January 10, 2021 – New Year Update and Call to Historians
January 10, 2021 – New Year Update and Call to
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December 26, 2020 - Centennial Tidbit #12 and #13 (TUSAB) Released
Posted December 26, 2020 in CentennialDecember 26, 2020 - Centennial Tidbit #12 and #13 (TUSAB)...
November 20, 2020 – Centennial Tidbit #10 (USS Olympia) & #11 (National Salute from Oregon) Released
Posted November 20, 2020 in CentennialNovember 20, 2020 – Centennial Tidbit #10 (USS Olympia) & #11 (National Salute from Oregon)...
November 12, 2020 – Centennial Tidbit #7 (DAR), #8 (USS Olympia Marines Part 1), #9 (Olympia Marines Part2) Released
Posted November 12, 2020 in CentennialNovember 12, 2020 – Centennial Tidbit #7 (DAR), #8 (USS Olympia Marines Part 1), #9 (Olympia Marines Part2)...
November 11, 2020 – French Embassy send message for Veterans Day
Posted November 11, 2020 in CentennialNovember 11, 2020 – French Embassy sends a message for Veterans Day The French Embassy in Washington DC has helped the Society dive into the history behind the medals presented in October and...
November 5, 2020 – TAPS FOR VETERANS joins the National Salute
Posted November 5, 2020 in CentennialNovember 5, 2020 – TAPS FOR VETERANS joins the National...
November 1, 2020 – Centennial Tidbit #4 (American Rose Garden), #5 (Maryhill Museum), and #6 (St. Paul’s) Released
Posted November 1, 2020 in CentennialNovember 1, 2020 – Centennial Tidbit #4 (American Rose Garden), #5 (Maryhill Museum), and #6 (St. Paul’s)...
October 2020 – Bells of Peace Phone Application
Posted October 27, 2020 in CentennialVeterans Day and the National Salute are just around the corner. The United States Foundation for the Commemoration of the World Wars (formerly the World War I Centennial Commission) partnered with...
October 2020 – National Salute Events
Posted October 22, 2020 in CentennialWe are getting word from all corners of the United States about different National Salute events being created in your communities. With the local and national restrictions of COVID some people are...
Centennial Tidbit #3 Released
Posted October 15, 2020 in CentennialA “spotlight” video interview in our Centennial Tidbit series has been released and we want to thank Jerry Frazier and the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church for taking the time to show us their Never...
John David Gira, Sep 1955 to Sep 1956, Rest in Peace Brother, We Have the Watch
Posted February 9, 2020 in Tomb Guards Never ForgetJohn David Gira, 86, of Harrisonburg, Va., passed away on Tuesday, December 17, 2019 at home in the care of his loving family and an amazing nursing staff. He was born April 15, 1933 in Yonkers, NY...
Gary Broersma, Sep 71 to Feb 73, Rest in Peace Brother, We Have the Watch
Posted February 9, 2020 in Tomb Guards Never ForgetGary Broersma’s Celebration of Life at 600 Seminole Woods Blvd, Geneva, FL 32732-8718, United
The Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Turns 20
Posted November 1, 2019 in Society SpotlightSociety of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier 1999 We formed a Society that provided the infrastructure needed for Tomb Guards, past and present, to continue serving the mission as...
The Sentinel Newsletter Archives
Posted April 20, 2019 in The SentinelLinks are currently done but should be back up shortly ... The Sentinel Newsletter, Volume 19, Issue 1, 2019 The Sentinel Newsletter, Volume 15, Issue 4, 2018 The Sentinel Newsletter, Volume 15,...
Book Review: The Unknowns by Patrick K. O'Donnell
Posted April 14, 2018 in Special ReportI was recently sent an advanced reading copy of The Unknowns by the editor and was also asked to write up a review for the Society website. The Unknowns will be released on May 22, 2018. Advanced...
From the President
Posted July 7, 2017 in Society Spotlightby Gavin McILvenna (1997-98), SHGTUS President It been six months since I became the President, and it’s been even faster paced that I imagined it would be. I set many goals for 2017 back in January...
The Society has lost its champion, I have lost my best friend...
Posted July 7, 2017 in Society Spotlightby Richard Azzaro (1963-65) "With heavy heart, I want to let you know that we lost a good soldier last night. He fought hard to the end.” With these words, a dutiful and loving son announced the...
Paying Our Respects...
Posted July 6, 2017 in Tomb Guards Never ForgetOn January 18, the Society took time to remember Congressman Hamilton Fish III who passed away on this date in 1991. Congressman Fish III was a veteran of World War I (Captain, 369th U.S. Infantry...
And the winners are....
Posted June 30, 2017 in Society SpotlightFrom the Education Committee: One of the many programs that the SHGTUS provides is educational scholarships to benefit Tomb Guards, their families, and individuals sponsored by Tomb Guards. The...
Fifteen years ago today...
Posted September 11, 2016 in StoriesA short note on this 15th anniversary of September 11th. We often get questions about the Tomb Guard and what happened on that day fifteen years ago. I emailed the Sentinel who was posted that day...
The Newest Tomb Guards
Posted April 15, 2016 in StoriesThe two newest Tomb Guard Identification Badges (TGIB) were earned after a lot of hard work. Private First Class Noah McKee earned TGIB #640, and became a SHGTUS Member. Sergeant Kevin Calderon...
Training the Honor Guard
Posted April 13, 2016 in Society Spotlightby Benjamin Bell, (2001-2004) In January, SHGTUS received a request to train the Tampa, Florida based Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) Honor Guard. Back in 2012, several of the officers...
2016 Education Scholarships
Posted January 25, 2016 in Society SpotlightLadies and gentlemen... Did you know that the Society currently offers three scholarships? Through the approval of the Board of Directors, the amount awarded is set at no less than $1000 per...
Welcome to the Newest Tomb Guards
Posted January 18, 2016 in Knowledge CornerThese are the most recent Tomb Guard Identification Badges (TGIB) earned: On November 17th, 2015 Specialist Dakota Wilburn earned TGIB #635 On November 17th, 2015 Private First Class Justin Robinson...
National Moment of Silence
Posted January 14, 2016 in Society SpotlightBy Gavin McIlvenna, Centennial Committee Chairman On November 11th, members of the SHGTUS Centennial Committee facilitated the inaugural National Moment of Silence (NMS) project in five states across...
SHGTUS Recommended Reading List
Posted January 8, 2016 in Society SpotlightThrough recent years, there have been several books written about Arlington National Cemetery. Some of them were “mandatory reading” during training at the Tomb in order to gain more knowledge about...
Busting Historical Myths with Professor Buzzkill
Posted November 6, 2015 in Special ReportWe are excited to announce that Lifetime Member Dennis McMahon (TGIB #320), was recently the interview subject of "Professor Buzzkill". Professor Buzzkill is a blog and podcast that explores history...
We Remember: William "Bill" Spates (TGIB #33)
Posted October 28, 2015 in Tomb Guards Never ForgetWilliam Richard Spates, Jr. was born September 8, 1939, in Washington, DC to a family with a long history of service to the United States. An avid history buff, he enlisted in the United States Army...
Five Years After... we remember SSG Adam Dickmyer
Posted October 28, 2015 in Tomb Guards Never ForgetAdam L. Dickmyer was born on February 2, 1984 in York, Pennsylvania. He attended Mineral Springs Elementary and Middle Schools before graduating from Carver High School in 2002, where he participated...
Remembering SGT Franklin...
Posted October 2, 2015 in Tomb Guards Never ForgetMarvin “Lyle” Franklin Jr. was born on July 15, 1945 in Oklahoma City, where he graduated from Putnam City High School in 1963. He was a member of the Ioway Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, the Putnam...
Bonus Army
Posted July 28, 2015 in Knowledge Corner“The whole scene was pitiful.” July 28 marks the anniversary of the Army’s role in ousting the veterans of World War I from the national capital. The so-called “Bonus Army” was comprised of veterans...
Top of the World Turned Upside Down - A Tomb Guard's Experience at Everest
Posted July 7, 2015 in StoriesThis past April a SHGTUS Founding Father, Larry Seaton (Tomb Guard Identification Badge #106, 1970-71), set out to summit Mount Everest. He was present when a MW 7.8 earthquake struck Nepal. He was...
2015 Educational Scholarships
Posted July 6, 2015 in Society SpotlightOne of the many programs that the Society of the Honor Guard provides is SHGTUS Educational Scholarships to benefit Tomb Guards, their families, and individuals sponsored by Tomb Guards. The...
A Memorial Day poem: "Just A Common Soldier..."
Posted May 25, 2015 in Tomb Guards Never ForgetLarry Vaincourt's classic poem was first published in his 1987 Remembrance Day newspaper column. There are several incorrect versions of this poem circulating the web; below you'll find the original...
National Medal of Honor Day
Posted March 25, 2015 in StoriesOn this National Medal of Honor Day, we would like to share the citations for each Unknown as issued by the War Department and later the Department of Defense. World War I Unknown: By virtue of an...
African-American Tomb Guard recalls journey (guest post)
Posted February 2, 2015 in Knowledge CornerOn the first week of African Amercian History Month, we would like to share this guest post from US Army SSG Megan Garcia. It originally was posted via the Army News Service in 2012. ARLINGTON, Va....
SHGTUS Reunion Highlights - Remarks from Patrick K. Hallinan, Executive Director, Army National Military Cemeteries
Posted January 7, 2015 in Society SpotlightAt our 2014 reunion banquet we were honored to have Patrick K. Hallinan as guest speaker. Mr. Hallinan served as Superintendent, Arlington National Cemetery from October 2010 to July 2013. Here are...
SHGTUS Reunion Highlights - 'Arlington Sons' Performance
Posted October 19, 2014 in Society SpotlightThere were many highlights from this past reunion. Perhaps the most unique was the performance of the musical piece, Arlington Sons, by David and Richard Pittsinger. David is a renowned Broadway star...
Four SHGTUS Members recieve THE ORDER OF SAINT MAURICE
Posted October 16, 2014 in Society SpotlightLast Saturday night at our 2014 banquet, four SHGTUS founding members received The Order of Saint Maurice on behalf of the National Infantry Association. The Order of Saint Maurice has five levels. A...
2014 Freedom Scholarship Recipient: James Wilson
Posted September 24, 2014 in Society SpotlightRecently, we announced the recipients of the 2014 scholarships as selected by our scholarship committee. This year's Freedom Scholarship recipient is James Wilson, brother of Case Wilson (Tomb Guard...
Remembering September 11th
Posted September 11, 2014 in StoriesOne of the most frequent questions we receive from our "ask your own question" section here at tombguard.org is about September 11th, 2001. Here is my perspective. On September 11, 2001 I was...
Thomas Hudson Jones
Posted June 10, 2014 in Knowledge CornerEvery soldier who has guarded the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier since the 1930s knows that Lorimer Rich and Thomas Hudson Jones were the two men chosen as the architect and the sculptor of the Tomb of...
Gold Star Mothers: A Memorial Day Memory
Posted May 26, 2014 in Tomb Guards Never ForgetLucky enough to have been one of the few who guarded the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier I can share a few thoughts about this very special day. My early memories of Memorial Day prior to time spent in...
Memorial Day is Every Day for One Verizon Volunteer (guest post)
Posted May 25, 2014 in Society SpotlightThis is a guest post (repost) from the Verizon News Center corporate blog, written by Peter Casale. The true meaning of Memorial Day goes much deeper than a three-day weekend. It’s a day of...
The Tragedy of Heroism: Charles W. Whittlesey
Posted December 1, 2013 in Knowledge CornerCharles Whittlesey was not one to acknowledge the accolades of others. He was a humble man but remained loyal to those with whom he served. His service in the First World War was the thing of legend...
Remembering 9/11/2001
Posted September 11, 2013 in Special ReportToday is the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. As our nation commemorates this day, the Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier remembers the innocent individuals who lost their...
2013 SHGTUS Education Scholarship Recipients
Posted July 19, 2013 in Society SpotlightOn behalf of the Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (SHGTUS), I am proud to announce the recipients of the 2013 SHGTUS education scholarships. The scholarships are a core...
Jumping Over Hitler’s Wall
Posted June 6, 2013 in Knowledge CornerLate in the evening of June 5, 1944, small groups of young Americans from the All American and Screaming Eagle airborne divisions began boarding C47 aircraft for a short flight from airbases in...
A Moment of Personal Reflection - May 14, 1998
Posted May 14, 2013 in Tomb Guards Never ForgetToday marks the 15th anniversary of the disinterment of the Vietnam Unknown. It seems hard to believe that the middle crypt has been empty for that long. It now serves as a memorial to those that are...
Annual SHGTUS Education Scholarships
Posted May 2, 2013 in Society SpotlightIt’s that time of year again. On behalf of the Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (SHGTUS), I’m proud to announce our annual education scholarships. The SHGTUS awards...
Tomb Guard Identification Badge Ceremony Remarks
Posted April 19, 2013 in Unknown FridayThe following are remarks delivered by Neale Cosby on March 14, 2013 at Arlington National Cemetery upon the awarding of Tomb Guard Identification Badge #612 to PFC Jacob Davenport. Mr. Cosby is a...
Reflecting on the Vietnam Unknown
Posted April 4, 2013 in Tomb Guards Never ForgetThis is an abridged essay I wrote four years ago on Michael J. Blassie, the US Air Force lieutenant who would have been 65 years old today. 1LT Blassie was identified as the Vietnam Unknown in 1998....
Buglers of Arlington National Cemetery (Repost)
Posted March 27, 2013 in Knowledge CornerRepost from Buglers of Arlington National Cemetery by Jari Villanueva via TAPS BUGLER TAPS can be heard an average of thirty times a day at Arlington National Cemetery. The bugle call is sounded at...
To Provide a Military Guard
Posted March 22, 2013 in Knowledge CornerOn March 2, 1926, Allen J. Furlow, a newly-elected Representative from Rochester, Minnesota, introduced what would become known as House Joint Resolution Number 185. The joint resolution called for...
Man of Sacrifice - Don Hollender
Posted December 7, 2012 in Knowledge CornerArlington National Cemetery (ANC) has its share of heroes. As far as the eye can see, the simple white headstones are testament to their sacrifice. At some point we learn of those that stand out. Don...
Tomb Guards Never Forget… Adam Dickmyer
Posted October 28, 2012 in Tomb Guards Never ForgetToday marks the two-year anniversary of the loss of Adam Dickmyer. He was killed in action on this day in 2010, in the Kanda-har Province of Afghanistan, protecting our freedoms. Adam was a husband,...
And the Winners are...
Posted September 19, 2012 in Society SpotlightThe Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (SHGTUS), is proud to announce the 2012 education scholarship award winners. The recipients of the annual Neale Cosby Scholarship, Adam...
Frederick Douglass honors “The Unknown Loyal Dead” at Arlington National Cemetery [May 30, 1871]
Posted August 17, 2012 in Knowledge CornerThis is a guest post by John Muller, from The Lion of Anacostia, via the Ghosts of DC. Arlington National Cemetery, the pre-Civil War home of Robert E. Lee, is a short Metro ride from Washington, DC....
Tomb Guards Never Forget: The Unknowns
Posted June 29, 2012 in Tomb Guards Never ForgetI cry when I hear the national anthem of the United States, The Star-Spangled Banner. The tears, a mixture of joy, pride and sadness. Joy for the fact that I live in a country where I am free to...
Knowledge Corner: How to Become a Legend
Posted June 26, 2012 in Knowledge CornerYou may think it is strange to pay tribute to a man more famous in death for something he didn’t do than for the actual heroic life he led. However, as many things are at Arlington National Cemetery,...
The Sentinel's Creed & Line 6
Posted June 22, 2012 in Unknown FridayThe Sentinel’s Creed is the Tomb Guard standard. The 99 words of the creed captures the true meaning of their duty. You will often hear the words “Line 6″ [1] proudly uttered by Tomb Guards as they...
Education Scholarship Extension
Posted June 12, 2012 in Society SpotlightIn relation to the launch of the Society’s new website, the Board of Directors has extended the deadline for the education scholarships to July 31, 2012 [1]. As part of its awareness and assistance...
Remembering the Battle of Midway
Posted June 6, 2012 in Knowledge CornerWhile June 6th is the anniversary of D-Day… let’s not forget the anniversary of the pivotal Battle of Midway, which is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of...
The Unknowns Project
Posted June 2, 2012 in Special ReportThe Society would like to introduce a film project - The Unknowns - in support [1] of its producer, Ethan Morse. Ethan is a Tomb Guard Member of the Society. The Unknowns, as described by Ethan, is:...
What is the Meaning of Memorial Day?
Posted May 28, 2012 in Special ReportTo answer this question we need to look back to the year 1868. In that year, the Civil War Veterans were in the news headlines and in the American psyche, as a grieving Nation was trying to care for...
Tomb Guards Never Forget: William R. Charette
Posted May 23, 2012 in Tomb Guards Never ForgetIn March, a key member of the heritage of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient William “Doc” Charette died at his home in Lake Wales, Florida. He was 79. William...
Welcome
Posted May 13, 2012 in Society SpotlightThank you for visiting the online home of the Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We hope you enjoy the site and learn more about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Tomb), and more...
Support the Society
The Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (SHGTUS) is able to provide our programs, events, assistance, scholarships, and services due to the generosity of its members, organizations, and individuals. SHGTUS does not receive institutional funding. Note: The Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a 501(c)(3) organization, so your contributions may be fully tax deductible.
Learn More
Did you know?
There is a small green shack next to the Tomb. What is it for?
'The Box' (as it is affectionately known) is used primarily during wreath laying ceremonies for the Sentinel to retreat to while flowers and Taps are being presented. There also is a phone with a direct line downstairs to the Tomb Guard Quarters. This is used in times of emergencies or just to notify the next shift of something.
