Soldiers were first placed at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in 1926. Their primary responsibility was to prevent people from climbing or stepping on the Tomb. Beginning in 1937, guards were stationed there 24 hours a day. Since 1948, soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, called “The Old Guard,” have protected the Tomb. The soldiers are replaced in an elaborate changing-of-the-guard ceremony that occurs every hour or half hour, depending on the day.
Has the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the U.S. ever been left unguarded?
How many bodies are in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the U.S.?
There are three bodies in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the U.S.: unidentified soldiers from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. There is no soldier from the Vietnam War. DNA testing revealed that the Vietnam unknown was First Lt. Michael J. Blassie. His remains were removed, and his empty grave was repurposed as a memorial to “Missing Servicemen, 1958–1975.”
