My Father's Folded Flag
I posted last month about the death of father on April 1. His remains were cremated and today was the day his widow chose to have his ashes interred in their plot in Coffeyville, KS.
So young Galadriel Tanqueray Onassis (who just finished high school yesterday) and I once again found ourselves on the road to Coffeyville for a burial service just as we did last October following the death of my Uncle Joe.
Like my Uncle Joe, my father was given full military honors by a detachment from Ft. Riley. This is always a very moving ceremony. The military is very good at honoring fallen soldiers.
However, this particular ceremony had an unexpected finish.
After the honor guard presented my step mother with the folded flag, 3 shell casings tucked inside to represent the 3 volleys fired to honor his service in WWII and Korea, my step mother rose with flag in hand, turned, bowed and solemnly presented my father's folded flag to my daughter.
Did not see that coming.
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Folded Flag,
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7 comments:
wow, this is very cool. something meaningful to pass to the future generations.
I like that.
Very nice indeed.
Awesome she must be one cool stepmom
XO, please accept my belated condolences on the passing of your father.
I was barred from my father's funeral by the former mayor of Kansas City. I don't even know where he is buried. Its somewhere in Missouri, so I hope he had a military funeral, too. But probably not; he was one of those veterans who never mentioned that he was a veteran, though he fought in the Battle of the Bulge at eighteen years of age.
Your gracious stepmother seems to understand the circle of life.
XO - Very touching and meaningful.
".....The military is very good at honoring fallen soldiers....."
This is true.
I have always wondered why the military is not very good at honouring, after the fact, the ones who do not fall during a war. At least not until they are old and become useful again for 'recruitment' purposes.
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