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
Awaiting cue to sound “Taps”—click to enlarge and read Jumbotron screen. Photo by Ben Van Houten, Seattle Mariners photographer
Glenn Ledbetter, VFW Post 1040 Bugler, Lynnwood, sounds “Taps.” Photo by Ben Van Houten, Seattle Mariners photographer.
UW Joint Navy and Air Force ROTC Color Guard. Photo by Ben Van Houten, Seattle Mariners photographer.
The Seattle Mariners beat the Houston Astros, 3-2, at T-Mobile Park in downtown Seattle on Monday, 27 May. That was Memorial Day, and the Mariners’ pre-game activity was to “Remember and Honor” those military personnel who died in service to our country. The Joint Color Guard was comprised of University of Washington students who are in the Navy and Air Force ROTC programs. And one bugler was assigned to sound “Taps” after a moment of silence—me!
It was a dream come true! On 17 August 2014, I had sounded “To the Color” at a Mariners’ minor-league Aquasox game at the ballpark in Everett. And that inspired me to want to sound a bugle call at a Mariners game in Seattle. Ten years later, it happened, thanks to someone else. Unbeknownst to me, Monica McNeal, Gold Star Families of Washington, had referred me to the Mariners. Gold Star Mothers were also honored between certain innings of the game. Please see https://www.goldstarmoms.com. and my blog article of 2 November 2023.
I’ll be 84 next week. You’re never too old to have dreams and set goals—and if you need to, straighten your teeth!
Thus ends the “Lost Buzz Saga.” To read the whole story, please see my posts of 10, 12, and 21 June, plus this one, which is the climax. I invite your “Likes” and “Comments;” simply click on the links below this post.
The Mariners kindly recorded the pre-game activities. Here are the links for viewing the videos:
Edmonds Community College may have dropped its middle name in April, 2020 (the first Covid year), but none of the many veterans and civilians got confused or lost on 25 May when the college held its traditional early Memorial Day ceremony on campus. I’ve been sounding two bugle calls—“To the Color” and “Taps”—at every such event since 2014.
I use my Getzen field trumpet, starting with my B-flat tuning slide for “To The Color” and my G tuning slide for “Taps.” (For photos and more information about the horn and these slides, see my blog post of 4 May 2015, using the Archives in the left column).
The keynote speaker, Wally Webster II, gave one of the most moving speeches that I have heard at any of these ceremonies. He is a native of southern Alabama. To him, as a young black man, the American flag symbolized his terror of men riding on horseback in white robes and conical hats and burning crosses. Then he joined the U.S. Air Force. He said that his military service at a hospital in Japan, caring for wounded soldiers during the Vietnam War, was one of the two most pivotal events in his life. That’s when his deep pride and gratitude for the USA developed and changed him forever. After a 30-year career in banking, he is now one of the six Trustees of Edmonds College, appointed by the Governor of Washington state.
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:
For the second year in a row, due to Covid restrictions, VFW Post 1040 performed a shortened, non-advertised Memorial Day commemoration ceremony at Veterans Park in Lynnwood. Normally, the ceremony would draw 200 or more people, and there would be music and speeches and presentations and honors and rifle salutes and “Taps” and more. It would take a half hour or more, and then at noon, the flag would be raised from half-staff to full-staff, accompanied by “To the Color” on the bugle.
This year, only the essentials were kept on the program:
“Amazing Grace” by Piper Kevin Auld and two members of the Northwest Junior Pipe Band;
“Armed Forces Medley” on the P.A. system;
Laying of the wreaths by Patricia McCarty and John Beam, Commander, VFW Post 1040;
The City of Lynnwood recorded it all (except the flag raising) in this 9:19-minute video (please see https://youtu.be/lWCOAdCS3Jg). As you’ll see and hear, I lead off with the bugle call, “Assembly,” on my Getzen Field Trumpet (bugle) and sound “Taps” at the 8:05-minute.
We’re all hoping that on Veterans Day, 11 November, we’ll be able to resume celebrating with the customary, full program involving more people and organizations, open to the public.
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.
Annually, Cottage Lake Elementary School (CLES) in Woodinville presents an exceptional Veterans Day Ceremony, and for the second year in a row, I had the privilege of sounding “Taps” near the end of the program on 12 November. That was immediately followed by the flag-folding ceremony. Brigadier General Raymond W. Coffey, U.S. Army Volunteer Reserve (USAVR), who was emcee of and principal speaker at the ceremony, read a script explaining the symbolic meaning of each of the 13 folds. Please see https://www.ushistory.org/betsy/more/folds.htm.
The principal of CLES is Jennifer Welch, and the chief organizer of this event was Kelsey Brady, music teacher. She played the piano and conducted the school choir in a number of patriotic songs. Students conducted the White Table Ceremony (aka Missing Man Table, Fallen Comrade Table, Fallen Soldier Table, POW/MIA Remembrance Table, and POW/MIA Empty Chair Ceremony). Please see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_man_table.
About 20 veterans, most wearing clothes that identified them with their military service, were honored by the school and the large audience of parents, relatives and friends. These vets have children or grandchildren who attend CLES. In addition to “Taps,” I sounded two other calls on my gorgeous Getzen bugle—“Assembly” and “To the Color.”
Please use the Archives column (left) to find the article of 18 December 2018 and read about and see many photos of last year’s ceremony.
Boots to Books and Beyond Monument, Edmonds Community College
For the seventh straight year, we gathered at the Black Box Theatre on the campus of Edmonds Community College (ECC) on 6 November for a ceremony to honor all the nation’s veterans on the holiday established for this special purpose–Veterans Day.
L to R: SSGT Ahmad Al Rawi, Chris Szarek and Fernando Moratalla
Dr. Amit Singh, ECC President, was present and spoke. So did Mayor Nicola Smith, City of Lynnwood. But the major speakers were Ahmad Al Rawi, and Fernando Moratalla because this year’s theme was to honor immigrant veterans. SSgt. Al Rawi told how he came from Iraq to the USA and became a Marine, now serving at the Navy Recruiting Station near Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood. Sgt. Moratalla, told how he came from Venezuela, became a Marine, and is now Senior Security Guard at ECC. Both sergeants were compelled to serve, and their stories were inspirational.
Dr. Peter Schmidt told the story behind the “Boots to Books and Beyond Monument” on the campus. This year is its 10th anniversary. A fascinating staff and faculty slideshow, compiled by Sgt. Moratalla and featuring “We Are the Champions” by Queen, was presented.
Chris Szarek, Director, Veterans Resource Center (VRC), ECC, U.S. Navy (Ret.) was emcee of the ceremony. I was again honored to sound “To the Color” on my Getzen bugle (aka field trumpet). Please use the Archives in the left column to see my blog article of 24 November 2017 about that ECC Veterans Day ceremony.
Please click on any photo to enlarge it. All photos except the main one featured above, are courtesy of VRC, ECC.
U.S. Joint Volunteer Service Command Color Guard from Shoreline prepares to hoist the new flag
With love and respect, Elizabeth Hudson takes good care of the flag that flies on the grounds of Cristwood Park Retirement Community in Shoreline, where she is the Life Enrichment Coordinator (please see https://cristaseniorliving.org/explore-retirement-lifestyles/communities/). Three years ago on 12 June 2014, Ms. Hudson hosted a similar flag-changing ceremony at which I sounded two bugle calls, and this year on 14 June, she did it again. Both times it was on our national Flag Day. (Please see my blog post of 28 June 2014.)
For me, however, there was a big difference in the two ceremonies—this year, starting about 30 minutes before the ceremony, Ms. Hudson let me play patriotic songs as the crowd of about 25 residents slowly gathered. Then during the ceremony, I first sounded “Retreat” as the U.S. Joint Volunteer Service Command Color Guard from Shoreline lowered and removed the old, worn flag, followed by “To the Color,” as they hoisted the new flag to full mast on the flagpole. Afterwards, she invited me to play several more songs as the crowd dispersed.
Nice weather, nice day, nice music, nice ceremony, nice flags. It’s nice to be the VFW Post 1040 (Lynnwood) Bugler. You get to do nice things like this for nice people.
Photos are courtesy of Cristwood Park Retirement Community. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.
Star-Spangled Banner
National Anthem
Bugle call, “Retreat,” as the old flag is lowered.
March from Black Box Theatre to Boots-to-Books Monument at Edmonds Community College. Photo courtesy of ECC Veterans Resource Center.
Memorial Day at Edmonds Community College (ECC) is celebrated on the Wednesday before the national holiday, which is always held on the last Monday of May. And so we gathered on 23 May at the Black Box Theatre for ECC’s Fifth Annual Ceremony—a time to remember those who died while in military service to our country. The event is sponsored by the ECC Veterans Resource Center, led by Chris Szarek, Director. Please see http://www.edcc.edu/veterans.
The ECC Music 119 Class, accompanied by Linda Kappus on piano, sang “The Star Spangled Banner.” Angelita Shanahan, vocalist from the Hero’s Café, led the audience in singing “America, the Beautiful.”
Three musicians performed solos: Toby Beard, bagpiper; Peter Ali, Native American flutist; and me. I sounded two bugle calls on my Getzen bugle: “To the Color” and “Taps.” Peter ad-libbed during the slide show inside the theatre and outside at Boots-to-Books Monument. Toby called the event to order in the theatre with a tune to open the program; played another tune while leading the march from the theatre to the monument; and finally played “Amazing Grace” at the monument.
The colors were presented by the U.S. Joint Volunteer Service Command Color Guard.
Dr. Peter Schmidt told the story behind the “Boots to Books and Beyond Monument” on the campus. This year is its 10th anniversary. A fascinating staff and faculty slideshow, compiled by Sgt. Moratalla and featuring “We Are the Champions” by Queen, was presented.
Glenn's Trumpet Notes 