Honor guard gives soldiers a dignified farewell

By AMY SATTERWHITE / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

Members of the honor guard salute a veteran Wednesday in front of High’s Funeral Home. The group presents an American flag to family members, sounds off a 21-gun salute and ends military ceremonies by playing “Taps.” (Amy Satterwhite photo)

For more than 50 years, Warren and surrounding counties have been fortunate to have an honor guard ready and willing to volunteer.

Consisting of members belonging to the local post of the VFW and the American Legion, the honor guard’s firing and flag detail squads have performed military honors for almost 200 veterans’ funerals since 2002 and at hundreds of services before that.

Some have joined the honor guard within the past few years, while others can claim longevity, like World War II veteran Will Davis of the VFW, who is the only original honor guard member from its formation in 1946 who is still active.

No matter how long their participation, their basic feelings about providing military honors to fallen veterans have not changed. Wednesday was no exception, when they paid final respects to U.S. Army veteran James White, who served in Kosovo.

“My husband earned this,” Tamara White said of the military honors consisting of a flag presentation, a formal salute, a 21-gun salute and the bugle call. “He earned it.”

That’s the sentiment that keeps every service meaningful, encouraging honor guard members to come back year after year, volunteering several hours a week to area veterans and their families.

“Our ambitions are, number one, to honor the veteran and, number two, to support the family,” said longtime member Charles Norton of the American Legion, which presents the American flag to the veteran’s family.

The group shows up when asked and donates a significant amount of time each week to ensuring veterans are paid proper respects.

“The active military is now only responsible for furnishing two people to a funeral and that’s to fold the flag and present it. I feel the veteran deserves the honors and we perform basically for that,” member James Green of the firing squad said.

“I think that’s why everybody does it,” added guard commander Clinton Hill. “I feel like any veteran is due a military funeral if they’ve served in the Armed Forces. I just think it’s the right thing to do.”

And although they don’t require thanks, he said their deeds are noticed.

“Just about all the families send a card to the Legion and also to us. They really do appreciate it,” Hill added.