds by day alone in the thoughtful peace of night, this
soldier will in honored glory rest under my eternal vigilance.
More Interesting facts about the Tomb of the Unknowns itself:
The marble for the Tomb of the Unknowns was furnished by the Vermont Marble
Company of Danby, Vt. The marble is the finest and whitest of American
marble, quarried from the Yule Marble Quarry located near Marble, Colorado
and is called Yule Marble. The Marble for the Lincoln memorial and other
famous buildings was also quarried there.
The Tomb consists of seven pieces of rectangular marble:
     Four pieces in sub base; weight Â- 15 tons;
     One piece in base or plinth; weight Â- 16 tons;
     One piece in die; weight Â- 36 tons;
     One piece in cap; weight Â- 12 tons;
     Carved on the East side (the front of the Tomb, which faces
Washington, D.C.) is a composite of three figures, commemorative of the
spirit of the Allies of World War I.
In the center of the panel stands Victory (female).
On the right side, a male figure symbolizes Valor.
On the left side stands Peace, with her palm branch to reward the devotion
and sacrifice that went with courage to make the cause of righteousness
triumphant.
The north and south sides are divided into three panels by Doric pilasters.
In each panel is an inverted wreath.
On the west, or rear, panel (facing the Amphitheater) is inscribed:
HERE RESTS IN HONORED GLORY AN AMERICAN SOLDIER KNOWN BUT TO GOD
The first Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was a sub base and a base or plinth.
It was slightly smaller than the present base. This was torn away when the
present Tomb was started Aug. 27, 1931. The Tomb was completed and the area
opened to the public 9:15 a.m. April 9, 1932, without any ceremony.
Cost of the Tomb: $48,000
Sculptor:  Thomas Hudson Jones
Architect: Lorimer Rich
Contractors: Hagerman & Harris, New York City
Inscription: Author Unknown
(Interesting Commentary)
The Third Infantry Regiment at Fort Myer has the responsibility for
providing ceremonial units and honor guards for state occasions, White
House social functions, public celebrations and interments at Arlington
National Cemetery and standing a very formal sentry watch at the Tomb of
the Unknowns.
The public is familiar with the precision of what is called "walking post"
at the Tomb.  There are roped off galleries where visitors can form to
observe the troopers and their measured step and almost mechanically,
silent rifle shoulder changes.  They are relieved every hour in a very
formal drill that has to be seen to be believed.
Some people think that when the Cemetery is closed to the public in the
evening that this show stops.  First, to the men who are dedicated to this
work, it is no show.  It is a "charge of honor."  The formality and
precision continues uninterrupted all night.  During the nighttime, the
drill of relief and the measured step of the on-duty sentry remain
unchanged from the daylight hours.  To these men, these special men, the
continuity of this post is the key to the honor and respect shown to these
honored dead, symbolic of all unaccounted for American combat dead.  The
steady rhythmic step in rain, sleet, snow, hail, heat and cold must be
uninterrupted. Uninterrupted is the important part of the honor shown.
Recently, while you were sleeping, the teeth of hurricane Isabel came
through this area and tore hell out of everything.  We had thousands of
trees down, power outages, traffic signals out, roads filled with downed
limbs and "gear adrift" debris.  We had flooding and the place looked like
it had been the impact area of an off-shore bombardment.
The Regimental Commander of the U.S. Third Infantry sent word to the
nighttime Sentry Detail to secure the post and seek shelter from the high
winds, to ensure their personal safety.
THEY DISOBEYED THE ORDER!
During winds that turned over vehicles and turned debris into projectiles,
the measured step continued.  One fellow said "I've got buddies getting
shot at in Iraq who would kick my butt if word got to them that we let them
down.   I sure as hell have no intention of spending my Army career being
known as the damned idiot who couldn't stand a little light breeze and
shirked his duty." Then he said something in response to a female reporters
question regarding silly purposeless personal risk... "I wouldn't expect
you to understand.  It's an enlisted man's thing."  God bless the rascal...
In a time in our nation's history when spin and total b.s. seem to have
become the accepted coin-of-the-realm, there beat hearts - the enlisted
hearts we all knew and were so damn proud to be a part of - that fully
understand that devotion to duty is not a part-time occupation.  While we
slept, we were represented by some damn fine men who fully understood their
post orders and proudly went about their assigned responsibilities unseen,
unrecognized and in the finest tradition of the American Enlisted Man.
Folks, there's hope.  The spirit that George S. Patton, Arliegh Burke and
Jimmy Doolittle left us ... survives.
On the ABC evening news, it was reported recently that, because of the
dangers from Hurricane Isabel approaching Washington, DC, the military
members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were
given permission to suspend the assignment.  They refused.  "No way, Sir!"
Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they
said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment; it was the highest
honor that can be afforded to a service person.  The tomb has been
patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.
Very, very proud of our soldiers in uniform

[SMLCHNG]

Thank you for that, Glenn!!!!

And right now there is a search in Colorado for a new piece of marble for the Tomb.

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/marble ... 081503.htm

[ph4ever]

Thanks Glenn and Penny!!!

[Dally]

That gave me goosebumps!!

Thank you Glenn and Penny!!!

[creeky]

I sat there at the Tomb watching for ages the soldiers guarding it - with goosebumps the whole time when I was there!
Interesting story! thanks!

[pair8head]

God Bless the Men and Women of our armed forces.

Thank you Glenn and Penny.

[Caribbean Soul Man]

Thanks for posting this, I've seen it before and it always makes me proud to live in a country where so much of the tradition in the military is centered on honor. There are quite a few Americans that simply don't understand this, but I think we are all lucky to have young Americans like this defending freedom and protecting us.

God Bless every one of them

[Crazy Navy Flyer]

Awesome post, thank you! I have been there many times and each time puts a lump in my throat. I'm proud to say that my father is buried about 100 yards from the Tomb.

[windknot]

My daughters 7th grade class just spent a week in Washington and NY, she was chosen from her class to help lay the wreath at the tomb.
She said it was very moving and very cool, the soldiers were very serious about what the kids were allowed to do. I think this will be a memory that she will keep for a lifetime.

[12vmanRick]

I knew some of those facts but a LOT I did not know. I never heard about the hurricane incident but that shows that it is a high place of honor.

[diamonddan]

The changing of the guard is a "must see' on anybody's trip to DC.

[LaTda]

God Bless the Men and Women of our armed forces.

Thank you Glenn and Penny.

Ditto & Ditto!

[phjrsaunt]

I didn't realize the EXTENT of the guards' dedication. WOW! and AWESOME!

[PHAW Webmistress]

I agree with everyone - it's an awesome thing to watch.....

Curious though about the swearing.... are "hell" and "damn" not swear words in the eyes of the army?
I sure as hell have no intention of spending my Army career being known as the damned idiot who couldn't stand a little light breeze and shirked his duty.

And just a side note.....mine and HS's keet was a part of this unit when he first enlisted in the Army:
The Third Infantry Regiment at Fort Myer has the responsibility for
providing ceremonial units and honor guards for state occasions, White
House social functions, public celebrations and interments at Arlington
National Cemetery