STORIES FROM AMERICA'S CONFLICTS

Eulogies Delivered

During the National Memorial Day Concert each year, we invite audience members to submit a eulogy, remembrance, prayer or poem in honor of friends and loved ones who have made the ultimate sacrifice. The nationwide response is always overwhelmingly emotional for those of us who produce the concert.

Remembrance Ceremonies

As promised in the televised concert, each year around Veterans Day, we visit the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery (for the fallen buried there and for those who have fallen in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan).

At each location the remembrance ceremony includes:

• Prayers and words of gratitude, reverently spoken by the clergy in attendance
• Presentation of the eulogies and remembrances
• Playing of Taps by a US military bugler

In 2008 the ceremonies took place on November 19, a cold but beautiful sunny day in Washington, DC. We were honored to have in attendance LTC Frank Murphy (Ret.), a veteran who served as a First Lieutenant in the Korean Conflict (453d Engineer Battalion,Company A) and did two tours during the Vietnam War, first as a Major and then as a Lieutenant Colonel (1st Special Forces Group, primarily in the Delta area). Long time National Memorial Day Concert advisor Reverend Steve Hyde officiated the four ceremonies.

At the conclusion of Taps during the Korean Memorial ceremony, a visitor to the site emerged from the crowd and introduced himself. He had been born in South Korea and works now researching Alzheimer’s Disease at MIT. He was in Washington for a conference and wanted to visit the Memorial because he felt his life opportunities, in particular his chance to get an education, had been made possible largely by the American soldiers who fought and served so valiantly in Korea. He asked if there were Korean War veterans among us whom he could thank personally for their service. As providence would have it, Frank Murphy had been stationed in Taegu, the very village in which this gentleman was born. This remarkable encounter and the profound communion of these two men elevated the day even more, reminded us of why we hold the remembrance ceremonies each year, and was deeply moving for all involved.

Frank Murphy said of the day:
“It really made the word MEMORIAL as in Memorial Day very meaningful with the MEMORIES it stirred up as we visited the memorials, especially the chance meeting with the Korean visitor at the Korean Memorial. I was overwhelmed by his expression of appreciation which has not always been the case with our fellow citizens. The Marine Bugler`s rendition of Taps at the different sites certainly added to the dignity and solemnity of this observance.”

The Story of “Taps”

Almost everyone is familiar with the haunting melody of “Taps,” but few know the story of its origin.  During the Civil War, in July 1862, when the Army of the Potomac was in camp, Brig. Gen. Daniel Butterfield summoned his brigade bugler to his tent. Butterfield, who disliked the colorless “extinguish lights” bugle call then in use, whistled a new tune and ask the bugler to sound it for him. After repeated trials and note changes, the call was finally arranged to suit Gen. Butterfield’s taste and was used for the first time that night. The call soon spread to other units of the Union Army as well as to those of the Confederates. Taps was made an official bugle call after the war.

Today, whenever an American is buried with military honors anywhere in the United States, the ceremony concludes with the firing of three volleys of musketry over the grave and the playing of Taps, a singularly beautiful tune, melancholy, yet full of peace.

LTC Frank Murphy (Ret.) and Reverand Steve Hyde deliver viewer eulogies to the Vietnam Wall.

REFLECTIONS

“This remembrance is in honor of CPT Jack Dove, United States Air Force. Jack and I grew up together in Bluefield, VA. On July 12, 1967, Jack and I were both in Vietnam. I was safe and sound and Jack was shot down and MIA. He was almost to the magic number of missions needed to send him home. Jack left a young wife and a one year old daughter. May God bless them all.”

Randolph W. Walker
TX