Posted on 05/29/2006 5:16:15 PM PDT by wjersey
An Army honor guard watches over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier day and night, summer and winter. They never crack.
But the tomb has. Two cracks run about three quarters of the way around it, and they may soon go completely through the massive solid block of marble.
"We cannot as custodians allow this condition to continue without doing something to remedy it," said Thomas Sherlock, the Arlington National Cemetery historian.
Man With Plan vs. Bureaucracy
In Colorado, retired car dealer John Haines had an idea: He'd give the government a 60-ton marble slab from the same Colorado quarry as the original. Haines said he'd even pay for the carving and transportation -- in all, more than $60,000.
"I thought, 'Hey, no-brainer: I can donate that,' " Haines said.
That was five years ago. Haines ran into something as difficult to move as … well, as a 60-ton rock -- Washington bureaucracy. His offer is still being reviewed by at least six different offices.
"I may die before this happens, you never know," he said. "How can it be so difficult to try to give the country that you love and you live in a donation to try to help them improve one of their national memorials?"
Fewer Unknowns
The first unknown soldier -- from World War I -- was laid to rest beneath a flat marble slab in 1921. The big marble marker with the inscription, "Here Rests In Honored Glory An American Soldier Known But to God," was added in 1932.
Now, in front of the original soldier, crypts for unknowns from World War II, Korea and Vietnam were added -- though the Vietnam crypt is now empty, because the "unknown" was identified using DNA in 1998 and returned to his family.
Advances in forensic technology, like DNA analysis, mean there probably will never be another unknown soldier -- an anonymous warrior representing all the others fallen in battle.
Sherlock said that adds to the tomb's significance.
"Because we will not have another unknown," he said, "there will not be a place for people to come to remember the commonality of a war."
Let me guess, It's Bush's fault, right?
I understand that being an Honor Guard for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is one of our countries highest honors.
Never been to Arlington, but I am told that one cannot witness the changing of the guard without choking-up.
Haines is a patriot. It is sad. All so willing to replace the monument with same type marble free of charge. Frigen goons in Washington appear to be real knuckle-draggers on most everything.
Don't you know that if it were ever replaced someone would want the phrase changed.
What would be the issue in replacing it? Other than Architect-of-the-Capitol office.
There's probably some unknown insect on the protected-endangered-extiction wannabe list that would cause dozens of years of mitigation between hundreds of state, local and federal agencies.
"What would be the issue in replacing it? Other than Architect-of-the-Capitol office. "
"Known But to God,"
"Don't you know that if it were ever replaced someone would want the phrase changed."
Stevo is right there would be legal action to block replacing the inscription.
W
A couple of days ago Chris Wallace on FNC had an interview with a sergeant from the group which guards the tomb...it was rebroadcast as the final item on Special Report tonight.
The changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns is one of the most solemn and emotional things you will ever witness.
I saw that both times....and I am still awed by what they do.
4 HOURS everday to shine their shoes??
I know that is a little thing...but, I am very impressed.
Here's an article I posted a couple years ago about the guards.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1277878/posts
They're not knuckle-draggers when it comes to taking your money though.
A sad statement about the state of our country but you are 100% right. That might explain all the foot-dragging.
I went up there a couple of weeks ago. It was very impressive. The Tomb Guards are out there, day and night, in any and all weather, whether or not anyone is watching. And their precise routine never varies. Every American ought to see that and quietly reflect on it, at least once in their lives.
They can take money many times this amount from lobbyists - no question. Shameful!
Gosh...thanks for posting that.
I read it and bookmarked it.
We took the tour bus to Arlington Cemetery and visited Audi Murphy’s resting place. We went to the Lee Mansion before going down the hill to watch the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers! We found a handout that described the regimen that the Guards endured to be selected to perform this honored duty. The guard selectee had to have a clean military record, be 6’0” to 6’4” and have a mind like a stopwatch. They would practice their drill accompanied by a metronome until you couldn’t perceive a timing difference with a stopwatch!
The Changing of the Guard was 10 minutes away so we watched as the guard marched from one end of the red carpet to the other. He would come to parade rest for about 30 seconds. He would perform an about face and then shoulder his rifle in preparation for his march to the other end of the carpet where this routine would repeat. As we watched a young girl, about 2 years old crawled under the rope that cordoned off the marching area. She sat down on the carpet facing the guard. He performed his about face and right shoulder arms and then noticed the intruder. In a deep, metallic, robot sounding voice he declared, “Madam, kindly remove your child from the roped off area!” The child began to cry as Mom retrieved her. Boy! Were we impressed.
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