Large crowd stands for the Invocation at Veterans Park, Lynnwood
To me, Memorial Day is always special, apart from its main purpose–to remember those veterans who gave their lives in service to our country. I’m one of the lucky ones who get to perform at this special memorial ceremony! And not only that, I get to sound bugle calls. And more than that, one of them is “Echo Taps”. And on top of that, the other two are “Assembly” at 11 a.m. to call the meeting to order and “To the Color” as the flag is raised at noon from half-staff to full staff. And such it was this Memorial Day, celebrated on Monday, 26 May 2025.
Joining me to sound the “Echo” part was Jasper Stutes, a senior trumpeter at Lynnwood High School. Among the other participants were the VFW Post 1040 Honor Guard, the Nile Shrine Legion of Honor, and Boy Scout Troop 49. I’m sure those participants felt as lucky, proud, and honored as I did.
I used by Getzen bugle–love that horn!
Photos by Julia Wiese, Lynnwood Today. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.
Glenn LedbetterBoy Scout Troop 49Jasper Stutes (background)Nile Shrine & VFW Post 1040Navy Veteran & Navy FlagVFW Post 1040 Honor Guard
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.
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.
Glenn's Trumpet Notes 