Patriotic Soldier Unfazed by Torrential Downpour Places Flag at Tomb of The Unknown Soldier

Illustration - Shutterstock

A poignant set of photos shared by the United States Army on social media is reminding netizens of the importance of honoring the country’s fallen soldiers, come rain or shine.

In the days preceding Memorial Day, 2019, the Washington, D.C., area was hit by ferocious storms. On May 3, the U.S. Infantry Regiment, otherwise known as The Old Guard, was performing the annual ritual of placing American flags on the graves of fallen soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia when they were overcome by inclement weather.

The Old Guard, however, was committed to paying respects to their fallen comrades. As onlookers ran for cover, the soldiers persevered as rains cascaded down upon them.

Even after some uniformed guards were instructed to stand down until the worst of the weather had passed over, there was one member of the guard who would not let bad weather block him at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: Tyler McKee.

The Old Guard later posted a series of photos of McKee on their Facebook page, which quickly drew national attention.

“Yesterday, torrential rain and drastic wind gusts overcame America’s most hallowed grounds. Visitors ran for cover. News media piled into vehicles together. The streets flooded,” they wrote.

“Trees as old as the cemetery itself broke at the trunk and came crashing down. But America’s Regiment endured. They found low ground and held fast through the wind and the rain. Some had to be to ordered to stand down from planting flags,” The Old Guard explained, “still determined to continue to honor the fallen.”

They then spoke proudly of McKee, the last man standing. “With only a few watching from cover, a Tomb Sentinel approached the Unknowns with U.S. flags in hand [...] He knelt and placed the flags in honor of the Unknowns.

“For the select few who saw this moment,” they wrote, “it was jaw-dropping. Humans have their limits, but The Old Guard has yet to meet theirs.”

McKee had been tasked with overseeing the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a monument dedicated to the deceased United States service members whose remains were never identified. The driving rain and wind failed to deter him from this duty.

After the photos gained the support of thousands for the moving tribute they depicted, Julie Dabulewicz McKee came forward and identified the Tomb Sentinel as her son on social media.

Emotional comments flooded in thick and fast. “Proud of these soldiers who do their duty regardless of the elements,” wrote one supporter. “Their dedication is a true reflection of the patriot spirit that lives deep within the heart of every American service member.”

According to WTHR, the Arlington National Cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was established in 1921 when the remains of an unknown soldier killed in World War I were exhumed in France and returned to the United States. President Warren G. Harding officiated the soldier’s interment.

The tomb’s commemorative panel reads “Valor, Victory, and Peace,” beside “Here Rests in Honored Glory An American Soldier Known But To God.”

According to The Old Guard’s own website, a Tomb Sentinel on duty is required to cross a 63-foot walkway in precisely 21 steps, face the Tomb of the Unknown Solider for 21 seconds, pause for an additional 21 seconds, and then retrace his steps.

The number 21, the site explains, is symbolic of the highest salute afforded to military dignitaries at state ceremonies.