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the United States and that this country assumes
carried from the caisson to the grave by six mili-
the responsibility of burying the soldier as a sol-
tary body bearers. In addition to the body bear-
emn and sacred obligation.
ers, honorary pallbearers are usually designated
b. Other traditions observed in a military fu-
who march to the cemetery alongside the caisson.
neral had their origin on the battlefield. Some his-
At the cemetery, the casket is placed over the
torians believe, for example, that the volley fired
grave and the body bearers hold the flag-pall
over the grave was first observed in earlier days
waist high over the casket. After the committal
of warfare when it was the custom of opposing
service is read by the chaplain, a firing party fires
armies to declare a truce so that each could clear
three volleys. A bugler stationed at the head of
its dead from the battlefield and bury them. Ac-
the grave sounds Taps over the casket and the
cording to this theory, the volley fired three times
military funeral is completed. The body bearers
was originally a signal that the burial ceremony
then fold the flag and it is presented to the next
was finished and an invitation to the enemy to
of kin. These basic elements are the foundation
join in combat once again. The flying of the flag
of all military funerals, whether last rites are
at half staff during a funeral also has a peculiarly
being conducted over a private's casket or final
military significance. In early times, it was the
honors are being paid at the grave of a general.
custom to fly the victor's colors over the flag of
the defeated enemy and to run down the enemy's
3. SIGNIFICANCE OF MILITARY FUNERAL. a.
colors for that purpose. The lowering of the flag
The ceremonial customs that comprise the ele-
to half staff during a military funeral symbolizes
ments of all military funerals are rooted in an-
the victory of life over death and the ascendency
cient military usage. In many cases, these tradi-
of the spiritual over the temporal.
tions are based on expedients used long ago on
c. Finally, the sounding of Taps over the grave
the battlefield in time of war. The use of a caisson
has an obvious origin in military custom. Since
as a hearse, for example, is an obvious combat
Taps is the last bugle call the soldier hears at
improvisation. In a similar manner, the custom
night, it is particularly appropriate that it be
of covering the casket with a flag probably origi-
played over his grave to mark the beginning of
nated on the battlefield where caskets were not
his last, long sleep and to express hope and confi-
available and the flag, wrapped around the dead
dence in an ultimate reveille to come.
serviceman, served as a makeshift pall in which
he could be buried. Later, these customs assumed
a deeper significance than that of mere expedi-
ency. The fact that an American flag is used to
cover the casket, for example, now symbolizes the
fact that the soldier served in the armed forces of
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"ocrText": "the United States and that this country assumes\ncarried from the caisson to the grave by six mili-\nthe responsibility of burying the soldier as a sol-\ntary body bearers. In addition to the body bear-\nemn and sacred obligation.\ners, honorary pallbearers are usually designated\nb. Other traditions observed in a military fu-\nwho march to the cemetery alongside the caisson.\nneral had their origin on the battlefield. Some his-\nAt the cemetery, the casket is placed over the\ntorians believe, for example, that the volley fired\ngrave and the body bearers hold the flag-pall\nover the grave was first observed in earlier days\nwaist high over the casket. After the committal\nof warfare when it was the custom of opposing\nservice is read by the chaplain, a firing party fires\narmies to declare a truce so that each could clear\nthree volleys. A bugler stationed at the head of\nits dead from the battlefield and bury them. Ac-\nthe grave sounds Taps over the casket and the\ncording to this theory, the volley fired three times\nmilitary funeral is completed. The body bearers\nwas originally a signal that the burial ceremony\nthen fold the flag and it is presented to the next\nwas finished and an invitation to the enemy to\nof kin. These basic elements are the foundation\njoin in combat once again. The flying of the flag\nof all military funerals, whether last rites are\nat half staff during a funeral also has a peculiarly\nbeing conducted over a private's casket or final\nmilitary significance. In early times, it was the\nhonors are being paid at the grave of a general.\ncustom to fly the victor's colors over the flag of\nthe defeated enemy and to run down the enemy's\n3. SIGNIFICANCE OF MILITARY FUNERAL. a.\ncolors for that purpose. The lowering of the flag\nThe ceremonial customs that comprise the ele-\nto half staff during a military funeral symbolizes\nments of all military funerals are rooted in an-\nthe victory of life over death and the ascendency\ncient military usage. In many cases, these tradi-\nof the spiritual over the temporal.\ntions are based on expedients used long ago on\nc. Finally, the sounding of Taps over the grave\nthe battlefield in time of war. The use of a caisson\nhas an obvious origin in military custom. Since\nas a hearse, for example, is an obvious combat\nTaps is the last bugle call the soldier hears at\nimprovisation. In a similar manner, the custom\nnight, it is particularly appropriate that it be\nof covering the casket with a flag probably origi-\nplayed over his grave to mark the beginning of\nnated on the battlefield where caskets were not\nhis last, long sleep and to express hope and confi-\navailable and the flag, wrapped around the dead\ndence in an ultimate reveille to come.\nserviceman, served as a makeshift pall in which\nhe could be buried. Later, these customs assumed\na deeper significance than that of mere expedi-\nency. The fact that an American flag is used to\ncover the casket, for example, now symbolizes the\nfact that the soldier served in the armed forces of\n5\n4\n[6 of 50]"
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