TOI PRESIDENT / Barbara Weyrick
Traveling Illinois with Township Officials
Some facts about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier …
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n this Fourth of July season, and with Memorial Day just passed, our thoughts go to the many men and women now fighting for our freedoms, and to those who have given up their lives for our country in major wars and other conflicts. Please remember we are still gathering names of all our township officials, both former and current, who are veterans, for our gala tribute at this year’s Annual Educational Conference in November. If you haven’t already submitted your name, please use the form at the end of this article so that you will be included. Here is some interesting trivia about the Tomb of the Unknowns from the Web site www.tombguard.org, the Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: 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 21-gun salute, which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary. 2. Why are his gloves wet? His gloves are moistened to improve his grip on the rifle. 3. How often are the guards changed? The Guard is changed every 30 minutes during the summer (April 1–Sept. 30) and every hour during the winter (Oct. 1–March 31). 8
During the hours the cemetery is closed, the guard is changed every two hours. The Tomb is guarded and has been guarded every minute of every day since 1937. 4. Is it true they must commit two 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? No, this is a false rumor. The average tour at the Tomb is about a year. There is no set time for service there. The sentinels live either in a barracks on Ft. Myer (the Army post located adjacent to the cemetery) or off base if they like. They do have living quarters under the steps of the amphitheater where they may stay during their 24-hour shifts, but when they are July-August 2006 •
off, they are off. And if they are of legal age, they may drink anything they like, except while on duty. 5. Is it true they cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives? Again, another false rumor. 6. How many sentinels have been female? There have been three female sentinels and one female platoon leader. 7. What is it like to guard in bad weather? The guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier are completely dedicated to their duty of guarding the Tomb. Because of that dedication, the weather does not bother them. In fact, they consider it an honor to stand their watch (“walkTo w n s h i p P e r s p e c t i v e
ing the mat”), regardless of weather. It gets cold, it gets hot—but the sentinels never budge. And they never allow any feeling of cold or heat to be seen by anyone. 8. Has anyone ever tried to get past the guards or attempted to deface the Tomb?
Yes, that is a reason why sentinels now guard the Tomb. Back in the early 1920s, there were no guards. People came to the cemetery in those days for picnics, during which time some would actually use the Tomb as a picnic area, probably because of the view. Soon after, 1925, they posted a civilian
guard. In 1926, a military guard was posted during cemetery hours, and on July 1, 1937, this was expanded to the 24-hour watch. Today, most of the challenges faced by sentinels are tourists who want to get a better picture or uncontrolled children.
Name of Veteran: ________________________________________________________ Township Office Held: ____________________________________________________ Branch/Years of Service: __________________________________________________ County: ________________________________________________________________ Township: ______________________________________________________________
Clip and return to TOI, 408 S. 5th St., Springfield, IL 62701; fax 217-744-7419; or email to erin@toi.org
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July-August 2006
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