Column: Tomb of Unknown Soldier

by Woody

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Honoring Unknowns Not Enough

When it comes to the greatest streaks ever, Joe DiMaggio’s 56 consecutive games with a hit in 1941 and Cal Ripken’s “Ironman” run of playing in 2,632 consecutive games come quickly to mind.

For team efforts, the Los Angeles Lakers winning 33 consecutive games during the 1971-72 season and the UCLA Bruins’ 88 victories in row from 1971-1974 stand out.

1-tombBut a far more amazing streak has taken place outside the sports arena. It is a streak that truly matters. A streak of 77 consecutive years. And counting.

Beginning at midnight July 2, 1937, The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery has been guarded continuously, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – 366 days during Leap Years – by Sentinels of the elite Third United States Infantry Regiment “Old Guard.”

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night has stayed them from their appointed duty. When destructive Hurricane Isabel struck in 2003 orders were actually sent to the Sentinels to seek shelter for personal safety, but they disobeyed the command and the streak remained unbroken.

The original Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a white marble sarcophagus unveiled on Nov. 11, 1921 with the remains of a World War I hero. Because three flat white marble graves with the interments of unknown soldiers from World War II, Korea and Vietnam have since been added, it is often now called the Tomb of the Unknowns.

Inscribed on the raised tomb are the words: “Here Rests In Honored Glory An American Soldier Known But To God.” After DNA testing in 1998 identified the “Vietnam Unknown,” its crypt was changed to “Honoring And Keeping Faith With America’s Missing Servicemen.”

Watching the ritual in person is haunting and heartwarming, both. The on-duty Sentinel marches, almost in slow-motion, 21 steps south in front of the Tomb; crisply turns and faces east towards the Tomb for 21 seconds; turns again to face north and executes a sharp “shoulder-arms” movement switching his or her rifle to the outside shoulder away from the tomb; waits another 21 seconds before marching 21 steps back as the process begins anew in the other direction.

The 21 steps and 21-second pauses symbolize the 21-gun salute, which is the highest of military honors.

Every 30 minutes during summer, and every hour in winter, an elaborate  “Changing of the Guard” ceremony takes place. Visitors are asked to stand and remain silent. In truth, at all times there seems to be a hush of reverence by those in attendance.

The pomp and circumstance continues even at nighttime when the cemetery is closed to visitors because in truth it is not performed for show for the spectators, it is all done as a show of honor for all unaccounted American combat soldiers.

The Tomb of the Unknowns came to my mind this Veteran’s Day as flags flew across Ventura County and the nation. The Sentinels’ nonstop dedication to their sacred mission made me wish we would all show our respect and gratitude to veterans 365 days a year instead of largely only on a handful of days including Veterans Day and Memorial Day and anniversaries such as Dec. 7 and Sept. 11.

Furthermore, it seems an added tragedy that we give more attention to deceased warriors at the Tomb of the Unknowns than we give our living soldiers who come home from battle only to often face a new battle trying to get healthcare through the Veterans Affairs Department.

Granted, restructuring is underway under new VA Secretary Robert McDonald, but this is expected to take a year at the least. With an estimated 22 veterans committing suicide daily we should be attacking this problem with the urgency – and funding – as though it were a terrorist attack on American soil.

John Steinbeck writes in “East of Eden”: “I’ll have you know that a soldier is the most holy of all humans because he is the most tested – most tested of all.”

That test should end when his or her active duty ends. It’s time to start a streak of better honoring and keeping the faith with our known soldiers.

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Woody Woodburn writes a weekly column for The Ventura County Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@gmail.com.

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