Sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington, VA. (U.S. Army Photo)
WASHINGTON—Hurricane Sandy is
expected to slam the East Coast and the federal government is shut
down—but the U.S. servicemen who guard the outdoor Tomb of the Unknowns
at Arlington National Cemetery will remain on duty.
"They will not abandon their
post," an employee who answered the Arlington Cemetery's phone confirmed
to Yahoo News. He identified himself as "George," but was not
authorized to speak on the record to the media.
The tomb, located just outside
Washington, D.C., holds the remains of unidentified soldiers from World
War I, World War II and Korea.
The elite sentinels selected to guard it have kept watch continuously at the site since 1948
This info compliments of Wiki
Tomb of 1921
Tomb as of November 11, 1922. The Tomb of 1931 would occupy this same location.
On March 4, 1921, the
United States Congress approved the burial of an unidentified American serviceman from
World War I in the plaza of the new
Memorial Amphitheater.
On November 11, 1921, the unknown soldier brought back from France was
interred inside a three-level marble tomb. The marble came from a
Yule Marble Quarry located near
Marble, Colorado. The marble for the
Lincoln Memorial and other famous monuments were quarried there.
[5]
The top two levels are six marble sections each and the bottom at least
nine blocks with a rectangular opening in the center of each level
through which the unknown remains were placed through the tomb and into
the ground below. A stone other than marble covers the rectangular
opening.
[6][7][8]
Tomb of 1931
The
World War I Unknown is below the marble sarcophagus. Other Unknowns are beneath the white slabs on the ground (
World War II, right;
Korean War, left). A Vietnam War Unknown was under the middle slab until 1998, when he was identified.
Since 1921, the intent was to place a superstructure on top of the
Tomb but it was not until July 3, 1926, however, that the Congress
authorized the completion of the Tomb and the expenditure of $50,000
(with a completed cost of $48,000). A design competition was held and
won by architect
Lorimer Rich[nb 1] and sculptor
Thomas Hudson Jones.
An appropriation from Congress for the work was secured and on December
21, 1929, a contract for completion of the Tomb itself was entered
into. The Tomb would consist of seven pieces of marble in four levels
(cap, die, base and sub-base) of which the die is the largest block with
the sculpting on all four sides.
[6][9]
In late January 1931, the 56 ton die of
Yule marble (quarried 3.9 miles south of
Marble, Colorado
by the Vermont Marble Company) was lifted out of the quarry. (Only the
die block is addressed for no data is available as to the other three
levels). The quarrying involved 75 men working one year. When the block
was separated from the mountain inside the quarry it weighed 124 tons. A
wire saw was then brought into the quarry to cut the block down to 56
tons. On February 3, the block reached the marble mill site (in the town
of Marble) where it was crated, then shipped to Vermont on February 8.
The block was sawn to final size in West Rutland, Vermont and fabricated
by craftsmen in
Proctor, Vermont before it was shipped by train to Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia
[10] where it was carved by the
Piccirilli Brothers under the direction of the sculptor Thomas Jones.
[6][11] (The brothers also carved the Lincoln statue for the Lincoln Memorial). The Tomb was dedicated in April 1932.
[12]
The Tomb
[nb 2]
was placed at the head of the grave of the World War I Unknown. West of
this grave are the crypts of Unknowns from World War II (south) and
Korea (north). Between the two lies a crypt that once contained an Unknown from
Vietnam (middle). His remains were positively identified in 1998 through DNA testing as First Lieutenant
Michael Blassie, United States Air Force and were removed. Those three graves are marked with white marble slabs flush with the plaza.
The Tomb has a flat-faced form and is relieved at the corners and along the sides by neo-classical
pilasters set into the surface with objects and inscription carved into the sides. The 1931 symbolism
[11] of the objects on the north, south and east sides changed over time.
[6][9]
- North and South panel with 3 wreaths on each side represent
(in 1931) "a world of memories" but later the six major battles engaged
in by American forces in France; Ardennes, Belleau Wood,
Chateau-Thierry, Meusse-Argonne, Oisiu-Eiseu, and Somme. Each wreath has
38 leaves and 12 berries.
- East panel that faces Washington, D.C., are three Greek figures representing Peace, Victory, and "American Manhood" but later "Valor" instead of "American Manhood"
- Western panel is inscribed the words (centered on the panel):
- HERE RESTS IN
- HONORED GLORY
- AN AMERICAN
- SOLDIER
- KNOWN BUT TO GOD
Tomb Dimensions[nb 3] as of 2004
[13] (xxx)* 1931 die block dimension coming out of the quarry.
[10]
| Level |
Length |
Width |
Height |
Cubic Feet |
Tons |
| Cap |
12'-5.4" |
6'-6.7" |
1'-3.3" |
100.69 |
8.56 |
| Die |
12'-3.0" (14'-0")* |
6'-6.4" (7'-4.8")* |
5'-2.1" (6"-0")* |
385.43 (621.6)* |
32.76 (52.84)* |
| Base |
13'-10.0" |
7'-11.9" |
1'-11.1" |
198.64 |
16.88 |
| Sub-Base |
14'-10.4" |
9'-0.2" |
1'-10.9" |
255.81 |
21.74 |
The Unknown of World War I
On
Memorial Day, 1921, four unknown servicemen were exhumed from four World War I American cemeteries in France.
U.S. Army Sgt.
Edward F. Younger, who was wounded in combat, highly decorated for valor and received the
Distinguished Service Cross in "The Great War" selected the Unknown of World War I from four identical caskets at the city hall in
Châlons-en-Champagne, France, on October 24, 1921.
[8]
Younger selected the World War I Unknown by placing a spray of white
roses on one of the caskets. He chose the third casket from the left.
The chosen Unknown was transported to the United States aboard the
USS Olympia. Those remaining were interred in the
Meuse Argonne Cemetery, France.
[8]
The World War I Unknown
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. During the ceremony, the World War I
Unknown was awarded the
Victoria Cross by
Admiral of the Fleet Lord Beatty, on behalf of King
George V of the United Kingdom.
[14]
(The United Kingdom Victoria Cross was placed with the soldier.
Earlier, on March 4, 1921, the British Unknown Warrior was conferred the
U.S. Medal of Honor by
General of the Armies John Pershing.) In 1928, the Unknown Soldier was presented the
Silver Buffalo Award for distinguished service to America's youth by the
Boy Scouts of America.
[15]
The Unknowns of World War II and Korea
The Korean War Unknown joins the two candidates from World War II aboard the
USS Canberra
On August 3, 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.
[16]
Two Unknowns from World War II, one from the
European Theater and one from the
Pacific Theater, were placed in identical caskets and taken aboard the
USS Canberra, a guided-missile cruiser resting off the Virginia Capes. Navy
Hospital Corpsman 1st Class
William R. Charette, then the
U.S. Navy's only active-duty Medal of Honor recipient, selected the World War II Unknown. The remaining casket received a solemn
burial at sea.
[16]
Four unknown Americans who died in the Korean War were disinterred from the
National Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii. Army
Master Sergeant Ned Lyle made the final selection.
[16]
Both caskets arrived in Washington on May 28, 1958, where they lay in
the Capitol Rotunda until the morning of May 30, when they were carried
on
caissons
to Arlington National Cemetery. President Eisenhower awarded each the
Medal of Honor, and the Unknowns of World War II and the Korean War were
interred in the plaza beside their World War I comrade.
[16]
The Unknown of Vietnam
The designation of the Vietnam Unknown has proven to be difficult. With improvements in
DNA testing
it is possible, though unlikely, that the recovered remains for every
unknown soldier killed in the Vietnam War will be identified.
The Vietnam Unknown service member 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.
The Vietnam Unknown was transported aboard
USS Brewton to
Alameda Naval Base, California. The remains were then sent to
Travis Air Force Base, California, May 24. The Vietnam Unknown arrived at
Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, the next day.
The Tomb guards stood at death watch for the entire day as thousands of people braved the dreary weather to pay their respects.
The presidential wreath was brought forward toward President Reagan
during the interment ceremony for the Unknown Serviceman of the Vietnam
Era at the Tomb of the Unknowns on May 28, 1984.
Many Vietnam veterans and President
Ronald Reagan and Mrs.
Nancy Reagan visited the Vietnam Unknown in the
U.S. Capitol.
An Army caisson carried the Vietnam Unknown from the Capitol to the
Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day,
May 28, 1984.
President Reagan presided over the funeral, and presented the Medal
of Honor to the Vietnam Unknown, and also acted as next of kin by
accepting the interment flag at the end of the ceremony. The interment
flags of all Unknowns at the Tomb of the Unknowns are on view in the
Memorial Display Room.
Identification of the Unknown
In 1994, Ted Sampley, a
POW/MIA activist, determined that the remains of the Vietnam Unknown were likely those of Air Force 1st Lt.
Michael Joseph Blassie, who was shot down near
An Loc,
Vietnam, in 1972. Sampley published an article in his newsletter and
contacted Blassie's family, who attempted to pursue the case with the
Air Force's casualty office without result. In January 1998 CBS News
broadcast a report based on Sampley's investigation which brought
political pressure to support the identification of the remains.
[17] The body was exhumed on May 14, 1998. Based on
mitochondrial DNA
testing, Department of Defense scientists confirmed the remains were
those of Blassie. The identification was announced on June 30, 1998, and
on July 10, Blassie's remains arrived home to his family in
St. Louis, Missouri; he was re interred at
Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery on July 11.
[18][nb 4]
Redesignation of the crypt
The crypt that once held the remains of the Vietnam Unknown has been
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.
Tomb Guards
Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns in 2011.
It is considered one of the highest honors to serve as a
Sentinel
at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Fewer than 20 percent of all volunteers
are accepted for training and of those only a fraction pass training to
become full-fledged Tomb Guards. This attrition rate has made the
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Guard Identification Badge the second least-awarded decoration of the United States Military (the first being the Army
Astronaut Badge).
[19]
The soldier "walking the mat" does not wear rank insignia, so as not
to outrank the Unknowns, whatever their ranks may have been.
Non-commissioned officers (usually the Relief Commander and Assistant
Relief Commanders), do wear insignia of their rank when changing the
guard only. They have a separate uniform (without rank) that is worn
when they actually guard the Unknowns or are "Posted".
The duties of the sentinels are not purely ceremonial. The sentinels
will confront people who cross the barriers at the tomb, or are
disrespectful or loud.
[20][21][22]
Weapons
Over the years there have been several different types of weapons
used by the Tomb Guards. The changes in weapons reflect the changes in
the Army, including
M1903 Springfield rifle,
M1 Garand and
M14 rifles,
M1911 .45 ACP and
M9 9mm Beretta
pistols. Tomb Guards currently carry M14 rifles, which are unloaded and
affixed to ceremonial rifle stocks (hand-made by Tomb Guards). These
rifles are cleaned daily and kept ready for use at all times.
[23]
Walking the Mat
There is a meticulous routine which the guard follows when watching over the graves:
[24]
- The soldier walks 21 steps across the Tomb. This alludes to the twenty-one gun salute,[25]
which is the highest honor given to any military or foreign dignitary
in America. His weapon is always on the shoulder opposite the Tomb
(i.e., on the side of the gallery watching the ritual).
- On the 21st step, the soldier turns and faces the Tomb for 21 seconds.
- The soldier then turns to face the other way across the Tomb and changes his weapon to the outside shoulder.
- After 21 seconds, the first step is repeated.
This is repeated until the soldier is relieved of duty at the
Changing of the Guard.
The mat is usually replaced twice per year: before Memorial Day and before
Veterans Day.
This is required because of the wear on the rubber mat by the special
shoes worn by Tomb Guards. The sentinels have metal plates built into
the soles and inner parts of their shoes to allow for a more rugged sole
and to give the signature click of the heel during maneuvers. The
sentinels wear sunglasses because of the bright reflection from the
marble surrounding the Tomb and the Memorial Amphitheater.
On the ground not covered by the mat, a wear pattern in the tile can
be seen that corresponds to the precise steps taken during the changing
of the guard. On the mat itself, footprints worn in by standing guard
are also visible.
Changing of the Guard
Changing of the Guard
at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Assistant Relief Commander at left, Guard
passing orders in center, and Guard receiving orders at right. The tomb
is behind the Assistant Relief Commander.
A Tomb Guard in full uniform in August 2006
During the day in summer months from April 1 to September 30, the
guard is changed every half hour. During the winter months, from October
1 to March 31, the guard is changed every hour. After the cemetery
closes to the public (7 p.m. to 8 a.m. April through September, and 5
p.m. to 8 a.m. October through March), the guard is changed every 2
hours. The ceremony can be witnessed by the public whenever
Arlington National Cemetery is open.
[26][27]
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."
Dedication
A civilian guard was first posted at the Tomb on November 17, 1925 to
prevent, among other things, families from picnicking on the flat
marble slab with views of the city. A military guard was first posted on
March 25, 1926. The first 24-hour guard was posted on midnight, July 2,
1937. The Tomb of the Unknowns has been guarded continuously, 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week, since that time
[28] . Inclement weather,
[29] [30] terrorist attacks,
[31] et cetera, do not cause the watch to cease.
[32]
The Tomb Guards, a special platoon within the
3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment
(The Old Guard) work on a team rotation of 24 hours on, 24 hours off,
for five days, taking the following four days off. A guard takes an
average of six hours to prepare his uniform – heavy wool, regardless of
the time of year – for the next day's work. In addition to preparing the
uniform, guards also conduct physical training, Tomb Guard training,
participate in field exercises, cut their hair before the next work day,
and at times are involved in regimental functions as well. Tomb Guards
are required to memorize 16 pages of information about Arlington
National Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, including the
locations of nearly 300 graves and who is buried in each one.
[33]
A special Army decoration, the
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Guard Identification Badge
is authorized for wear after passing a detailed test of 100 questions
(from a pool of more than 300), a uniform test with two gigs (errors) or
fewer (measured to the 1/64"), and a test on the guard changing
sequence. After serving honorably for a period of nine months, and
having passed the sequence of tests, a Tomb Guard is permanently awarded
the Badge. Since the first award on February 7, 1958, fewer than 600
soldiers have completed training and been awarded this Badge, including
three women. A small number of Tomb Guard Identification Badges have
also been retroactively awarded to soldiers who served as Guards before
1959. Those numbers make the Badge the second rarest award currently
issued in the United States Army; only the
Army Astronaut Badge is rarer.
[nb 5]
The badge was designed in 1956 and first issued to members of the
Honor Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns on February 7, 1958. The badge
was first issued only as a temporary wear item, meaning the soldiers
could only wear the badge during their tenure as members of the Honor
Guard. Upon leaving the duty, the badge was returned and reissued to
incoming soldiers. In 1963, a regulation was enacted that allowed the
badge to be worn as a permanent part of the military uniform, even after
the soldier's completion of duty at the Tomb of the Unknowns.
Damage and repair to the Tomb Monument
The crack can be seen underneath the words "An American" and above the word "Soldier."
President
George W. Bush lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Memorial Day.
Cracking and erosion are causing concerns for the long-term
preservation of the Tomb Monument. A November 1963 report first recorded
horizontal cracking of the monument's marble die block. Though this was
the first time that the damage was documented, the report made it clear
that the cracks had become visible some time before that date.
[34]
In 1963–1964, there were two cracks—referred to as "primary" and
"secondary"—extending approximately 34 feet around the die block. By
1974, they had extended to 40 feet. They grew another 4.6 feet over the
next 15 years. Inspection has determined that the cracks have increased
horizontally since 1990. Analysis also indicates that the cracks are not
surficial but extend partially through the block and will eventually
extend all the way through.
[34]
The 1990 report documented deterioration of the marble's surface. As
much as 2.85 mm of the marble surface has been lost through weathering.
The study projected that before 2010, the Tomb Monument will have been
eroded enough to have a negative effect on the experience of the
visitors and concludes the only solutions are to enclose or replace the
monument.
[34]
Several options have been considered to deal with the damage.
Officials at Arlington National Cemetery determined that proper repair
can return the Tomb Monument to an acceptable appearance. However,
because the cracks will continue to lengthen and widen, continuous
grouting, regrouting, touch-up, monitoring, and maintenance would be
required. Therefore, a report commissioned by Arlington National
Cemetery and published in June 2006 confirmed the Cemetery's conclusion
that "replacement of the three pieces of the Tomb Monument is the
preferred alternative". A final decision was scheduled to be made on
September 30, 2007.
[34]
The
National Trust for Historic Preservation
objects to the plan to replace the authentic Tomb Monument. The Trust
expressed concern that Arlington National Cemetery seeks to replace the
existing monument with marble from the original quarry, which experts
agree is likely eventually to crack.
[35]
The Trust has observed that the Cemetery’s own 1990 report
recommended that the monument be repaired and that the Cemetery, in
fact, commissioned Oehrlein Architects to repair the stone. In 2007,
Mary Oehrlein informed Congressional staff members that: "The existing
monument can easily be repaired, as was done 17 years ago, using
conventional conservation methods to re-grout the cracks. Once repaired,
the fault lines would be virtually invisible from the public viewing
areas."
[36][37]
On September 26, 2007, U.S. Senator
Daniel Akaka announced that an amendment crafted together with Senator
Jim Webb will be added to the
National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 2008 (H.R. 1585) that would require a report on the
plans of the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
to replace the monument at the Tomb of the Unknowns. The secretaries
would be required to advise Congress on the current efforts to maintain
and preserve the monument. Additionally, they would have to provide an
assessment on the feasibility and advisability of repairing rather than
replacing the Tomb Monument. Finally, if the secretaries choose
replacement, they would have to report those plans and detail how they
intend to dispose of the current monument. Once the report is provided,
the secretaries are prevented from taking action to replace the monument
for at least 180 days. The Akaka-Webb amendment was included in the
bill by unanimous consent of the Senate.
[38]
An amendment to the Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Authorization Bill
authorized a review of the monument's condition. The bill also
authorized repair, but not replacement, of the monument.
[39] Final passage of the
National Defense Authorization Act for 2008 (H.R. 4986) was signed by President Bush on January 28, 2008.
October 21, 2011: Completed repair of the cracks in the Tomb.
In 2003, retired
Glenwood Springs, Colorado,
car dealer John Haines donated a large slab of marble to the Arlington
National Cemetery to replace the existing marble. Haines paid $31,000
for the marble slab.
[40]
The block though was not removed from the quarry because imperfections
were found and was rejected. The heart of the block was used for a
statue of President George H.W. Bush.
[41]
In 2005, a flawless replacement was quarried and brought down to the
area where quarried blocks are kept awaiting transport to the customer.
However, the marble has sat unused. "It's not doable. A citizen can't
just give us any piece of marble and say, 'This is what we'll use to
replace the tomb'", said Thurman Higginbotham, deputy superintendent of
Arlington.
[40] Haines's marble was cut from the same
Yule Quarry
where the original gold-veined marble for the Tomb of the Unknowns was
mined nearly 80 years ago. The tomb replacement piece was cut after a
nearly five-year search for an unflawed piece that would look like the
original.
[40]
Arlington officials estimate the cost of replacing the tomb's marble at
$2.2 million: $80,000 of that for seeking bids, $90,000 for buying and
transporting the marble and the remainder for sculpting. Haines's
donated marble includes free shipping that he arranged himself.
[40]
In June 2009 Arlington National Cemetery and
The Army Corps of Engineers announced that the monument was to be repaired, not replaced.
[42] In 2010, the cracks were filled but the repairs lasted only a few months.
[43]
As of June 2011, the cemetery was struggling to repair the cracks in
the monument, one of which measured 28.4 feet long, with another at 16.2
feet.
[44] In September 2011, the cracks were filled again
[43] and an October 21, 2011, inspection by the Army Corps of Engineers and other experts pronounced the repairs a success.
[45]
Changing of the guard sequences
Sequence 1
Sequence 2
See also
