Posted on 05/25/2013 10:25:11 AM PDT by shove_it
Among the most revered posts in the army is that of the soldiers who guard the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. Just a handful of soldiers have earned the honor of keeping vigil, and it’s a watch that has remained unbroken since 1926. TODAY’s Erica Hill reports.
When I was in the Honor Guard I was 2 inches too short to be a Tomb Guard.....thank God.
I had all the spit and polish I could handle in the Firing Party Platoon of Honor Guard Co. Are you going to the TOGA reunion this year? It’s going to be special as it’s been 50 years since JFK’s funeral?
The only reunion I attend is a war reunion with the Marine Corps. I was in Charlie Co. in The Old Guard for 3.5 years under Ford and Carter.
JFK drafted me when the commies built that wall around E. Berlin. I served in TOG 1962-63 during the Cuban missile crisis and MLK’s Freedom March. My ETS was 2 months before JFK’s Funeral. I was glad I missed it back then but soon grew sorry after watching that iconic event on TV that I missed being a part of. Those guys made a very difficult ceremony look easy to the millions of civilians watching it on TV.
My uncle was a Continental Army Guard, he did watches over the tomb.
They looked great. We trained for Omar Bradley in case he died. I missed that one. I was there when Carter was sworn in. Man, it was cold.
I was shocked to learn that a young woman who lives across from me never heard of Arlington or the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. She didn’t even know what a National Cemetery is, you know, the ones with the white marble headstones? Nope.
Sort of off-topic, but this morning - in honor of the looming Memorial Day - I broke out my copy of “Taking Chance” and gave it a watch.......still a tear jerker.
Those are insignificant details which have been displaced in our school curricula by more important matters such as proper installation of a condom and the joy of islam.
Are those rifles loaded in the event the unpeaceful muzzies decide to desecrate the tomb?
Dunno, but at least they have fixed bayonets. (It would be neat if they were greased with pig fat to prevent rust (cough). )
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