Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Guards Withstand Hurricane Sandy [Photo]
Military guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier remain at their posts even against the rain and wind of Hurricane Sandy.
As the hurricane storms up the eastern seaboard, guards at the tomb in Arlington, Va., remain dedicated to keeping their ceremonial positions. A photo was posted to the First Army Division East's Facebook page on Monday showing the soldiers still at their post.
The photo was posted with the message: "Soldiers of the 3rd Inf Reg. continue to stand guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, despite the worsening weather conditions surrounding Hurricane Sandy."
The photo depicting three soldiers standing guard at the tomb has gone viral on social media sites since first released. However, the 3rd Infantry Regiment had to clarify on Twitter that the viral image wasn't taken on Monday, but that there will be soldier's posted during the storm. The viral photo is originally credited to photographer K.L. Markert, who took the image on Sept. 18, 2012.
"The Old Guard has guarded the tomb every minute of every day since April 6, 1948," the regiment posted on Facebook on Monday. "Today will be no exception."
The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as "The Old Guard," is the oldest infantry regiment still in active duty in the Army. The regiment also provides other ceremonial services such as escorts for the president and military funerals. They're responsible for maintaining a 24-hour vigil at the Tomb of the Unknown's at Arlington National Cemetery.
Many federal offices and forms of public transportation in Washington, D.C., have closed due to Hurricane Sandy. Visitors were prohibited on Monday to Arlington National Cemetery due to the extreme weather.
