Taps

Military Honors by VFW Post 6899

This is a sacred page - Thank you for entering
 

This  page is here to honor our American military veterans who have gone on before us. While history may overlook many of the brave deeds of our gallant men and women, their memory will ever live in the hearts and minds of freedom loving people of this great nation. Read each name with pride and thanks for they answered the call to duty and now the Honor and Glory is theirs.

They gave their all for us and they are not forgotten! Taps are sounding.

Our Nations Highest Honor - The American Flag

This flag is our nations very highest honor.
There is none higher.
This flag is offered by a grateful nation
and the American veterans
who have fought and died to preserve it.
This flag is given by the United States of America
in memory of your loved one.
It is for their honorable and faithful service
to our beloved country.

DOD Policy - Once a privilege, now a right.

Since Jan. 1, 2000, every armed forces veteran and member on active duty or in the active reserve has had the right to be buried with patriotic flourishes provided by a military honor guard.

• Must have been honorably discharged.
• Documentation - The family must produce the discharge papers refer to as "DD214". We recommend families locate the veteran's papers while he or she is still alive and give a copy to their funeral director. If they are a member of the VFW, they will have a copy on file in the office. If you can't find a DD214, then the Trinity County Veteran's Service Officer can help you fill out the appropriate paper work for duplicates.
• Locally, the VFW offers this service to any veteran (member or non-member). If a family wants an Honor Guard for a loved one, all they have to do is call the funeral home and the staff will contact the VFW and make arrangements.
• There is no charge for this service, but donations are accepted and that money goes back into our community to support our youth activities, scholarships and many other charities.
• There is a bond and connection to all veterans and the VFW Honor Guard are all volunteers.

The History of Taps
 

While commanding during the American Civil War, General Daniel Adams Butterfield thought the present military "end of day" music was too formal. In July 1862, during the Peninsula Campaign of the Civil War, he hummed a version of a song to an aide. The aide later wrote it down in musical form. General Butterfield then asked the brigade bugler, Oliver W. Norton, to play the music for him instead of the regulation music. The brigade loved the music and adopted it as their new bugle call.
 

Although yet unnamed, other brigades began playing General Butterfield's song as well. After the war, the music was deemed the official Army bugle call. In 1874, General Butterfield's song was named "Taps".
 

"Taps" is now played by the military at burials, memorial services, during the lowering of the flag and to signal the end of a military day.