As family and friends waited around the flag-draped casket of U.S. Navy veteran Lee Snedaker, the first mournful notes of taps started.
From across Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, seven members of the Greenwood and Whiteland Honor Guard raised their World War II-era M1 rifles, and in unison fired the first volley of blanks.
After a beat, they fired again, then one final time as a remembrance of Snedaker’s service as a gunner’s mate in World War II and Korea.
“For those that served their country, what we’re doing is giving them their final honor as they report to their last duty station,” said Ralph Schuster, a U.S. Navy veteran and member of the Honor Guard. “It’s helping them along the way, and helping the family’s grieving.”
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryWhen a veteran dies in Johnson County, it’s the Honor Guard who steps in to give them the proper respect and tribute that their service deserves. The group is made up of members of local Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion organizations, who volunteer to provide a firing party and honorifics at funerals.
Regardless of rain, snow, heat or cold, the guard is ready in their matching blue jackets, white gloves and their rifles. The service is a small gesture but one that the Honor Guard believes is necessary.
“Not only does it show their families that we respect their loved one, but it helps us to know that we’re honoring all of those who have served,” said Steve Sowder, a U.S. Army veteran in the Honor Guard.
“My experience in the military is different from what these guys went through … It’s neat to sit and listen to them pass those stories along.”
—Sherri Jones, a U.S. Army veteran
Just as their time in the military was highly regimented, the Honor Guard brings that same ideal to their services. They wear matching uniforms, with pressed black pants, white shirts, black ties and caps.
Volunteers practice to ensure their form is in sync. Their goal is to all shoot at the exact same time, with three distinct reports each time they fire.
“I’m proud to be with a group that has unity. We don’t work as individuals. We work as a group, and that makes you feel like you fit in,” said Charles Johnson, a U.S. Navy veteran.
The Honor Guard concept dates back to 1919, when veterans groups provided the 21-gun salute to men killed in World War I.
The Greenwood American Legion Post 252 has had its own guard since 1948. As fewer members volunteered for the duty, the organization joined with the VFW posts in Whiteland and Greenwood to create a more solid organization, said Bob Tuttle, commander of the Greenwood and Whiteland Honor Guard.
American Legion Post 205 in Franklin also has an honor guard.
The tribute is available to any veteran who has died, Tuttle said. Much of their work is honoring older veterans who served in World War II or the Korean War.
The guard supplements the official services of the military, who will send their own representatives to honor a veteran at their gravesite. Their primary responsibility is to provide the firing party.
Local mortuaries and funeral homes contact Tuttle to arrange an honor guard when a veteran his died.
As of Nov. 5, the Greenwood and Whiteland Honor Guard had attended 155 funerals so far this year, a new record. They anticipate having about 170 before the year is done, Tuttle said.
“We always work through the director of the funeral home. The veteran or his family only needs to contact the funeral director to request these services,” Tuttle said. “I would guess that most veterans would want our services, if they knew they were available.”
With an assigned funeral to attend, Tuttle will go through his roster of 32 volunteers to find out who will be available for the service. Most of the time, he has no trouble finding seven members to fill the ranks.
Recruiting people to the guard can be a challenge, though. Many veterans don’t want to take part, for fear of getting tied up in the sadness of the funeral, Tuttle said.
That changes when they witness the service in person.
“They see that it’s not about sadness, it’s about saluting,” Tuttle said.
Once they attend their first funeral, members find it hard to stop.
Ken Hall was convinced to join by a fellow member of the American Legion. Though he was hesitant, his friend convinced him to come along for a service one morning.
Seeing the ritual himself was a moving experience, he said.
“Since then, Bob (Tuttle) has a hard time keeping me away from funerals, even when he has enough people,” Hall said. “It’s not something that you enjoy doing, but you feel good deep in your core that you’re being useful and helpful to the family.”
Each of the members has a different reason for volunteering. But they are all inspired by the same desire to show their respect.
GK Puckett, who served in the U.S. Army, had been asked to join 15 years ago. He had put off the idea for a while, but once he joined, he found immense satisfaction in honoring his fellow veterans.
“It’s a chance to give back to these guys,” he said.
Though funerals are their most visible and important responsibility, the Honor Guard also serves in the community. They attend community group functions and local schools to talk about their service.
The guard helps explain concepts, such as the folds of the flag and what each means. To mark special days, such as Veterans Day and Memorial Day, they go to assisted living communities to talk with older veterans.
“My experience in the military is different from what these guys went through,” said Sherri Jones, a U.S. Army veteran. “It’s neat to sit and listen to them pass those stories along.”
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Greenwood and Whiteland Honor Guard
What: A volunteer group who provides funeral honors to local veterans who have died. Members also do other community events, such as speaking at local schools and doing color guard duties.
Where: Based out of American Legion Post 252 in Greenwood.
Who: Members of American Legion Post 252, Veterans of Foreign Wars
How to get involved with the Honor Guard: Contact Bob Tuttle at 317-888-5617
Who can receive the honors: Any military veteran who was not dishonorably discharged or convicted of murder is eligible to have the military honors at their funeral. Veterans’ families need to provide a copy of their discharge papers, the form DD214, to the funeral home to get the honors. Veterans are encouraged to keep a copy of the form with their important papers, so family members can easily find it.
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