razzsr
09-26-2003, 09:15 PM
> > Subject: Forwarded from the West Point Alumni Website
> >
> >
> > Isabel vs. Honor
> >
> > When Hurricane Isabel was bearing down on Washington, D.C. yesterday,
> > Washington did what it often does — panic! The federal government was
> closed
> > yesterday as were the area's schools — even though up until 7:00 pm last
> > night the day
> > was only rainy with brief gusts of wind. But while
> > everyone else was running for cover, there was a different character on
> > display at Arlington National Cemetery, just a few miles from my office.
> The
> > cemetery is "home" to 260,000 veterans. It is also the site of the Tomb
of
> > the
> > Unknown Soldier, which was built in 1921 to honor those who died for our
> > country,
> > but whose remains have never been identified. The Tomb is watched 24
hours
> a
> > day by the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as "The Old Guard."
> >
> > Cemetery officials were in a dilemma. The Old Guard has never abandoned
> its
> > post guarding the Tomb. But as Isabel slammed into the area last night
> winds
> > hit 75 miles an hour and the rain was torrential. The cemetery
officials,
> no
> > doubt thinking of possible lawsuits, gave the Old Guard permission to
> leave
> > their
> > posts for safety sake. You guessed it, my friends — the soldiers
refused
> to
> > leave! Staff Sergeant Alfred Lanier said the Tomb was something "we
> > cherish."
> > Sgt. Christopher Holmes said leaving the Tomb is "never an option for
us"
> > and
> > added he was prepared to die while guarding it.
> >
> > As Eisenhower asked when he surveyed the bravery on the beaches of
> Normandy,
> > "Where do we get such men?"
> >
> >
>
> >
> >
> > Isabel vs. Honor
> >
> > When Hurricane Isabel was bearing down on Washington, D.C. yesterday,
> > Washington did what it often does — panic! The federal government was
> closed
> > yesterday as were the area's schools — even though up until 7:00 pm last
> > night the day
> > was only rainy with brief gusts of wind. But while
> > everyone else was running for cover, there was a different character on
> > display at Arlington National Cemetery, just a few miles from my office.
> The
> > cemetery is "home" to 260,000 veterans. It is also the site of the Tomb
of
> > the
> > Unknown Soldier, which was built in 1921 to honor those who died for our
> > country,
> > but whose remains have never been identified. The Tomb is watched 24
hours
> a
> > day by the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as "The Old Guard."
> >
> > Cemetery officials were in a dilemma. The Old Guard has never abandoned
> its
> > post guarding the Tomb. But as Isabel slammed into the area last night
> winds
> > hit 75 miles an hour and the rain was torrential. The cemetery
officials,
> no
> > doubt thinking of possible lawsuits, gave the Old Guard permission to
> leave
> > their
> > posts for safety sake. You guessed it, my friends — the soldiers
refused
> to
> > leave! Staff Sergeant Alfred Lanier said the Tomb was something "we
> > cherish."
> > Sgt. Christopher Holmes said leaving the Tomb is "never an option for
us"
> > and
> > added he was prepared to die while guarding it.
> >
> > As Eisenhower asked when he surveyed the bravery on the beaches of
> Normandy,
> > "Where do we get such men?"
> >
> >
>