This was my first time visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and was enamored at the unmistakable Patriotism shared among strangers I stood shoulder to shoulder with. Onlookers positioned themselves in absolute silence with noticeable, high regard for the ceremony taking place in front of us. This young man in the rain never flinches or missteps; I was thoroughly impressed.
In order to become a guard of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, it requires rigorous physical and mental preparation. One must meet the following requirements:
- Be a member of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), the oldest active-duty infantry unit in the Army.
- Be between 5’10” and 6’4″ tall, with a physically fit appearance.
- Have a strong military bearing and soldierly appearance.
- Possess a high level of motivation and discipline.
- Complete a rigorous training program, including memorization of a 17-page packet on the history of the Tomb and Arlington National Cemetery, and pass a series of tests.
- Maintain a clean military record.
- Commit to a 24-month tour of duty.
- Adhere to strict rules and regulations, such as not drinking alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives and not swearing in public.
- Be willing to live in a barracks under the tomb and spend five hours a day preparing their uniform.
Guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery change every 30 minutes during the summer (April 1 to September 30) and every hour during the winter (October 1 to March 31). During the hours the cemetery is closed, the guard is changed every 2 hours. The Tomb is guarded, and has been guarded, every minute of every day since 1937.
After World War II, the idea of interring and honoring an Unknown gained support among some Americans. However, the Korean War in 1950 put a hold on these plans. In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower approved the selection and internment of Unknowns from both World War II and Korea.
World War II posed a challenge for the selection of an Unknown, as it was fought on four continents. The chosen Unknown needed to represent all unidentified American dead, not just those from one theater of the war. In 1958, the Army exhumed 13 bodies from military cemeteries across North Africa and Europe and brought them to the Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial in France. On May 12, 1958, Major General Edward J. O’Neill placed a red and white wreath on one of the 13 caskets, selecting the Unknown who would represent the Trans-Atlantic (Europe and North Africa) Theater of World War II. The selected casket was then taken aboard USS Blandy for its journey to the United States.
To represent the Pacific Theater of World War II, the Army exhumed five bodies from Fort McKinley American Cemetery in the Philippines (now called Manila American Cemetery) and the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (“The Punch Bowl”) in Hawaii. At the same time, they exhumed four bodies from the Korean War that were also buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. All nine caskets were brought to Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. On May 15, 1958, Army Master Sergeant Ned Lyle selected the Korean War Unknown. The next day, Air Force Colonel Glenn T. Eagleston selected the World War II Trans-Pacific Unknown. Both caskets were flown to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, before being loaded aboard the USS Boston.
The USS Blandy and USS Boston met the USS Canberra off the coast of Virginia. On May 26, 1958, all three caskets were placed on the deck of the Canberra, with the Korean War Unknown placed between the two World War II Unknowns. Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class William R. Charette, a Medal of Honor recipient from the Korean War, then selected the World War II Unknown. The caskets of the World War II and Korean War Unknowns were then transported to Washington, D.C. aboard the USS Blandy, while the remaining World War II Unknown received a solemn burial at sea.
Both Unknowns arrived in Washington, D.C. on May 28, 1958 and lay in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda for two days. Two days later, the Unknowns were transported to Arlington National Cemetery and interred in crypts to the west of the World War I Unknown.
