read ground of historic fort mcnair in the nation's capital is a fitting setting for today's tribute to those whose devotion has kept our nation free and here to give motion and melody to that tribute our troops of the old guard, the third united states infantry, and of the united states army band. the third infantry is one of the most select units in the united states army. it is older than our nation's constitution and bears on its rules. the names of men who suffered at valley forge and triumphed at yorktown. as the showcase unit of the army. the old guard symbolized the patriots heritage, shared by americans in uniform wherever they may be. advancing the colors. the the old guard, fife and drum corps with a medley of authentic revolutionary war tunes. the continental soldier, parading on some village green, marched to the stately colonial cadence of exactly 90 faces to the minute. by. his. power. and. silence and. the. aura o. on the 18th of april, 1847, general winfield scott was on the march from vera cruz to mexico city. his force, led by the third infantry, was blocked by an