TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER (Interesting Facts)
TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER
Interesting facts about the Tomb
of the Unknown Soldier and the Sentinels of the Third United States
Infantry Regiment "Old Guard"
Q: How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns and why?
A: 21 steps. It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute, which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary.
Q: How long does he hesitate after his about face to begin his return walk and why?
A: 21 seconds, for the same reason as answer number 1.
Q: Why are his gloves wet?
A: His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.
Q: Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time, and if not, why not?
A: 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.
Q: How often are the guards changed?
A: Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.
Q: What are the physical traits of the guard limited to?
A: 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
Today I was out and about and saw the work they are doing here at the park. They are working on the rv sites. They are adding fill, leveling and packing it down on some of the sites here. They are looking really good. 
You can see a red mower, in the background running around keeping the grass clipped too. 
Our local Sand Crane spreading his wing.
They eat insects. They are constantly drilling their long beaks into the sand looking for those yummy bugs.
I guess this witch was flying without lights or drinking a bit much. lol
This is a tortoise nest. They fence them off in the park so we know where they are and will not to disturb them. I was watching him travel across the grass and he was in the hole before I could get my camera and out the door. I'm saying he is really fast, not that I am really slow. lol
Look really close and you can see him inside in the dark.
