The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier sits on a quiet rise at Arlington National Cemetery, watched by a single sentinel every minute of every day since July 2, 1937. It is one of the most sacred pieces of ground in America, and most people who visit do not know the full story of why it matters.
★ The Tomb at a Glance
| Location | Section 48, Arlington National Cemetery, VA |
| Dedicated | November 11, 1921 (first burial) |
| Sarcophagus completed | April 9, 1932 |
| 24/7 guard began | July 2, 1937 |
| Guarded by | 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) |
| Inscription | "Here Rests In Honored Glory An American Soldier Known But To God" |
| Visit cost | Free, year round |
What the Tomb Is and Why It Exists
After World War I ended, the dead came home in pieces. Tens of thousands of American servicemembers had been killed in France, and hundreds of them could not be identified. There were no dog tags left, no recognizable uniforms, no families to claim the remains. The bodies were real, the names were lost.
Britain and France had already buried unknown soldiers from the war as a way of honoring every soldier whose name had been erased by combat. America followed in 1921. The idea was simple. One unidentified American servicemember would be buried at Arlington, and that grave would stand in for every soldier who never made it home with a name.
That first unknown was chosen at random by Sergeant Edward F. Younger from four sets of remains in Châlons-sur-Marne, France. He laid a spray of white roses on the casket he picked. The body was shipped home aboard the USS Olympia, escorted to the Capitol where it lay in state, then buried at Arlington on Armistice Day, November 11, 1921. President Warren G. Harding led the ceremony. The crowd reportedly stretched for miles.
The marble sarcophagus you see today was not finished until 1932. The slab was carved from Yule marble quarried in Colorado, designed by architect Lorimer Rich, and sculpted by Thomas Hudson Jones. Three figures on the east-facing side represent Peace, Valor, and Victory. Six wreaths along the sides mark six major engagements of World War I.
Who Is Buried There
Most visitors think of the Tomb as a single grave. It is actually a complex of crypts. Four servicemembers have been honored there. One was identified and removed.
| 1 | World War I (interred 1921) An unidentified American servicemember from the Western Front. Chosen by Sgt. Edward Younger in France. Buried under the main sarcophagus. |
| 2 | World War II (interred 1958) An unknown selected from remains repatriated from the European and Pacific theaters. Buried in a flat marble crypt west of the main slab. |
| 3 | Korean War (interred 1958) An unidentified Korean War servicemember, selected the same year as the WWII unknown. President Eisenhower presented the Medal of Honor to both. |
| 4 | Vietnam War (interred 1984, removed 1998) In 1998, DNA testing identified the Vietnam unknown as Air Force 1st Lt. Michael J. Blassie, shot down near An Lộc in 1972. His remains were returned to his family in St. Louis. The crypt was sealed and now bears the inscription "Honoring and Keeping Faith with America's Missing Servicemen." |
That last point matters. As DNA technology improved, the military made a quiet promise. They would no longer create new unknowns if science could give a name back to a family. The Vietnam crypt stays empty on purpose. It speaks for the missing servicemembers from every conflict who have not yet been identified.
The 24/7 Guard and Why It Never Stops
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1937 The year the U.S. Army began guarding the Tomb every minute of every day. Not one minute since has been missed. |
For the first sixteen years after the 1921 burial, the Tomb was watched only during cemetery hours. People had been climbing on the sarcophagus and using the area for picnics. The Army responded by posting civilian watchmen, then cavalry guards, and finally a permanent 24-hour military post on July 2, 1937.
That guard has not stopped. Not for hurricanes. Not for blizzards. Not for the September 11 attacks across the Potomac. When Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012, sentinels were given permission to take cover. They refused and walked the mat anyway. When Hurricane Isabel hit in 2003, same answer. The honor of the post is the point. You do not abandon it because the weather is bad.
The duty was handed to the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also called The Old Guard, on April 6, 1948. The Old Guard is the oldest active-duty infantry unit in the Army, dating back to 1784. Tomb sentinels are a hand-picked subset of that regiment. The selection process is brutal. The standards stay brutal long after the badge is awarded.
The Sentinels of the Tomb
The Tomb Guard Identification Badge is one of the rarest military badges in the United States. Fewer than 700 soldiers have earned it in the entire history of the post. It can also be revoked, even decades later, for any conduct that brings dishonor to the Tomb. That has actually happened.
To even be considered, a soldier has to be at least 5 feet 10 inches tall, have an unblemished military record, and pass an interview that washes most candidates out before they put on the uniform. Once selected, they spend months in training before they walk the mat alone.
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The 21 Steps and the Ritual on the Mat
If you watch a sentinel walk the mat, you will count 21 steps in each direction. The number is not random. It is a direct reference to the 21-gun salute, the highest military honor an American servicemember can receive. The ritual carries that honor every minute the post is manned.
| 1 | Walk 21 steps south on the rubber mat. The mat exists to spare the marble plaza from wear. The sentinel paces it in measured strides. |
| 2 | Turn east toward the Tomb. Pause for 21 seconds. The 21-second hold is another nod to the 21-gun salute. The sentinel faces the unknown directly. |
| 3 | Turn north and pause another 21 seconds. The rifle is shifted to the outboard shoulder. That detail matters and has its own meaning. |
| 4 | Walk 21 steps north. The cycle repeats until relief arrives. Half-hour tours in summer, hour tours in cool months, two-hour tours at night when the cemetery is closed. |
| 5 | The rifle stays on the shoulder away from the Tomb. Symbolically, the sentinel stands between any possible threat and the unknown. The weapon is positioned to face the threat, never the soldier under guard. |
The Changing of the Guard
The handover is the part most visitors come to see, and it earns every second of the wait. The relief commander walks onto the plaza, salutes the Tomb, and conducts a full white-glove inspection of the relief sentinel's M14 rifle. Every motion is precise. The crowd is asked to stand silent.
Schedule for the public ceremony:
- April 1 through September 30: every 30 minutes
- October 1 through March 31: every hour
- When the cemetery is closed at night: every two hours
The night tours are not open to visitors. The post is still walked. There is no audience and there does not need to be. That is the point of the duty. It is for the unknown, not the camera.
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How to Visit and Pay Your Respects
Arlington National Cemetery is open every day of the year, including federal holidays. Admission is free. The Tomb is in Section 48, near the Memorial Amphitheater, about a 15-minute walk uphill from the Welcome Center. There is no parking near the Tomb itself. You park at the Welcome Center and walk.
Civilian groups can request to lay a wreath at the Tomb. The application is handled by the Old Guard's wreath coordinator and books out months in advance, especially around Memorial Day weekend, Veterans Day, and Wreaths Across America in December. If your unit, school, or veterans' organization wants to participate, start the request early.
Common Myths and Mistakes
MISTAKE 01
Thinking the guard has been broken at some point.
It has not. Since July 2, 1937, the Tomb has been guarded continuously. Hurricanes, snowstorms, lightning, terror attacks. The post has held through all of it.
MISTAKE 02
Calling it the Tomb of the Unknowns.
The official name is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, singular. The plural form gets used a lot, and Arlington itself uses both, but the legal monument name is the singular one.
MISTAKE 03
Believing the sentinel cannot blink or move.
They can blink. They can breathe. They can sweat. What they will not do is break form, talk to the public on the mat, or react to noise. That is discipline, not stone.
MISTAKE 04
Thinking the Vietnam crypt is empty by mistake.
It is empty on purpose. Lt. Michael Blassie was identified through DNA in 1998 and returned to his family. The crypt now stands open as a tribute to the missing servicemembers from every war whose names have not yet been restored.
MISTAKE 05
Showing up in flip-flops and acting like it's a tourist stop.
It is not Disneyland. Dress with respect. Speak quietly. Stand still during the ceremony. You are at a grave site, surrounded by 400,000 more.
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More Patriotic Reading
If this story moved you, our blog has plenty more on the rituals and traditions that hold the country together. Read about the history of Taps, the bugle call played at every military funeral. Walk through the 13 folds of the American flag and what each one means. Get ready for Memorial Day 2026, or learn the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day. If you want the full rulebook, our complete U.S. Flag Code guide has every rule that governs how Americans treat the flag.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are there 21 steps in the sentinel's walk?
The number 21 is a direct reference to the 21-gun salute, the highest military honor in the United States. The sentinel paces 21 steps in each direction and pauses 21 seconds at each turn to deliver that honor with every shift, every hour, every day.
Has the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier ever been left unguarded?
Not since July 2, 1937. The post has been walked every minute of every day for more than 88 years. Sentinels have refused permission to leave during hurricanes and refused shelter during severe storms. The duty does not pause.
Who is buried at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier?
Three unidentified American servicemembers are interred there. One from World War I (1921), one from World War II (1958), and one from the Korean War (1958). A Vietnam unknown was buried in 1984 and removed in 1998 after being identified through DNA as Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Blassie. His crypt remains empty as a tribute to all missing servicemembers.
Why does the sentinel switch the rifle to the other shoulder?
The rifle is always carried on the shoulder away from the Tomb. Symbolically, the sentinel stands between any threat and the unknown soldier. The weapon faces outward, ready to defend the grave it guards.
Who guards the Tomb?
The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, has held the post since April 6, 1948. They are the oldest active-duty infantry regiment in the U.S. Army, dating back to 1784. Tomb sentinels are hand-picked from within that regiment and trained for months before they walk the mat.
Can civilians lay a wreath at the Tomb?
Yes. Civilian groups, schools, scouts, and veterans' organizations can request a public wreath-laying through the Arlington National Cemetery wreath coordinator. The schedule books out months in advance, especially around Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and the December Wreaths Across America event.
How rare is the Tomb Guard Identification Badge?
Fewer than 700 soldiers have ever been awarded the badge in the entire history of the post. It is one of the rarest military badges in the United States and can be revoked even years after it is earned for any conduct that brings dishonor to the Tomb.
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Honor the Unknown. Fly the Flag. Every flag we sell is built to fly for the men and women who never came home with a name. |
