Honor guard pays tribute to fallen veterans

One of the most moving parts of my father's funeral in 2011 was the graveside service that included military honors and the playing of "Taps."

The same can be said of my uncle Jim Sanders' memorial service at the Sanders family cemetery a decade earlier. Uncle Jim was a military man — three branches of service and three wars. As a retired senior master sergeant in the Air Force, Jim received three volleys from a group of stoic young men in addition to the flag ceremony and "Taps."

Whether a lowly private, like my dad, or a three-star general, an honor guard is a fitting remembrance for veterans.

The service has a long history in the United States, but it seems like it took on more meaning and emphasis in Cape Girardeau after World War II, perhaps because of the sheer number of fallen heroes who were repatriated beginning in the fall of 1947.

In October of that year, having been contacted by military personnel to expect the first remains of soldiers who had originally been buried overseas, Cape Girardeau Mayor R.E. Beckman announced that burial ceremonies would be "handled by organized veteran and service groups" including "the American Legion Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars."

A squad composed of American Legion members and National Guardsmen participated in the first military rites for a returned soldier in Cape Girardeau on Oct. 24, 1947, when it honored Pfc. Paul A. Sullivan.

Tribute to a fallen comrade of World War II was paid by American Legion and National Guard members Friday morning at military funeral services for Pfc. Paul A. Sullivan, who died during Army service in China. (G.D. Fronabarger ~ Southeast Missourian)

For the next year, the military rites continued for repatriated service members, as well as veterans of other wars. The Southeast Missourian published an article Oct. 22, 1948, that reviewed the impressive activities of the honor guard of of the 140th Infantry, Missouri National Guard, during that time.

140th INFANTRY FIRING SQUAD HAS RECORD FOR SERVING AT RITES

Claiming the record for all of the United States, the firing squad of the 140th Infantry, Missouri National Guard, has served at 43 military funeral since it was organized a year this month. The squad, commanded by Lt. Harold E. Carr of Cape Girardeau, is much in demand, and in the past five days served at three services of last rites.

Included in the total number of funerals where the squad performed the military ritual, among the highest military honors accorded, were those services for 34 returned dead of World War II. Also it has officiated at services for 0ne veteran of the Spanish-American War, several World War I veterans, and a number of veterans of the most recent conflict who died in the States.

22-man panel

The eight-man firing squad is drawn from a group of 22 men in Headquarters Company and Service Company. Each man is armed with a Springfield .03 rifle loaded with blank cartridges.

During its period of service, the squad has performed in the rain, standing in mud to the men's ankles, in blazing hot sun and in piercing cold. It serves at the graveside, and at the request of the family forms an honor guard at the casket in the church, and stands at attention during the entirety of the service.

One member of the squad while standing at stone-like attention for close to an hour while the the presiding minister conducted the service in a church on one of last summer's hottest days, turned white and virtually passed into unconsciousness. At the service's end, the rifle was pried from his hands and the ill man taken 0utside and revived.

The squad, which has received commendations from both the local posts of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, has traveled throughout Southeast Missouri. Lt. Carr said they have not refused any requests to serve.

Have gained record

Appearing in a recent publication of the National Guard was an article declaring that a squad from a New York state National Guard unit held the nation's record, having served at funerals for 18 returned war dead. This figure compares with the 34 of the local firing squad. Lt. Carr, a veteran of 30 months of service in the Pacific area, has commanded the squad at all 43 funerals it served, except three which took place while he was attending infantry school at Fort Benning, Georgia.

Some of the groups which took part in the exercises incident to the unveiling of a cross at a point on Highway 61 where it is intersected by Cape LaCroix Creek are shown above. Children and young people in Indian attire added color to the ceremony, at which a squad from the National Guard fired a volley and the chorus of St. Vincent's College sang. (G.D. Fronabarger ~ Southeast Missourian archive)

The squad's first assignment was at dedicatory services Oct. 12, last year, for the planting of the Cape LaCroix Cross northwest of the city. Since that time they have been on call continuously.

The graveside ritual consists of the squad forming two, four-man ranks on either side of the rear of the hearse, and the men present arms as the casket containing the remains passes, and also as the family passes toward the grave.

In two ranks

The squad reforms and marches to the grave where it takes up its position in two ranks, one behind the other and facing the grave. Lt. Carr's first command is "port arms." Then to his command, "prepare to fire three volleys," the front rank of four men does a half right face and each man takes a 12-inch step to the rear with his right foot. The second rank does a half step to the right and a half right face as well as the 12-inch step backward with the right foot. In this manner the men are staggered and the rear rank of men will not be firing near the heads of the men of the front rank.

The next commands are "load" and "ready," "aim," followed by the preparatory command "squads," and then Lt. Carr gives command of execution, "fire."

Following the firing of the three volleys, the command is to recover, and the two ranks reform, and then the order to "order arms" is given. At the first note of Taps, the order is given to present arms, and following Taps the squad responds to "order arms," completing the ritual.