Thousands lay flowers at Tomb of the Unknowns to mark its centennial
In a first, members of public follow the path where sentinels keep their 24/7 watch.
By Fredrick Kunkle
Yesterday at 7:35 p.m. EST
Thousands of people joined a solemn procession at Arlington National Cemetery on Tuesday, following a path trod for decades by only the Old Guard, to lay flowers and pay respect to the nation’s military dead at the Tomb of the Unknowns in honor of its centennial.
The line moved at a steady pace and the row of flowers — the stems arrayed side by side, along with slips of paper and small U.S. flags — rose steadily higher as a uniformed sentinel of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as the Old Guard, kept precise, ritualistic vigil on the eastern side of the massive stone crypt overlooking the cemetery and the nation’s capital.
The event — which continues Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is open to members of the public who must register to attend — was one of several to commemorate the establishment of the tomb 100 years ago. A memorial procession, accompanied by a military flyover, will be held Thursday beginning at the main entrance on Memorial Avenue near the welcome center; the public will be able to observe.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/11/09/tomb-of-unknown-public-lays-flowers/
