Veterans, do you remember the first time you heard Taps? Remember where you were? What you were doing? How it made you feel?

I remember it brought a tear to my eye. It was eerily quiet. I could here it loud and clear.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

Still does for me if I'm not careful.

First heard @2 at WWI's Grandfathers funeral. Too many times since.

In Scouting it was reverent and comforting.

Taps
© Pennsylvania Military College

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, from the hills, from the sky;
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.
Fading light, dims the sight,
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright.
From afar, drawing nigh, falls the night.
Thanks and praise, for our days,
'Neath the sun, 'neath the stars, neath the sky;
As we go, this we know, God is nigh.
Sun has set, shadows come,
Time has fled, Scouts must go to their beds
Always true to the promise that they made.
While the light fades from sight,
And the stars gleaming rays softly send,
To thy hands we our souls, Lord, commend.

My first time hearing "Taps" was the first night at basic training.

Cub Scout pack meeting, Isabella Elementary School auditorium, Albany GA, 1950.

Regards,

Tam 3

Don't remember the first time but I heard it many times over the years in the Army and out and it can still bring a tear to my eyes as well.

Last time I heard it was at a military funeral and it was a recording played on a jam box. That saddened me almost as much as the graveside service.

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Oh well, what the hell.

My first time to hear it was also when I was in the Scouts. Its always given me a lumpin my chest when hearing it.

Also, both when at the funerals of my Dad (WWII/Korean War vet) and at my Uncles (WWII Vet) funerals, tey both had buglars who did it-no recorder or tape player. My Dad had an Airforce colonel do the procedings at his, and my uncle had the Command Chaplain of the Air force-do his. Apparently they had been good friends many many years? anyway, when taps was played and they had their 21 gun salutes--I cried and not ashamed of it.

Roger that! And I somehow knew that my life had forever changed!

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Old paratrooper in NC

I had heard Taps played before I went in the Navy...but the first night in boot camp, it took on a new meaning, which continues to this day.

My dad passed away recently, and as a decorated Navy veteran of both WWII and Korea, he was given a military funeral. The Navy representatives did an excellent job, and Taps was beautifully done.

Me too. And thinking "oh thank you God, what was I thinking when I signed that paper?"