Talk:Tomb of the Unknowns

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From Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: "Although memorials to unknown soldiers of previous wars (such as the 1866 memorial to the unknown dead of the American Civil War) predate the Westminster Abbey one, it started the current trend."

Should the 1866 memorial not also be included here?

Took in text from http://www.mdw.army.mil/FS-A04.HTM in its entirety. As a work of the U.S. Government, this document is in the public domain, and we can use it to create our GFDL work. -- Anon.

Contents 1 factual accuracy 2 Reverted edits recently 3 Sentinals' uniform care 4 Oisiu-Eisue 5 Tomb Guard close up photo 6 9/11 remains 7 Rank Insigniae 8 The six wreaths 9 sunglasses 10 Recent edits about the uniform

[edit] factual accuracy

Removing the following per the information in this link:

In the fall of 2003, Hurricane Isabel moved through the Washington, DC area. The winds were so strong that trees were knocked down. Although the guards were, for the first time ever, given permission to abandon their post, they refused, and continued to walk the mat despite the storm. --ZekeMacNeil 01:23, 30 Mar 2005 (UTC)

It says here: http://www.tombguard.org/FAQ.html#Do%20you%20guard%20in%20a%20blizzard%20or%20a%20bad%20thunderstorm?

It was erroneously reported that during Hurricane Isabel, the Sentinels were ordered to abandon their posts for shelter and that they refused. *No such order was ever given.* All proper precautions were taken to ensure the safety of the Sentinels while accomplishing their mission. Risk assessments are constantly conducted by the Chain of Command during changing conditions to ensure that soldier welfare is maintained during mission accomplishment.

Article should be updated.

It has been done. Taco325i 19:49, 18 August 2005 (UTC)

Wait a minute, the article said that they were given permission not ordered to leave their posts. The website Taco linked to neither confirmed nor denied the rumor that permission was given. That's the story I'd heard, that they were given permission to leave but chose not to. -- Hurricane Eric - my dropsonde - archive 23:16, 9 November 2005 (UTC)

As a matter of fact, I was informed of this rumor by the Arlington guides on the tour of the site. If it's an official story of the tour, which I would assume would be pre-approved (if not scripted entirely) by government officials, that gives some credibility to the rumor. You are correct - giving permission is not the same thing as issuing an order.

[edit] Reverted edits recently

I have recently reverted a few edits from User:208.201.188.235. The reason that I have changed them back is because the changed made the title Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Which is a completely seperate article due to the fact that other nations aside from the US have such tombs for unknown soldiers. I have however kept some info from on of these edits regarding the duty, which is the last paragraph of the article. -- Malo 16:21, 21 October 2005 (UTC)

I nearly did the same thing, except that you got there first and the edit conflict engine didn't tell me. Also, are you sure about the 'haircut and shaving twice per day' thing? - mholland 16:24, 21 October 2005 (UTC)

I'm not 100% about the shave and haircut, however I have seen these soldiers in person and they are extremely well groomed. I have also seen a documentary on the guard duty of the tomb, and it doesn't seem unreasonable, to me, considering the hours and hours they spend preparing. I'm still searching for verifiable facts, but no links just yet. -- Malo 16:36, 21 October 2005 (UTC)

Well I found one about haircuts here however no word on shaving just yet. -- Malo 16:46, 21 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Sentinals' uniform care

I am wondering about the section about the sentinals maticulous care about their uniform as I have read I had thought that was an urban legend

Some of that email that went around was urban legend, some of it was accurate. The website designed by present and former guards explains which are which. The meticulous care of their uniforms and their appearance is true. The bit about not talking for six months (and you can see that, right? Guy scribbling madly on his little chalkboard to talk to his wife at the dinner table)? Not so true. --ScreaminEagle 16:46, 12 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Oisiu-Eisue

What battle is this? Rmhermen 16:41, 1 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Tomb Guard close up photo

Besides the image I put on the front page, here's a close up that might be useful or not.~ (The Rebel At) ~ 15:33, 10 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] 9/11 remains

I've heard, and until I read this site beleived, that an unknown 9/11 victim had recently been placed in the Tomb. If this is not true, can anyone say how this urban legend got started--Dudeman5685 08:00, 14 September 2006 (UTC)

Well, definitly not true. I have never heard of this urban legend.~ Rorndoff 15:08, 15 September 2006 (UTC)

This might be it: a propsed monument to 9/11 in the national mall was modeled after the Tomb of the Unknowns http://www.nd.edu/~observer/11202002/News/0.html --Dudeman5685 20:04, 15 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Rank Insigniae

The article says:

> The sentinels do not wear rank insignia on their uniforms, so they do not outrank the Unknowns, whatever their rank may have been.

This image shows such a guard, with a SSGT (E-6) insignia on his left sleeve:

.

I don't think sourcing this will help, we'll probably have to just cut it.
--Baylink 20:53, 15 October 2006 (UTC)

The Sergeant is not a sentinal, but the "Assistant Relief Commander", as the caption says. The two sentinals (new and old) holding the rifles, are wearing no chevrons, as are the sentinals in all of the other photos. I have been there, if you go inside the building, you will see a sentinal uniform on display where is tells about the the sentinal's uniform and explains about the absence of rank insignia. --rogerd 00:35, 17 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] The six wreaths

I removed the following:

Chateau-Thierry, the Ardennes, Oisiu-Eisue, Meuse-Argonne, Belleau Wood, and the Somme

as there's no such battle as "Oisiu-Eisue", but don't want to only list five of the six. Please don't return this sentence until the six battles have been verified and referenced. Dan100 (Talk) 12:35, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

According to my WW I Chronology there has been a battle near the channel from Oise to Aisne (channel as referenced here: Aisne_River ) which was fought during the 1917 Spring Offensive... Must be a veritable missspelling even when going after sound, but it's the closest hit i could find... --84.245.165.242 23:15, 24 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] sunglasses

"The guards are the only ones in the armed services who are issued sunglasses, due to the bright reflection from the marble surrounding the tomb and the ampitheater."

I'm fairly certain Army Rangers are issued Oakley sunglasses. Also if we do decide to keep this it should mention they are the only one issued to the US armed services. --BHC 09:10, 21 January 2007 (UTC)

"Wiley-X Lobo Saber Slate Lens Sunglasses standard issue to US Navy Seals, FBI, Army Rangers, 100% UV protection, 2.5mm ballistic polycarbonate lens, adjustable rubber tipped saber temple, rubber nosepiece. Sunglasses Wiley-X Sunglasses ...." from this site, Oakley sunglasses are "Elite Special Forces Standard Issue" from this site, and this site claims this of the Wiley-X Modular Tactical Goggles:

"SeriesWiley X has been supplying ballistic sunglasses and tactical goggles for our nation’s finest fighting forces for over 17 years. Wiley X worked closely with military and federal law enforcement agencies in designing these ballistic sunglasses & tactical goggles, then Wiley X made changes according to the feed back obtained from these elite forces. Currently Wiley X protective eyewear is standard issue for the Army Rangers, 160th SOAR, 82nd ABN, 101st ABN, Army Special Forces Groups, Navy SEALs, Air Force Special Operation Squadron's, Marine Corp E.O.D., F.B.I. and D.E.A., just to name a few."

I had also heard that they were the only ones officially issued sunglasses, but that may have been just once upon a time. It would certainly seem that is not the case anymore. It can still be stated that they are among the few US forces issued sunglasses, or they are the only non-combat US forces issued sunglasses for their duties, or whathaveyou. --ScreaminEagle 18:54, 22 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Recent edits about the uniform

An unidentified editor (an Army officer supposedly?) took out claims that the uniforms take up to 8 hours to prepare and are of solid wool because his friends told him otherwise, etc. This is not an acceptable reason for altering the text. From the Tomb Sentinels' website: "It takes the average Sentinel 8 hours to prep his/her uniform for the next work day." From the page specifically on uniforms, also from the Society of the Honor Guard's website: "Summer Uniform: The current uniform used by the Guards is the standard issue Army Dress Blue uniform. It is made of 100% wool. The uniform consists of a blouse, trousers, service cap, and white shirt w/ black tie. Winter Uniform: The winter uniform used is also 100% wool and consists of an overcoat, white scarf, trousers, service or cold weather cap, and white shirt w/ black tie." I have replaced the text that was removed. --ScreaminEagle 20:47, 27 February 2007 (UTC)