This year, Gold Star Mothers’ Day occurred on 24 September, almost one year after a very significant event that lingers in my memory—the dedication ceremony of the Gold Star Mothers Families Monument in Veterans Park in Lynnwood on 2 November 2022—exactly one year ago today. At the end of the ceremony, Laurence Stusser and I sounded “Echo Taps” for the local Gold Star Mothers who attended, along with a crowd of about 300.
Front view by Cody Sexton, Lynnwood Today.
Woody Williams formed a foundation to establish Gold Star Mothers Families Monuments in as many communities as possible in all U.S. 50 states and territories. There are now at least 131 Gold Star Families Memorial Monuments across the United States, and an additional 65 underway for installation. Three are located in Washington state in Walla Walla, Forks, and Lynnwood.
Memorial Day Ceremony 2023, Veterans Park, Lynnwood, WA
On Memorial Day (29 May), I performed at three different venues—Veterans Park in Lynnwood, my Perrinville neighborhood in Edmonds, and Fairwinds, Redmond retirement community. In all, I sounded five different bugle calls and 24 patriotic marches and songs. It was a full day!
Memorial Day Ceremony, Veterans Park, Lynnwood
About 150 veterans and civilians assembled here, the largest crowd for this ceremony since we resumed it after the Covid years. The event was hosted by the City of Lynnwood and VFW Post 1040. Participants included:
VFW Post 1040 Honor Guard
Nile Shriners’ Legion of Honor from Mountlake Terrace
a piper and drummer from the Northwest Junior Pipe Band
American Legion Post 37 of Edmonds
Boy Scout Troop 49 of Lynnwood
Gold Star Mothers, Washington State Chapter
Lynnwood Firefighters
Nolan Stewart
Glenn Ledbetter
So, I sounded “Assembly” to start the event at 11 a.m., using my Getzen bugle. The guest speaker was Michelle Black, a Gold Star Mother (for more information on Gold Star Mothers, please see my blog post of 19 June 2014, using the Archives in left column). Incidentally, the Gold Star Mothers Monument in Veterans Park was dedicated on 2 November 2022, when I performed “Echo Taps” with Laurence Stusser, my trumpet student, who sounded the “echo” part on his 1947 Super Olds (Los Angeles) trumpet.
At the close of the ceremony, I sounded “Echo Taps” with the “echo” part sounded by Nolan Stewart, using his Bach trumpet. He will attend Oregon State University this fall and will be a member of the marching band. Finally, at noon, VFW Post 1040 Commander, John Beam, raised the flag from half to full mast, as I sounded “To the Color.”
“Taps” for my Neighbors
I’m a member of “Taps for Veterans,” a nationwide organization of buglers who perform at local ceremonies and funerals for veterans (please see http://www.tapsforveterans.org). The National Moment of Remembrance was inaugurated by Congress in 2000. It is an annual event that asks Americans, wherever they are at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day, to pause for one minute to remember those who have died in military service to the United States. Taps Across America (a sister organization at http://www.tapsacrossamerica.org) promotes this event by the sounding of “Taps” in local neighborhoods at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day.
By J.W.
In my case, however, I had to be in Redmond at that time, so I rushed from sounding “To the Color” at the above event in Lynnwood to my home in Edmonds, where I stood on our front porch and sounded “Taps” at about 12:20 p.m. A neighbor took my photo. Then, I hopped in my car at 12:30 and rushed to Redmond, where I was to perform one of my six trumpet shows at a retirement community at 2:00.
“I Stand for the Flag” at Fairwinds, Redmond Retirement Community
This was my second appearance at Fairwinds, Redmond. This one-hour show consists of two dozen patriotic marches, songs, and bugle calls. The audience sang along as I played my five horns: Getzen Trumpet, 1954 Super Olds Cornet (Los Angeles), Austin Custom Brass (ACB) Flugelhorn, Jupiter Pocket Trumpet, and Getzen Field Trumpet (Bugle). The two bugle calls in this show are “Sunset” (my favorite British call) and “Tattoo” (my favorite American call). I told a few jokes, too. It’s always fun!
Please click on any photo (above) to enlarge it. Four are by Mario Lotmore of Lynnwood Times, three by Jasmine Contreas-Lewis of Lynnwood Today, one by J.W., and five by me.
Every year when public demand peaks for a bugler/trumpeter, I’m happy to hop-skip-and-jump all over the Greater Seattle area to perform. This year, as usual, there were lots of opportunities surrounding Memorial Day. I sounded bugle calls at two venues and presented my one-hour trumpet show, “I Stand for the Flag” at three different retirement communities in four different cities:
26 May – Edmonds Community College (ECC) in Lynnwood – my sixth appearance
27 May – Skyline Towers in Seattle – second appearance
28 May – The Bellettini in Bellevue – first appearance
30 May – Veterans Park, Lynnwood – tenth appearance
30 May – Fairwinds Redmond – second appearance
At the ceremony at ECC, dressed in my VFW uniform, I sounded two bugle calls: “To the Color” inside the Black Box Theatre and “Taps” outside near the Boots to Books and Beyond monument. Native American Peter Ali improvised solos on two of his flutes twice during the ceremony.
At Skyline Towers retirement community in downtown Seattle, I performed my one-hour trumpet show, “I Stand for the Flag,” again in uniform. It is a collection of about two dozen patriotic marches, songs, and bugle calls. I did the same show at The Bellettini in downtown Bellevue and at Fairwinds Redmond.
But before performing in the afternoon in Redmond on Memorial Day, I also sounded three bugle calls in the morning at Veterans Park in Lynnwood: “Assembly,” “Echo Taps,” and “To the Color.” Lukas Breen sounded the echo part in “Echo Taps.” He is an Electrician’s Mate 2nd Class on active duty in the U.S. Coast Guard, stationed in Everett. We both play Getzen bugles. Other musicians were a piper and drummer from the Northwest Junior Pipe Band, playing “Scotland the Brave,” “The Rowan Tree,” “Battle’s O’er,” “Amazing Grace,” and “Going Home.”
For more information about these venues, please go to these websites:
Volunteers lay more than 1,000 wreaths on Veterans’ graves at Evergreen-Washelli’s Veterans Cemetery. Photo by Phil Onishi Photography.
The third Saturday of December was the 18th, and that could mean only one thing to a bugler—it was time for the annual Christmas wreath-laying ceremony, Wreaths Across America (WAA). Never mind that it was raining steadily. At 9 a.m., the President and Executive Director of the Veterans Memorial Wreath Foundation, Lorraine Zimmerman, announced over the loud speaker, “Bugler, sound ‘Assembly!'” And so I did for the 11th time. Then the Color Guard of the Navy ROTC program at the University of Washington presented the colors, and the crowd of about 200 patriots pledged allegiance to the flag. Chaplain Linda Haptonstall gave the invocation.
MKC Noah Vogeli, U.S. Coast Guard
At about 9:15 came the main program segment, the Ceremonial Wreath Dedication. One by one, eight men placed and saluted small flags on eight wreaths in memory of and gratitude for those who have fallen in service to America. After the benediction, the Honor Guard of VFW Post 1040 of Lynnwood fired a three-volley rifle salute, immediately followed by “Echo Taps,” sounded by me and Laurence Stusser. He used his Olds trumpet, and I used my Getzen bugle. The colors were retired, and after the benediction by the Chaplin, this 13th annual ceremony concluded. Similar ceremonies were held at more than 3,100 locations nationwide on this day.
But the local event was not over—there was more to be done. The crowd voluntarily began laying 3,000 wreaths on the gravestones in the Veterans Memorial Park at Evergreen-Washelli Cemetery in north Seattle. VMWF has the ambitious goal of adorning all 5,000 veterans’ gravestones someday. To do that, more sponsors are needed. A donation of $15 sponsors one wreath; two, $30; five, $75 (most popular); ten, $150.
VMWF was founded not only to conduct this ceremony and lay these wreaths but also to teach coming generations about the cost and value of our freedom. VMWF plans to provide educational scholarships soon to military dependents and ROTC students. For more information, please see http://www.vmwf.org.
Bugler, VFW Post 1040, Lynnwood, WA. Photo by CPO Ronald A. Jones, LAC-USV-JSC.
Bugler, Boy Scout Troop 312, Edmonds, WA. Photo by CPO Ronald A. Jones, LAC-USV-JSC.
President Barack Obama proclaimed 29 May 2012 as Vietnam Veterans Day, and by law in 2017, it became National Vietnam War Veterans Day. To my chagrin, both events slipped by me, a Vietnam War Veteran and a member of both the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) and VVA (Vietnam Veterans Association). I first heard of it when I was asked to sound “Echo Taps” at the Shoreline Veterans Recognition Plaza on 27 March 2021, two days before the official date (29th).
Col David Gibson, USAF (Ret.), Keynote Speaker. Photo by CPO Ronald A. Jones, LAC-USV-JSC.
The keynote speaker, Col. David Gibson, USAF (Ret.), a Vietnam veteran, spoke of the Three Big Lies about the Vietnam War; the politically-driven, overly restrictive Rules of Engagement; and the imperative that America never enter a war without the intent and will to win it. He delivered his own “Welcome Home” message to the Vietnam veterans attending this ceremony. [“9-11” radically changed the American people’s attitude toward our military.]
L to R: Joe Fitzgerald, Commander, VFW Post 3063, ballard; Bugler, Boy Scout Troop 312, Edmonds; and Glenn Ledbetter, VFW Post 1040, Lynnwood. Joe is the original owner of the bugle, gifted by Honor Guard, VFW Post 1040, to the Scout.
Who would join me, as VFW Post 1040 Bugler, and sound the “Echo” part of “Taps”? The same Boy Scout from Troop 312 in Edmonds who did it with me at this same place on Independence Day last year (please see my previous post of 29 July 2020). This year, however, he played the “Echo” on his Getzen bugle, not his trumpet. And thereby hangs a tale.
Our scout has often sounded “Taps” at funeral services with the Post 1040 Honor Guard. That was suspended, however, when, last August, he had a terrible accident on his mountain bike. He took a jump on the trail and crashed. His injuries were quite serious and have taken all these many months to heal. Frank Martinez, Commander of the Honor Guard of VFW Post 1040, polled the members for ideas of a gift we could present to the boy. I suggested a bugle and found one, a beauty, owned by Joe Fitzgerald, Commander of VFW Post 3063 in Ballard. We had it engraved, “HONOR GUARD – VFW POST 1040” and presented it to him. He loves it, as I do mine (see my post of 4 May 2015). These bugles play so easily with such a beautiful, full, solid tone.
ECHO TAPS
Covid-19 put the clamps on most of my performances in public for a whole year. The church orchestra in which I play is still on hold after the original lockdown in March 2020 cancelled in-person services. Same for performances of my one-hour trumpet shows at retirement communities–they all cancelled their weekly musical entertainment hours. I no longer drove to my clients’ homes to teach private trumpet lessons. We switched to online Zoom lessons. Throughout the 2020 summer, I did no busking in Edmonds to raise money for the VFW. Skyview Middle School, where I teach beginning trumpet class, also switched to Zoom instructrion in the fall.
Only now are things opening up a little. Now that I’ve had my two Modera vaccination shots for Covid, I’m booked at several retirement communities again, playing one or another of my six trumpet shows. And several military ceremonies are coming up–Armed Forces Day (15 May), Memorial Day (31 May), Flag Day (14 June), and Independence Day (4 July). We’re easing back into performances, and that means I’ll be posting here again, starting with this one.
Photos are by Joe Fitzgerald, Richard Rees, and CPO Ronald A. Jones, LAC-USV-JSC.
Hand salute during “Echo Taps.” Photo by CPO Ronald A. Jones, LAC-USV-JSC.
Symphony Ames, singer of the National Anthem and “God Bless America.” Photo by Joe Fitzgerald.
VFW Post 1040 Honor Guard awaits the ceremony. Photo by Joe Fitzgerald.
On Flag Day, Dwight N. Stevens, WWII veteran, was honored with a wreath as his son, Larry Stevens, holds his hand over his heart. “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” was played, the Honor Guard (background) fired three volleys, and “Taps” was sounded. Photo by Denise Frisino.
During a recent six-week span, Shoreline City Hall was the scene of four major military ceremonies held outdoors at the adjacent Veterans Recognition Plaza which was dedicated on 21 May 2016. The ceremonies were organized and led by a Shoreline resident, Major General Ray Coffey, United States Volunteer Joint Service Command (USVJSC)
25 May – Memorial Day
6 June – D-Day
14 June – Flag Day and 246th birthday of U.S. Army
4 July – Independence Day and 244th birthday of USA
Participating in these ceremonies reminded me that, of course, the Army was formed before the United States became an independent nation. We had to fight a war to win independence. On 14 June 1775, the Continental Congress authorized the enlistment of riflemen to serve the United Colonies for one year. On the next day, George Washington was chosen as Commander-in-Chief and assigned the rank of General.
Major participants in the various ceremonies included members of the USVJSC, U.S. Army Reserve Command, U.S. Army Recruiting Command, VFW Post 3348 (Shoreline), VFW Post 1040 (Lynnwood), American Legion Post 0227 (Shoreline), NW Junior Pipe Band, Boy Scout Troop 312 (Edmonds), and veterans of all five military branches.
When called upon, the Honor Guard of VFW Post 1040 fired the three-volley salutes at these ceremonies. Likewise, when called upon, I sounded up to six bugle calls: Assembly, To the Color, Adjutant’s Call, Flourish for Review (“Ruffles”), Taps, and Echo Taps. On 4 July, a Boy Scout who has earned the Bulger Merit Badge sounded both Echo Taps with me and To the Color (solo). I used my Getzen bugle, and he used his trumpet. He is now an 8-grader at Madrona School in Edmonds and sounds Taps with the VFW Post 1040 Honor Guard at funeral services. Symphony Aimes sang “America the Beautiful” and “God Bless America” at the Independence Day ceremony.
Please click to enlarge a photo.
Dwight N. Stevens and Dwight Stevens Sr. (R: upper) and Joseph C. Frisino (R: center). Photo by Denise Frisino.
Denise Frisino with wreath for Dwight N. Stevens. Photo courtesy of Denise Frisino.
Larry Fischer carries U.S. Air Force flag to the proper obelisk. Photo by Denise Frisino.
VFW Post 1040 Honor Guard at “Present Arms” position as “Echo Taps” is sounded
Michael Reagan, Fallen Heroes Project
The Wreaths Across America (WAA) ceremony in Seattle keeps improving, and as it does so, the audience size keeps growing. About 300 people attended the event on 14 December 2019 at Veterans Cemetery at Evergreen-Washelli, where there are 5,000 graves of service men and women, including 7 Medal of Honor recipients. This was the 10th annual ceremony wreath laying ceremony here. It’s a tribute to those buried here and elsewhere around the world.
Afterwards, audience members placed wreaths upon as many gravestones as there were wreaths. This year, “with the help of a new nonprofit foundation (Veterans Memorial Wreath Foundation), growing community awareness, and the generous support of our sponsors,” said Lorraine Zimmerman, president of VMWF, “we were able to place a record number of wreaths—over 1300! If anybody is interested in becoming involved and/or learning more about our foundation, just contact me or visit http://www.vmwf.org. Save the date for next year’s ceremony: Saturday, 19 December at 9 a.m.”
William (Bill) W. Wilson, former POW, Vietnam War, 1972-73
The VFW Post 1040 Honor Guard was honored once more to fire the rifle salute and sound the bugle calls during the ceremony. To open the event, I sounded the bugle call, “Assembly.” At the close, Lukas Breen of the U.S.Coast Guard and Bugles Across America joined me in sounding “Echo Taps.” We both used Getzen Field Trumpets (bugles).
Please use the Archives column (left) to read my articles about previous WAA ceremonies:
15 Jan 2019
29 Dec 2017
30 Dec 2016
5 Feb 2016
28 Apr 2015
9 Jan 2013
16 Dec 2011
All photos are courtesy of Tonya Christoffersen except one by Lila O’Leary (as captioned). Please click on any photo to enlarge it.
L to R: Lukas Breen, Glenn Ledbetter, Lorraine Zimmerman
Veterans Day, 11 November—annually, VFW Post 1040 hosts the ceremony at Veterans Park in downtown Lynnwood, and typically, 100-200 people show up to remember, honor, and thank all veterans for their military service.
And for me, it’s another opportunity to sound “Echo Taps” for them all. Each year, I select one of my past students to play the “Echo” part. This year, it was an 8th grader at Skyview Middle School who plays lead trumpet in the jazz band there. He was a good student in my 5th and 6th grade brass classes. (I’m in my 9th year of teaching as a para-professional at Skyview.) At this year’s ceremony, we both played Getzen horns—he, his trumpet and me, my bugle.
Organizations participating in the ceremony included VFW Post 1040 Honor Guard, Northwest Jr. Pipe Band (Kevin Auld, Director), Nile Shrine Center’s Legion of Honor, Gold Star Mothers, American Legion Lynnwood Post 37, Boy Scouts of America Troop 49, Sound Church of Lynnwood, and City of Lynnwood. The featured speaker was John Natterstad, Deputy Commander, U.S. Volunteers-Joint Services Command, and an Air Force veteran (www.usvjsc.org).
There are more than 1,000 engraved bricks in Veterans Park, honoring living and deceased veterans. Members of the public donate $30 per brick, simply to cover engraving costs.
For blog articles about past Veterans Day ceremonies involving other trumpet students, please use the Archives column (left) to find:
17 Dec 2018
21 Dec 2016
26 Nov 2015
15 Apr 2015
19 Nov 2012
19 Nov 2011
As is customary, I sounded the bugle call, “Assembly,” to commence the ceremony.
For me, the trumpet show, “I Stand for the Flag” that I recently performed at Edmonds Landing Retirement Community (ELRC) was the last of seven performances clustered around Memorial Day. Three performances during the period of 21-31 May were of that one-hour trumpet show of 25 patriotic marches and songs; four were strictly bugle calls—“Assembly,” “To the Color,” “Taps,” and “Echo Taps.” They were spread through Edmonds, Lynnwood, Seattle, and Mercer Island. It was exciting for me to have that level of activity in so many locales within 11 days.
The trumpet show at Edmonds Landing happened on the Friday (31st) after the nation had observed the national holiday four days earlier (27th). Patriotic feelings were still high. Awareness and memories of those who died in military service to our country were still high. Nancy Thomas, Lifestyle Director was right to book this show at this time. The residents are proud of America. They are blessed, they know it, and they are grateful for our freedom. They sang “America the Beautiful” and the other songs, and together, we stood for the flag.
Edmonds Landing Retirement Community (ELRC)
ELRC is located about four blocks southeast of the Washington state ferry dock in Edmonds. It is one of 9 communities in Washington operated by Frontier Management, founded in 2000 and based in Portland, Oregon. Frontier Management operates 90 communities in 16 states. One-third of those are in Oregon. Please see https://frontiermgmt.com/ and https://edmondslanding.com/.
Built in 2001, ELRC offers both independent and assisted living. It has 83 apartments with three different layouts: studio with alcove and one- bedroom (Types A & B). The main difference between Types A & B is the access to the bedroom and bathroom. Please see the floor plan drawings below. These and the photos are courtesy of Edmonds Landing. Please click on any image to enlarge it.
Honor Guard, VFW Post 1040, Lynnwood. Photo by Lynnwood Today.
This is the 8th straight year that I have sounded the bugle calls at the Memorial Day ceremonies held at Veterans Park in downtown Lynnwood, home of VFW Post 1040 (please see https://vfw1040.org/). For me, it’s the most important military ceremony because it honors those who died while in military service of the United States of America, “one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.” This holiday traces its roots back to the Civil War.
NW Jr. Pipe Band. Photo by Lynnwood Today.
On 27 May, in beautiful weather, about 250 people gathered remember and render their respect and honor. It appeared to be the largest crowd in my years with VFW Post 1040. On my superb Getzen bugle, I sounded “Echo Taps” with my former trumpet student, Zach Wilson, now a junior at North Creek High School in Bothell. In addition, I sounded the bugle calls “Assembly” (to start the program) and “To the Color” (at noon, after the ceremony, when the flag was raised to full staff).
Legion of Honor, Nile Shrine Center. Photo by Lynnwood Today.
When I’ve watched the film in the past in the theater and on TV, I’ve never been able to hear what Capt. John Miller whispered to Private Ryan just before Miller died. I bought the DVD for two reasons: to listen carefully to (a) Miller’s dying whispers and (b) what Ryan says to his wife years later when, as an old man, he and his family visit the American cemetery at Normandy.
Miller’s dying words are “James, earn this. Earn it.” Ryan says to his wife, “Tell me I’ve led a good life.” She responds, “What?” He says, “Tell me I’m a good man.” She replies, “You are.” My, oh, my, how much I admire my parents’ generation!—it was termed The Greatest Nation by Tom Brokaw.
Among other things, the film reminds me of the last stanza of the WWI poem, “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae:
Photo by Lynnwood Today.
Zach Wilson (L) and Glenn Ledbetter (R)
Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.
In the film, both Miller and Ryan took up the torch—they lived and died carrying the torch for freedom. There is a saying today which I first heard from Raelynn Ricarte (please see my blog post of 20 July 2016). At a Memorial Day ceremony in 2016, she said, “Be an American worth dying for.”
Private Ryan tried to live up to the archetypal charge delivered to us all by McCrae, Miller, and Ricarte. Another Memorial Day—the bugle calls us to honor them and always remain grateful for their sacrifices and our heritage.
Glenn's Trumpet Notes 