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Olympia Journey Home Challenge Coin
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Olympia Journey Home Challenge Coin
This challenge coin commemorates the journey home of the WW1 Unknown Soldier aboard the U.S.S. Olympia. The front of the coin features an image of the U.S.S. Olympia powering through rough seas. Both the ship and the waves are rendered in 3D. The two anchors on each side represent the ports of Le Harve, France and the Washington Navy Yard, where the ships journey began and ended. The backside of the coin features the name of the ship's Captain Henry Lake Wyman, and the name of the Captain of the U.S. Marine Corps detachment Graves B. Erskine, assigned to escort the Unknown Soldier home on board the ship, to the United States. The center of the coin features the words of ships Chaplain Lt. Duff given to the crew during a prayer service as a hurricane lashed the ship on its way home. Each coin measures 2'' in diameter and has a shiny gold finish.
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Did you know?
How many Sentinels have been female?
There have been over 680 tomb guards awarded the badge since 1958 when we started counting. There are hundreds more from the year 1926 when the Army started guarding the Tomb. The 3rd US Infantry (The Old Guard) is the unit that has been given the duty of guarding the Tomb. It was given this sacred duty in 1948. The Old Guard was -- and still is -- considered a combat unit. As an Infantry unit, females were not permitted in the ranks for many years. It wasn't until 1994 that females were permitted to volunteer to become a Sentinel when the 289th Military Police Company was attached to the Old Guard. The MP branch is a combat support unit and includes females.
In 1996, SGT Heather Johnsen became the first female to earn the Tomb Guard Identification Badge. She volunteered for duty in June 1995 and earned her badge in 1996. However, SGT Johnson was not the only female Sentinel. Since then, there have been a total of five female Sentinels awarded the Tomb Guard Identification Badge:
SGT Danyell Wilson earned
her badge in 1997
SSG Tonya Bell received hers in 1998
SGT Ruth
Hanks earned her badge in June 2015
SFC Chelsea Porterfield earned her badge in 2021
Several other units have since been attached to the Old Guard -- food
service, transportation, medics, etc. -- so now females have an ever
greater opportunity to become a Sentinel. Females must meet the same
requirements as the male soldiers to be eligible to volunteer at the
Tomb. the only difference is that females have a minimum height of 5'8"
-- which is the same standard to be a member of the Old Guard.
