On Jeopardy awhile back, the final question was “How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the Tomb of the Unknowns?” All three contestants missed it! Here is a bit of information about the Tomb of the Unknowns.
1. How many steps does the guard take during the walk across the tomb of the Unknowns and why? 21 steps : It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary.
2. How long does the guard hesitate after the about face to begin the return walk and why? 21 seconds for the same reason as answer number 1
3. Why are the gloves wet? The gloves are moistened to prevent losing grip on the rifle.
4. Does the guard carry the rifle on the same shoulder all the time and, if not, why not? The guard carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After the march across the path, the guard executes an about face and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.
5. How often are the guards changed? Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.
6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to? To apply for guard duty at the tomb, the person must be between 5′ 10′ and 6′ 2′ tall and waist size cannot exceed 30.
Tomb guards are part of an unbroken chain of soldiers dating back to 1926.
