Hermann Hearsay: Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Published by Dick Schaefer, Award-winning, Unpaid, Part-time Contributing Writer; Amateur Investigative Reporter; and Aspiring Photo-Journalist

Date: 11/11/2010
Post: 1,055

Today is a day to remember and honor our military veterans. I found an article and a YouTube video clip on the internet, and I felt they would be of interest to our subscribers on this day of remembrance.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Important to Remember
Modified: Thursday, Nov. 11th, 2010
By: Joe Myers

Veterans Day is an annual United States holiday honoring veterans. A federal holiday, it is observed on Nov. 11. It is also celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world and is the anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended World War I. Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.

Memorial Day is another federal holiday observed on the last Monday in May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. soldiers who died while in the military service.

Over the years, more public interest has been shown the above holidays, while less to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Since April 6, 1948, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has been guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year regardless of weather. Millions of Americans annually visit the black mat on the west face of the tomb. It is a time-honored ritual, executed with great precision, and filled with American pride.

The sentinel marches 21 steps across the black mat, past the final resting places of unknown soldiers of World War I, World War II, Korea and the crypt of the Unknown Soldier of Vietnam. With a crisp turn, the sentinel turns 90 degrees to face the east for 21 seconds. The sentinel then turns a sharp 90 degrees again to face north for 21 seconds. A crisp “shoulder arms” movement places the rifle on the shoulder nearest the visitors to signify that the sentinel stands between the tomb and any threat. The practiced cadence is timed so that the sentinel paces at a rate of 90 steps each minute.

Appropriately, the men who march 21 steps south, turn and walk 21 steps north, then repeat the process minute-by-minute for up to an hour at a time day or night, are the very best of the Army’s best. Whether under a blazing sun, unsheltered from driving rains or freezing snow, they perform their duty with great precision and military bearing. Each of them is a volunteer, eligible to apply for duty as a sentinel only after they have already been ceremonially qualified.

Each soldier is physically fit for the demanding responsibility and between 5 feet, 10 inches and 6 feet, 4 inches tall with proportionate weight and build. It may take months for soldiers to earn the right to test, to wear the coveted silver Tomb Guard Identification badge, and even then, the award is temporary.

Only after the sentinel has served nine months does the award become permanent. One of the Army’s rarest emblems, it features the inverted laurel and replica of the east face of the tomb where Greek images represent the virtues of victory, valor and peace. Sentinels are members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) Fort Myer, Virginia.

*****

Joe Myers is a Watsonville, CA resident who fought in the Pacific Theatre of World War II, earning a Purple Heart for his service.