Taps

[rwsmith]

I don't think the people......

A little story:

When my dad died, he wanted to be buried at the National Cemetery in Santa Fe, NM. My mom wanted him buried at one of the Catholic cemeteries in in ABQ so she could visit his grave without having to make an hour trip every time we went. I wanted to make sure his wishes were carried out.

My dad was part of a Honor/Color Guard and as part of his duties when he was stationed in the US during the Korean War were military funerals. And because of that, anything less would've been unacceptable, to me. In the end, we arranged for him to be buried here, in ABQ. I'm glad we did.

When my dad was buried, we had an Honor Guard, an actual uniformed USA Honor Guard, complete with 21 gun salute, and a live bugler. The bugler wasn't military but church musician. It was everything, I think, my dad would've wanted. My mom was happy he's close by and I am, too.

Later in the year, I went to a military funeral in Santa Fe. - I hadn't been to a military funeral in I don't even know how long - it was for a next-door neighbor in my folk's neighborhood.

The funeral was a surprise/disappointment. Taps was a recording, the honor guard looked like ROTC - and there were just two, and the people doing the 21 gun salute used Mossberg M500 shotguns loaded with blanks - I'm not sure how many people were doing the salute. The "honor guard" looked like bikers with their patched out leather vests and black berets. The kicker was that they handed out, what looked like, prepackaged 5.56 shell casings! To me, it was tacky.

After seeing that, I'm glad we arranged my dad's funeral the way we did!

It's a good chance that the people doing the service did the best they could with what they had.

 

[andy52]

It saddens me that at some graveside services for veterans a recording is played. I guess I understand it, sort of, but I hate it.

The Honor Guard of the Amvets troop that I'm a member of still does it on a bugle and the bugler is very good.

 

[andy52]

Standing Taps alone in the dark on the edge of a large deserted and absolutely quite Parade Field. On a Full Moon Lite Night with low broken clouds that makes the erie shadows perform their magic just one more time for Our Country's Fallen Heroes. At places like Ft Benning, Ft Knox, Ft Hood, or even Ft Leonard Wood. I have gotten to experience this indescribable phenomenon many times. And I have never really succeeded and got my fill of it. And as hard as I have tried I could never even come close to being able to properly explain to others this intense feeling. I got each time I did this. Not even to my Wife or my Family. Only with others, Men like myself could I feel close enough to share my most secret deep inner feelings about this. For some of the Fallen Heroes were there. Like fleeting shadows and whiffs of smoke they moved all around me. And they talked in whispers mostly saying I was not ready yet to go with them.
Mabey soon.
ken

The only thing you forgot to mention are the tears streaming down your face.....yes I understand.

 

[Rustyt1953]

jimmyj, I have attended many funerals for veterans and almost all have been as you describe. I have great respect and admiration for what you and those like you do.

I wish I could've had you and your guard do my dad's funeral in '99. His home AL post's honor guard did a shameful job witnessed and remembered by the many people that were there.

Thank you for the reverence you show and keep it up.

 

[Wrangler Rich]

I am a member of the Honor Guard composed of a group of Veterns from 2 Ameican Legion posts and 1 VFW post. We are fortunate to have about 20 members. We are also fortunate to have 12 members that can usually be present at a service. Yes, we use a device that is inserted into the operative bugle, much like a "mute".
However, it never fails to bring a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye, when Taps are sounded.
We are an aged group, and are frequently out in very inclement weather, however, there isn't a one of us that wouldn't sacrifice a few minutes of discomfort, for not giving a proper funeral for a deceased brother or sister.

Some gave all, all, gave some.

WR

 

[Ματθιας]

It's a good chance that the people doing the service did the best they could with what they had.

Maybe so, but would the way I described how things were done at a National Cemetery be acceptable to you for someone you love? Yes or no.

That's my point.

 

[johnt671]

It saddens me that at some graveside services for veterans a recording is played. I guess I understand it, sort of, but I hate it.

I couldn't agree more. My mother in law (Wife of a veteran of the 82 Airborne in WW2) had passed and was being buried next to him at a veterans cemetery on Long Island and next to us a Navy vet was being buried there,also. Two sailors were there in uniform at least, with a cassette tape to play Taps. I told my wife that that was one of the saddest thing I ever saw. I told her that I wanted a real live bugler at my funeral. I told her I didn't care who it was, Cub scout, Girl Scout, or a five year old going to music school, but a live bugler.

 

[p8riot]

My dad was a Marine. He taught me to play the bugle when I was a Boy Scout back in the 1960's. When they buried him in Riverside National Cemetery (California) in 1991, I was in my Navy full dress blues and played "Taps", on his bugle. The color guard from March AFB were more than happy to let me do it. It was the hardest thing I've ever done.

 

[pawngal]

When I was a kid I thought "Taps" was a scout song because we sang it at flag lowering at camp.

The only funeral for a veteran I have attended recently was for my cousin.
He had the full proper Color Guard. I wonder if it makes a difference of the veteran's rank or length of service? He was 30 year Air Force and retired as a full Colonel. The color guard came from Offutt AF Base. (200 miles away)

 

[Squarebutt]

My dad was a WWII vet, and at his burial in 2009 the taps was sung by my wife, my sister and a family friend in 3-part harmony. Beautiful and moving. He would have loved it.