24 Hour Tribute
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National Bugler Dani Masterson for the Spirit of 45 , sounded TAPS in a 24 Hour Tribute for our Veterans on May 30th 2021 through May 31st 2021, Memorial Day.
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Starting at 3pm on the 30th Dani started sounding those 24 notes every hour and continued for the following 24 hours at Mesier Park in the Village of Wappingers in New York, Dutchess County, to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice and concluded at the "National Moment of Remembrance" at 3pm on Memorial Day.
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The National Moment of Remembrance encourages all Americans to pause wherever they are at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence to remember and honor those who have died in service to the nation.
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Over 300 people stopped by throughout the day and night to pay their respects and also to see Dani and thank her for her selfless cause. For pictures, many videos and supported posts, please visit Dani Masterson American Taps Girl | Facebook.
In The News
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Q & A with Dani
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How long have you been playing? I've been a horn player for 43 years starting off in Drum and Bugle Corps.
​What has been your best experience with sounding TAPS There are a few. The looks on the families faces after they come up and thank me for sounding Taps. Seeing that look is everything. I sounded Taps off the deck of the USS Midway last year and that was an amazing day. Spending the day with Capt. Jerry Yellen. Jerry has the unique distinction of having flown the final combat mission of World War II on August 14, 1945 - the day the war ended. Now we are friends. With all that goes on with in my TAPS world, there are way to many great experiences to just pick one.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with your audience about yourself? Sounding Taps I feel is the last nicest 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. Sounding Taps on a real horn, using my own breath.
Wappingers Falls Bugler Makes Honoring Veterans Her Life's Mission
WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. – Wappingers Falls resident Dani Masterson is on a mission.
Masterson, who believes that no military veteran should have to have “canned” music at his or her funeral, has played “Taps” on her bugle at thousands of events over the past 30 years.
So far, she has provided that dignified final salute at ceremonies in 23 states, has six more on her schedule, and hopes to travel to all 50 someday.
She has played at every place from the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia and she does all this completely at her own expense.
“I feel it's the last nicest thing that I can do for someone," Masterson said. "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.”
Masterson’s work was recognized recently by the Exchange Club of Southern Dutchess, which raised $200 to help her defray traveling expenses.
Masterson is also one of the National Buglers for the “Spirit of ’45,” an alliance of organizations that works to preserve and honor the legacy of World War II veterans.
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Bugler Dani Masterson of Wappingers Falls, NY, has played Taps at thousands of ceremonies, most of them funerals for our veterans. Shown playing here, she was recently recognized by the Exchange Club of Southern Dutchess.
Bugler Dani Masterson of Wappingers Falls, NY, poses with Dr. E. Bruce Heilman, a World War II vet and the Chancellor of the University of Richmond, in Washington D.C.
Danielle Masterson to Lead the Sounding of TAPS in Battery Park, NYC
New York City, N.Y. / Fredericksburg, V.A. – American Taps Girl Dani Masterson is on a mission.
DinoTyme Productions own Special Effects Supervisor Danielle Masterson is laying down her makeup brushes and picking up her bugle on August 16th to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the ending of World War II. Known as “Spirit of 45” the second Sunday in August has been set aside to honor the “Greatest Generation on their Greatest Day”. She is the "American Taps Girl".
The 70th Anniversary Commemorative "Tribute" will begin in the Western Pacific with a ceremony organized by the Philippine Scouts at the Manila American cemetery in the Philippines, and continue westward through Europe with individual ceremonies in countries where Americans sacrificed their lives in the cause of freedom. Ceremonies will take place at all national and state VA cemeteries, and local memorials and cemeteries throughout the U.S., before concluding at the National Memorial of the Pacific Cemetery in Hawaii.
Danielle is responsible for placing well over 250 buglers at more than 200 cemeteries and monuments across the land to sound TAPS during the largest wreath-laying ceremony in history. In addition to coordinating the buglers nationwide, Danielle will lead 45 buglers in the sounding of TAPS at Battery Park in New York City to conclude the city’s planned celebrations. “I feel privileged and humbled to perform in tribute to all those who fought in WWII. This is particularly special to me because it is my way to honor my grandfather, John Masterson, who was a member of the China Burma India Theater, a coalition of the United States, British and Chinese Allied air and land forces.” Danielle said. She continued “To me sounding TAPS is the last nicest thing you can do for someone. While TAPS is only 24 notes long, it’s not hard to play but it’s the hardest 24 notes to play.”
Please join Danielle in Battery Park at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 16th for the 70th Anniversary Commemorative "Tribute" in honor of those from the “Greatest Generation on their Greatest Day”.
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For more information about the Tribute, visit http://www.Spiritof45.org or contact Info@Spiritof45.org.
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