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I've been playing the bugle for 38 years and sounding TAPS for 24 years and I hit the milestone of my 4000th detail by recently having the honor of sounding TAPS for a Navy Veteran named Dennis Shannon. Not that the number matters but just realizing how many families have been honored over the past 22 years alongside his. The commander who was on the funeral detail pulled me aside, thanked me, and told me that he was declaring me honorary Navy. He's heard of me and knows that I travel the country on my own dime to honor our Veterans. I can't begin to tell you how that made me feel.
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When I show up for a detail , I feel it's the last nicest, honorable thing that I can do for someone. These are the times when I feel my service is most pure. I don't do this to receive a pat on the back or even a thank you. I do it to serve. I'm personally grateful because it has given me a place to serve those who have served.
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Sounding TAPS on a real horn, using my own breath.
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This is the call, the call to follow others and to honor those who made all this happen. The Soldiers. And as it was the American Soldier who always stood in the front line. I will always be the first in my nation to say Thank You.
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TAPS - the music that leads a brave ones soul to eternity.
Wappingers Falls Bugler Makes Honoring
Veterans Her Life's Mission
Dani Masterson sounds TAPS at Dr. E. Bruce Heilman's funeral. A WWII Veteran and an American educator who served as president of several American colleges and universities. He last held the positions of chancellor at the University of Richmond and National Spokesman of The Greatest Generations Foundation. Dani is sounding TAPS.
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On August 14th, 2020, I had the privilege of kicking off the nation-wide tribute for the 75th Anniversary of the end of WWII by sounding TAPS in Times Square in New York City. The past few weeks Linda Laurie and I worked closely with the National Cemetery Administration, and I was able to place buglers at 114 National Cemeteries for a Spirit of 45 wreath laying and TAPS. We started our thanks to the Greatest Generation and tributes continued cross-country all day, culminating with a ceremony in Hawaii
Photo by Ray Fudge
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My Grandfather in the Above Picture
China Burma India Theater (CBI) (later IBT, or India-Burma theater) was the name used by the United States Army for its forces operating in conjunction with British and Chinese Allied air and land forces in China, Burma, and India during World War II. Well-known US units in this theater included the Flying Tigers,[1] transport and bomber units flying the Hump, the 1st Air Commando Group, the engineers who built Ledo Road, and the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), otherwise known as Merrill's Marauders. Photos by Bill Carroll