EVERY DAY IS MEMORIAL DAY FOR BUGLERS ACROSS AMERICA

Late last Fall we profiled a young lady from Sac City, Iowa who has found a unique way to serve her God and her country.  Kelly Kilbride, now 14, is the youngest female in Buglers Across America, a group founded by former Marine Tom Day.  Some 11 years ago, Congress  passed legislation stating Veterans had a right to at least two uniformed military people to fold the flag and play taps on a CD player.  Buglers Across America was begun to take this a step further, and in recognition of the service these Veterans provided their country, Day felt every Veteran deserved a live rendition of taps played by a live Bugler.

This year, like the past several, Chris Wallace of Fox News, has provided the story and the emotion that goes into this organization.  In the video piece below, we'll let Tom Day tell it in his own words.

So, Kilbride, Day and the other 7,000 plus Buglers Across American play on.  Their work is truly an act of kindness to the family's who have lost a loved one.  And as Day intimated, no amount of money can replace the song's lasting effects.  For the devoted Buglers Across America, every day, is Memorial Day!

There is a myth about the origin of Taps that is circulating about the Internet. The true story is that in July 1862, after the Seven Days battles at Harrison's Landing (near Richmond), Virginia, the wounded Commander of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, V Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, General Daniel Butterfield reworked, with his bugler Oliver Wilcox Norton, another bugle call, "Scott Tattoo," to create Taps.  He thought that the regular call for Lights Out was too formal. Taps was adopted throughout the Army of the Potomac and finally confirmed by orders.  Soon other Union units began using Taps, and even a few Confederate units began using it as well.  After the war, Taps became an official bugle call.

The evening of Memorial Day, I spoke with my mother who lives in Montezuma, Iowa.  She told me she and my sister and brother-in-law had gone to services at the local cemetery earlier in the day.  She also mentioned the speaker who told them a fascinating story about the lyrics of "Taps".  Betcha didn't know any existed, right?  Because I sure didn't.  After doing a little research, I found something quite interesting, not "official" mind you, but lyrics with some tremendous feeling of struggle. comfort and living on.

Day is done,
gone the sun,
From the hills,
from the lake,
From the skies.
All is well,
safely rest,
God is nigh.

Go to sleep,
peaceful sleep,
May the soldier
or sailor,
God keep.
On the land
or the deep,
Safe in sleep.
Love, good night,
Must thou go,
When the day,
And the night
Need thee so?

All is well.
Speedeth all
To their rest.
Fades the light;
And afar
Goeth day,
And the stars
Shineth bright,
Fare thee well;
Day has gone,
Night is on.
Thanks and praise,
For our days,
'Neath the sun,
Neath the stars,
'Neath the sky,
As we go,
This we know,
God is nigh.


YGG,

John