This year marks the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery in 1921. And as part of the centennial acknowledgement, the public is being allowed directly on the monument’s plaza.
Normally, only sentinels of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as The Old Guard, are allowed the privilege, but for two days, anyone with a government-issued ID was allowed to enter and place flowers in remembrance of those who lost their lives in service of the United States but were unidentified.
It’s the first time such access has been granted in a century and is likely a one-time event for most everyone who was able to participate.
“We do not anticipate holding another event in our lifetimes in which the public will be able to approach the Tomb in this manner,” officials told NPR.
Darrell Bush, a 96-year-old Army veteran who fought in World War II, told CBS News during his visit to the tomb that he appreciates all too well the sacrifices made.
Bush lost his dog tags during the Battle of the Bulge in 1944 and was shot five times. He awoke in the hospital without any identification, one of only eight or nine from his company that survived, he said.
“I thought one time I would be an unknown,” Bush said. “I was one of the lucky ones.”
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