About the Veterans Honor Guard and “The Last Salute”

All military veterans deserve to be laid to rest with the dignity, respect, and honor that they have earned. Our active military has always carried out this honor to veterans in the past. Unfortunately with our active military units scattered in so many areas around the world, fighting the war on terror, they are not always able to provide this special “Last Salute”.

In 2004 Clifford Gade, then Commander of the Dusenbury Chapter of the Marine Corp League in Florence, saw the need to organize fellow veterans to fill this gap. He found a group of veterans representing all branches of the service who were more than willing to help. After a few months of practice, The Veterans Honor Guard carried out “The Last Salute” for the first Veteran in early 2005. Now having done hundreds of funerals, The Veterans Honor Guard continues to serve their fellow veterans, giving freely of their time, and at their own expense to do so.

We Pray that ”The Last Salute” that we provided for your loved one, has in some way helped to bring a bit of comfort and meaning to you and your family during this time of grief. Just knowing that it was partly because of your loved ones sacrifice while in the military, that we in this Country, continue to enjoy the rights, privileges and freedoms we have today.

The Meaning of the Three Volleys

The Three Volleys rendered at a Military Funeral should not be confused with the 21 Gun Salute which is used exclusively for the President of the United States and some Foreign Dignitaries. The Three Volleys may be rendered by a rifle squad made up of seven or less soldiers. It symbolizes an old military custom that predates the Civil War. When the battle had come to a stop for the night, both sides would come onto the battlefield and tend to their dead and wounded. When this was complete, the warring factions would fire three volleys, indicating that the dead and wounded had been properly cared for and the battle could now be rejoined.

At a Military Funeral the three volleys indicates that the Veteran here, has been properly cared for, which is symbolized by the three expended rounds in your packet.

The Meaning of “Taps”

“Taps” is a famous musical piece, sounded by the U.S. military nightly to indicate that it is “lights out”. It is also played during flag ceremonies and funerals, generally on bugle or trumpet.

There are several urban legends concerning the origin of “Taps”. The most widely circulated one states that a Union Army infantry officer, whose name is often given as Capt. Robert Ellicombe, first ordered the “Taps” performed at the funeral of his son, a Confederate soldier killed during the Peninsula Campaign. The story claims that Ellicombe found the tune in the pocket of his son’s clothing and performed it to honor his memory. But there is no record of any named Robert Ellicombe holding a commission as captain in the Army of the Potomac during the Peninsula Campaign.

That Daniel Butterfield composed “Taps” has been sworn to by numerous reputable witnesses including Oliver Norton, the bugler who first performed the tune. While scholars continue to debate whether or not the tune was original or based on an earlier melody, few researches doubt that Butterfield is responsible for the current tune.