The funeral director called today to confirm the time of the ceremony. Unfortunately he said there would be no gun salute “because we are in war time”. Only active duty and retired military get the salute during war according to him.
Seems a bit odd. I would think every city with a military cemetery would have enough retired or ex military to perform the salute. I’m going to sick my nephew on this first thing in the morning. He used to be part of an honor guard, maybe he can figure out how to make it happen….
Of course being redneck hillbillies we could just carry our own guns – maybe shoot up some vittles while we’re there.
3 comments:
Stella said...
One of Edward's favorite stories was about rounding up a group of ex GIs to be honor guard for a veteran in a small town nearby. He was working in his father's Sash and Door factory at the time and being the boss's son, he announced he was taking off for a few hours to help bury a fellow soldier and he was taking two of the other workers with him. The services were complete with "Taps", patriotic music, salute with the rifles, and folding of the flag. Edward was proud to have been a part of the touching ceremony. On the way home, Edward turned to one of the guys he had recruited to help and asked, "Hey, Speck, which branch of the service were you in?" Speck answered, "I didn't serve, my number was in the next batch after the war was finished". ...
"Where there is a will, there is a way"..
kddove said...
maybe they are trying to conserve bullets, since all of this war-time stuff sure isn't cheap...
Denise said...
We had a similar situation when my father, a 30 year navy veteran and Pearl Harbor survivor, passed away last October. He, too, was to be buried with full military honors as was due him. The day before the funeral we were told that the navy did not have the personnel to honor my father; we were devestated. My brother, a Coast Guard veteran, called every base up and down the California coast and demanded that the navy send a guard out to honor our father. The navy complied and my father had a 21 gun salute, folding of the flag (one that was flown over the Arizona on 9-11) playing of the navy hymn, taps and someone to present the flag to our mother. All I can tell you is don't believe what they're telling you, the squeeky wheel oiled.