Picking My Brain

Behind the Arlington Memorial Ampitheatre, which I blogged about on Sunday, lies The Tomb of the Unknowns. This is not to be confused with the Tomb of the Unknown Solider. I always thought the Tomb at Arlington was known as the Tomb of the Unknown Solider, however is a name given to many memorials worldwide honoring those who died in battle and whose remains could not be identified. The Tomb of the Unknowns is an unofficial title, and the moment is commonly called The Tomb of the Unknown Solider.

The Tomb of the Unknowns honors a solider from World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam. The United Kingdom and France both had similar memorials before 1921, when the US Congress approved the burial of an unidentified American soldier from World War I in the plaza of the new Memorial Amphitheater. Sculpted into the east panel which faces Washington, D.C. and can only be viewed from the bottom of the hill, are three Greek figures representing Peace, Victory, and Valor. Inscribed on the western panel facing the Amphitheater is: “Here rests in honored glory, An American Soldier known but to God.” The six wreaths carved into the north and south of the tomb represent six major battles of World War I: Ardenne, Belleau Wood, Chateau-Thierry, Meuse-Argonne, Oisiu-Eiseu and Somme.

Unknown of World War I
On Memorial Day, 1921, four unknowns were exhumed from four World War I American cemeteries in France. U.S. Army Sgt. Edward F. Younger, selected the Unknown Soldier of World War I from four identical caskets at the city hall in Châlons-en-Champagne, France, on October 24, 1921. He selected the unknown by placing a spray of white roses on one of the caskets. He chose the third casket from the left. The chosen unknown soldier was transported to the United States aboard USS Olympia. The Unknown Soldier lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda from his arrival in the United States until Armistice Day, 1921. On November 11, 1921, President Warren G. Harding officiated at the interment ceremonies at the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery.

Unknowns of World War II and Korea
In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill to select and pay tribute to the unknowns of World War II and the Korean War. The selection ceremonies and the interment of these unknowns took place in 1958. The World War II Unknown was selected from remains exhumed from cemeteries in Europe, Africa, Hawaii, and the Philippines. Four unknown Americans who died in the Korean War were disinterred from the National Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii. Both caskets arrived in Washington on May 28, 1958, where they lay in the Capitol Rotunda until May 30. That morning, they were carried on caissons to Arlington National Cemetery. President Eisenhower awarded each the Medal of Honor, and the Unknowns were interred in the plaza. Their crypts are below the plaza, their headstones flush with the plaza.

Unknown of Vietnam

The Unknown service member from the Vietnam War was designated by Medal of Honor recipient U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Allan Jay Kellogg, Jr., during a ceremony at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, May 17, 1984. Many Vietnam veterans and President and Mrs. Reagan visited the Vietnam Unknown in the Capitol. President Reagan presided over the funeral, and presented the Medal of Honor to the Vietnam Unknown. The President also acted as next of kin by accepting the interment flag at the end of the ceremony. The remains of the Vietnam Unknown were exhumed May 14, 1998. Based on mitochondrial DNA testing, Department of Defense scientists identified the remains as those of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, who was shot down near An Loc, Vietnam, in 1972. The identification was announced on June 30, 1998 and on July 10 Blassie’s remains arrived home to his family in St. Louis, Missouri where he was reinterred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. After Lt. Blassie’s remains were reinterred, the crypt was replaced. The original inscription of “Vietnam” and the dates of the conflict has been changed to “Honoring and Keeping Faith with America’s Missing Servicemen” as a reminder of the commitment of the Armed Forces to fullest possible accounting of missing service members. The crypt has also been left empty in honor of all unknown soldiers who gave their lives for their country.The interment flags of all Unknowns at the Tomb of the Unknowns are on view in the Memorial Display Room as well as all kinds of medals, plaques, and photos.

Guarding the Tomb
Perhaps the most impressive display at the Tomb is the guard. It is considered one of the highest honors to serve as a sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Sentinels volunteer for the position, and less than 20% of those volunteers are accepted for training, and only a fraction of those pass to become a Tomb Guard. Physical conditions a Guard candidate must meet are said to be a height between 5′ 10″ and 6′ 2″ tall and a waist size not exceeding 30″.

Once a solider becomes a Guard, he or she is considered one until they decide to retire from the position. To be considered, Guards must have a perfect military record. Once they have served as a Tomb Guard, their names are inscribed on a plaque. 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 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 and have their name will be removed from the plaque.

The sentinels do not wear rank insignia on their uniforms so that they do not outrank the Unknowns, whatever their rank may have been. Soldiers serving in other roles, like Relief Commander and Assistant Relief Commander, do wear insignia of their rank when changing the guard although they are only allowed to “walk the mat”, or post as a guard, with a uniform that has no rank. There is a meticulous ritual the guard follows when watching over the graves:

1. The soldier walks twenty one steps across the Tomb. This alludes to the 21-gun salute, which is the highest honor given to any military or foreign dignitary. His weapon is always on the shoulder opposite the Tomb .
2. On the 21st step, the soldier turns and faces the Tomb for 21 seconds.
3. The soldier then turns to face the other way across the Tomb and changes his weapon to the outside shoulder.
4. After 21 seconds, the first step is repeated.

This is repeated until the soldier is relieved of duty at the Changing of the Guard. Guards’ gloves are moistened to prevent them from losing their grip on their rifle. The guards are issued sunglasses, which are formed to their faces, due to the bright reflection from the marble surrounding the Tomb and the Memorial Amphitheater.

There is a story that in 2003 when Hurricane Isabelle was approaching DC, the Senate and the House of Reps. took 2 days off in anticipation of the storm. It is said that ABC news reported that because of the dangers from the storm, the Tomb Guards were given permission to suspend their guard. Allegedly the guards declined the offer and kept guard through the storm. The Tomb of the Unknowns has been guarded continuously, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, since July 2, 1937

Changing of the Guard
During the day from March 15 to September 30, the guard is changed every half hour. During October 1 to March 14, the guard is changed every hour. After the cemetery closes to the public for the night, the guard is changed every two hours until the cemetery reopens. The guard change is very symbolic, but also conducted in accordance with Army regulations. The relief commander or assistant relief commander, along with the oncoming guard, are both required for a guard change to take place. The guard being relieved will say to the oncoming guard, “Post and orders remain as directed.” The oncoming guard’s response is always, “Orders Acknowledged.” A guard change takes approximately 10 minutes. The ceremony can be witnessed by the public whenever Arlington National Cemetery is open.

Here is a video I took of the Guard Change.  Sorry it takes sooooo incredibly long to load.  I’m working on finding a way to make it easier to see, but my blog publishing programs seems to not like videos.  So bear with it for the meantime.

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