TENNESSEE

Reported by Capt. Shawn Rainey

June saw the men of 1-A busy as always. Confederate Memorial Services occurred all across our state, many

being hosted by Mechanized Cavalry members. June also saw the 20th Nathan Bedford Forrest Boyhood Homecoming

on June 18th. 1-A has assisted the TN Division SCV in hosting this event for several years and we are proud to continue

that tradition. The loss of Lt. Radar was felt hard as this was an event he lead our men in.

We will continue to assist the TN Division in the years to come in his memory.

Men of 1st Platoon 1st Squad hosted the Confederate Memorial Service at the Chattanooga

Confederate Cemetery. Thank you to Sgt. Billy Walker on your efforts there!

Members of 3rd Platoon attended the Confederate Memorial Service at the Unknown Confederate Monument in

Union City. This monument has the distinction of being oldest monument to Unknown Confederate Dead in the world.

It was erected in 1869. The service was also a memorial service honoring Charles Shepard, a local black Confederate Soldier.

Lt's Brent White, Trey King, and Mark Brate attend the

Confederate Memorial Service in Murfreesboro.

Big thank you to these men for their hard work at the Boyhood Home! Lt. Brent White, Trp. Dane Clark,

Trp. Levi Decker, Lt. Roger Leonard, Lt. Mark Brate, Lt. Trey King, and Trp. Josh Ragan.

The Nathan Bedford Forrest Boyhood Home.

Lt. Spike Spears leads the Confederate Memorial Service in Summertown.

Lt. Ed Hill attended the Confederate Memorial Service in Bristol and gave an interview

 to the local news. The news channel did a good job at not skewing his words.

  TENNESSEE

Reported by USAF MSGT. Retired Wesley Frank

Memorial Day Services - Paris, TN

The Church bells rang around the town square at 8 A.M. May 30, 2022, on a cool summer morning, signaling the beginning

of the VFW/American Legion Annual remembrance of our fallen service members of all wars. Opening begins with Invocation,

followed by the Legion Honor Guard posting the colors. We rose to attention, the old veterans, thumbs down the pant leg

 as we were taught so many years ago, rendered a hand salute, the Boy Scouts their three fingered salute, and the rest

placed their hands over their hearts as we said the Pledge of Allegiance. Following the Pledge of Allegiance the Legion

introduced the honored guests and speakers.

A crowd of approximately 200 people gathered today at the courthouse most in their veteran’s colors, lots of Boy Scouts

and female veterans also. As we stood after the Pledge an Army Colonel came by with scrambled eggs on his hat brim, I ask my

 granddaughter if she knew what they meant, so I explained that senior officers were the only ones to wear it.

 She got to educate Dad at the supper table with her new information.

We were on the north end of the courthouse and courthouse was all decorated with flags. The Spanish American War soldier

 stood atop his marble monument, on silent guard and duty. The Boy Scouts assisting with the reading of names of the fallen, as

program neared an end a caisson came down the street the casket. An empty ceremonial coffin was on a caisson;

it was brought to the podium and placed in full view, by the six man honor guard.

The Honor Guard, made up of the Tennessee State Guard, Commander spoke about how the burial takes place

 while the flag draped coffin lay in state. He explained the caisson brings the body to the grave site, it is then moved to the

 platform for the service. A 21 gun salute was fired; the number 21, representing the year of our country’s birth, 1776 added together.

Seven weapons are fired three times to give you the 21 gun salute.

Following the 21 gun salute, this story of TAPS was explained. In July 1862, U.S. General Daniel Butterfield and his brigade were

 camped at Harrison’s Landing, Virginia, recuperating after the Seven Days Battles near Richmond. Dissatisfied with the

standard bugle call employed by the Army to indicate to troops it was time to go to sleep, and thinking the call should

 sound more melodious, Butterfield reworked an existing bugle call used to signal the end of the day. After he had his

 brigade bugler, Private Oliver Wilcox Norton, play it for the men, buglers from other units became interested in the 24-note

tune and it quickly spread throughout the Army, and even caught on with the Confederates forces. U.S. Army Captain John Tidball,

 decided the bugle call would be safer than the traditional firing of three rifle volleys over the soldiers grave, a move which couldn’t been confused

by the nearby enemy as an attack.

Following the explanation of Taps the mournful sound came from a real bugler, being human he hit one or two clinkers, which made

all the more real. My wife and grandchildren who accompanied me, notice men crying at the playing of both Taps by the bugler and

Amazing Grace by the Bag Piper, me included. After the playing of Taps, the honor Guard returned to remove the flag

from the coffin and fold it for presentation to the grieving family.

Finally several wreaths from different groups were placed at the all wars memorial.

After the laying of wreaths, twelve white doves were released and flew into the warm summer morning, benediction was called

 and we were dismissed. I asked two of the motorcycle brothers and American Legion, Legion Riders, to join me front

of the monument for photo, of which they agreed.

 Note; Marlissa was ARMY ROTC with the rank of cadet Staff Sergeant and a

Squad leader before moving to Tennessee.I'm very proud that my wife Diane, my two grand children,

 Wyatt and Marlissa, who were there to support me as a retired USAF Veteran.