Members of the Honor Guard, which performs the duties of military funerals, met Monday at the American Legion Hall off of Bill Virdon Boulevard to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its formation. The anniversary goes further back than the official formation of the Missouri Military Honors Program in 1999. Founding members Charles Raggo, now living in Brighton, Tenn., and Dale Bjorgaard stopped by the Quill to talk about what the Honor Guard does and touch upon its history. The group first met on April 9, 1994, to practice its duties, and approached local funeral directors and those in the area about administering the unique recognition of military veterans at funeral services at a time when it wasn't very common. That includes the playing of taps by a bugler, a 21-gun salute if requested by the family and the removal of the American flag from the veteran's casket, folding it and presenting it to the veteran's family. Honor Guard members, from left: Joe Bean, Ed Beaver, Stanley Taylor, Raggo, Phil Vance, Charles Boyd, Bjorgaard, Larry Ball, Norman Carte, Owen Lunn, founding member Kelly Deadmond, Speedy Curtis and Larry Van Hove. Perry Johnson and Lynn Campo are also members. Another founding member, Howard Correll, died in 2022 at age 90.
STAFF / KIMBERLY LANGSTON
