Since Saturday, Arlington National Cemetery has been closed to visitors due to a violent storm in the region.
However, the U.S. Army Old Guard is still patrolling the cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier — despite the falling trees and the winds reportedly reaching speeds of 60 miles per hour.
On Saturday, a local was apparently visiting the cemetery at the very beginning of the storm before the park closed. He took a video of the honor guard still performing his duties at the tomb despite whipping winds and violent rain.
The video eventually reached a friend, who publicized the video and tagged national media.
“My buddy (@SunsetGrilleDC) was at @ArlingtonNatl when the storm hit and got this video of the a member of the Third Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) staying on mission during the storm,” the friend tweeted. “Powerful.”
The Old Guard noticed.
“We couldn’t be prouder of the @USArmyOldGuard Soldiers who watch over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,” Arlington National Cemetery staff replied, in a tweet eventually shared by the Old Guard. “Winds reached 60-85 mph in the DC region. This sentinel leans into it and continues marching. Honor.”
The cemetery has guarded the World War I-era tomb continuously since July 1937. It even guarded the tomb during Hurricane Irene in 2011.
Take a look at the video… and the damage from Saturday’s storm.
@washingtonpost my buddy (@SunsetGrilleDC) was at @ArlingtonNatl when the storm hit and got this video of the a member of the Third Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) staying on mission during the storm. Powerful. pic.twitter.com/omkdoWZGge
— Cal-ling the Hogs (@pneaville) July 29, 2023
⚠️UPDATE: ANC closed July 30⚠️
ANC will be closed all day on Sunday, July 30 as our crews finish the necessary work and repairs after the severe storm that came through on Saturday afternoon. https://t.co/uK4TRb7nnB
— Arlington National Cemetery (@ArlingtonNatl) July 30, 2023
The Horn editorial team