Honoring the Fallen

Memorial Day is celebrated on the last Monday in May. This day honors those who have lost their lives serving our country.

There are more than 100 special military cemeteries in this country and around the world. One of the best known is Arlington

National Cemetery, where more than 400,000 service members and their family members are buried. Service members from every American war, including Iraq and Afghanistan, are buried there.

As we celebrate Memorial Day, let’s learn about one of the most solemn areas of Arlington, the Tomb of the Unknowns.

Representing all

The Tomb of the Unknowns, or the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, is a tribute to many Americans who lost their lives for our freedom. Three unidentified servicemen, one each from World War I, World War II and the Korean War are buried there. They represent each service member who lost his or her life.

There is also a tomb for a service member from the Vietnam War, but that airman’s remains were identified and removed from the tomb. The Vietnam tomb is to remain empty.

The tomb sits high up on a hill, overlooking Washington, D.C.

A special ceremony

The Changing of the Guard ceremony happens each hour from Oct. 1 through

March 31 and each half-hour from April 1 through Sept. 30. Visitors enjoy watching the serious and complicated ceremony.

The sentinels

Sentinels must complete extensive training. During a watch, a guard takes 21 steps as he or she walks back and forth on a mat in front of the tomb. He stops at each end of the mat, turns to face east for

21 seconds, then north for 21 seconds, then returns to the other end of the mat.

The 21 steps and seconds stand for the 21-gun salute, the highest U.S. salute.

U.S. Army photo by Elizabeth Fraser / Arlington National Cemetery Mini Fact: An inscription on the tomb reads, “Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God.”

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has been guarded nonstop by soldiers of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) since 1948. The guards, also called sentinels, stay at their post, no matter the temperature or weather, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Photo courtesy U.S. Army