ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times

DATE: Thursday, January 23, 1997             TAG: 9701230041
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL   PAGE: A-6  EDITION: METRO 

GUARDING THE UNKNOWNS

LENGTH: Short :   24 lines
ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO:  AP. Sgt. Danyell Wilson stands guard at the Tomb of the 
          Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington on Wednesday. 
          Wilson, 22, of Montgomery, Ala., became the first black woman to 
          earn the prestigious job of guarding the tomb, which honors 
          America's unidentified war dead. Wilson, who said her state's civil 
          rights struggle inspired her to succeed, made her first walk as a 
          tomb sentinel after receiving the Army's tomb guard badge. Only 400 
          of the badges have been awarded since it was created in 1958. ``I 
          wanted to do something different, and I figured this would be the 
          highest honor as far as the Army goes, to guard the unknown 
          soldier,'' Wilson said. color.