Monday's Internet Edition, February 08, 2010.
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| VETERANS FUNERAL — Members of the Kleberg County Veterans Funeral Detail fire rifles as part of a military graveside service held recently. Pictured from, left are, Rafael ‘Chico’ Favela, who is Commander of the Honor Guard; Bill Daehn, Rolando Chapa, Silvestre Chapa Jr., Manny Gutierrez, Fred Woolsey, Joe Amaya and Jesus Martinez. (Photo by Gloria Bigger-Cantu) |
The Kleberg County Veterans Funeral Detail honors deceased veterans with much deserved attention and provides an opportunity for reflection and pride, according to Rolando Chapa. This particular group of men has been together about 10 years.
Chapa has participated in military funeral detail for over 20 years.
Chapa, who was in the Vietnam War, retired from the Kingsville Post Office after 37 years. He said he would use his lunch hour time to participate in the military funeral services when he worked at the post office.
This month the Kleberg County Veterans Funeral Detail has presided at several funerals — four in Kingsville, two in Riviera and one in Vattman.
Chapa said they also conduct military funeral ceremonies in Premont, Falfurrias, Concordia, and small ranch communities like Realitos.
“We conduct between 45 to 60 military funeral services a year,” Chapa said. All of the military services were for men with the exception of a young woman, a boxer, who died last year according to Chapa.
“We have these military funeral services to honor our fallen comrades and honor the person who served our country,” Chapa said after a Friday morning service at Chamberlain Cemetery in Kingsville. The Veterans Funeral Detail is available based upon the family’s request.
Those who are entitled to a military funeral are generally anyone who dies on active duty, honorably discharged veterans, and military retirees are entitled to the three rifle volleys.
Former military members honorably discharged from the Selected Reserve due to a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty and former U.S. presidents are also eligible for military funeral honors.
Military funeral traditions have been carried on throughout the centuries and have developed into meaningful funeral customs. A three-volley salute is fired for most branches of the military.
At Friday’s local military service seven men fired rifles with the Commander of the Honor Guard, Chico Favela standing in the back and giving instructions.
The volleys over the grave originated from an army custom of halting battle to remove the dead from the battlefield. Once each army cleared its dead, three volleys were fired to indicate they were ready to resume the battle, according to a U.S. military website. This ritual often reminds some people that the battle of life is over for those who died, but the battle of life must continue for those still living.
“Taps”, an emotionally charged custom, can be played with a trumpet or bugle. Robert Daehn, a member of the Kleberg County Veterans Funeral Detail plays the bugle.
The person playing “Taps” stands 30 to 50 feet away from the gravesite while the “Final Salute” is given.
The bugle “Taps” originated in the Civil War with the Army of the Potomac. One of the generals did not like the bugle call that signaled soldiers in the camp to put out the lights and go to sleep. The general worked out the melody of “Taps” with the brigade bugler. So “Taps” was played as a signal for lights to go out. “Taps” later came into use as a figurative call to the sleep of death for soldiers, according to the U.S. military website.
After the “Final Salute “the flag is folded and presented to the next of kin. The person who presents this flag states: “As a representative of the (name of military service), it is my high privilege to present this flag. Let it be a symbol of the grateful appreciation this nation feels for the distinguished service rendered to our country and our flag by your loved one.”
The flag detail often slips three shell casings into the folded flag before presenting the flag to the family. Each casing represents one volley.
The gunfire salute is an ancient ceremony that led to the well-known 21-gun salute in 1875 when the U.S. adopted it as an international salute. the flag for someone who dies during active duty is provided by that individual’s branch of service. The U.S. Veterans Benefits Administration provides a U.S. flag at no cost, to drape the casket or accompany the urn of a deceased veteran who served honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces, according to a military website.
“The families appreciate what we do and praise us for the military funeral services,” Chapa said.
Chapa also said that the Veterans Funeral Detail goes to the cemetery every Oct. 12 to the burial site of Ron Chester Santiago, a young Navy man who died on the USS Cole.
“His family honor his memory every year,” Chapa said. The Santiago family set up a tent and provide food for members of the Veterans Funeral Detail.
Members of a Kleberg County Veterans Funeral Detail range in age from about 55 to 83 years old. “We just don’t get any young volunteers,” Chapa said.
The men have served in various branches of the military. Viet Nam veterans are Chapa, Manny Gutierrez, Rafael “Chico” Favela, Commander of Kleberg County Honor Guard, Bill Daehn, Jose Flores, also VFW Commander, Elias Cuevas, Arturo Pecos, Tomas Sanchez, Ramon Delgado, Roy Davis, Fernando Cortez, Joe Amaya, who also served in the Korean War.
Other members are Korean War veterans Joe Arevalo, Silvestre Chapa Jr., Daniel Vela, Gilberto Rivas, and Jesus Martinez. World War II veterans include John Smolik, D.D. Chapa and Robert Daehn, bugler. His wife Harriet Daehn also assists with the Veterans Funeral Detail.
Valdemar Sanchez is a Gulf War veteran. J.R. Carney served in the Army and Ken Moses, served in the Navy. Carney and Moses served during peacetime.
Chapa also credits three deceased Veterans Funeral Detail members who participated with the military services for many years. They were Fernando Valenzuela, Roberto Alvarado, and Manuel Ramirez.
“We are all friends and enjoy the comradeship,” Chapa said referring to the Veterans Funeral Detail members.