Military Funerals and Honors

Ceremonial images of military funerals and honors, reflecting solemnity and respect for fallen soldiers during memorial services.

Soldier funeral at Arlington National Cemetery

Service members participate in a joint enlistment ceremony at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Ind., May 22, 2022. (Indiana National Guard photo by Spc. Kelsea Cook)

Soldier funeral at Arlington National Cemetery

Soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment White Currahee” were given the opportunity to represent the 3rd Brigade Combat Team and the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) during the funeral service of Jim Pee Wee” Martin at the Dayton National Cemetery in Dayton, Ohio September 21, 2022.Martin was a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division, he fought on D-Day in Nazi occupied France; In addition to the invasion of Normandy, Martin also parachuted in Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands, and the Battle of the Bulge.At the age of 101 Martin passed away peacefully in his home on September 11, 2022. He was one of the last remaining Airborne "Toccoa Originals" of 1942.

Soldiers from the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment Caisson Platoon, and the U.S. Army Band, Pershings Own conduct military funeral honors with funeral escort for U.S. Army Lt. Col. James Megellas, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Sept. 2, 2022.Megellas is considered the most decorated officers in the history of the 82nd Airborne Division. His awards include the Distinguished Service Cross, two Silver Stars, two Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts, and other military honors for his World War II European service. Megellas is being considered for the Medal of Honor for his service and leadership during the Battle of the Bulge, an upgrade of the Silver Star he received for this service.Megellass grandson, James Megellas, received the U.S. flag from his service.

DA-SC-85-12386. Base: Andrews Air Force Base State: Maryland (MD) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A joint services honor guard carries the coffin of GEN Nathan Twining, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of STAFF from 1957-1960, during the full honors funeral. Base: Arlington State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

040914-F-7552L-012. Base: Incirlik Air Base, Adana Country: Turkey (TUR)

Two Marines from Marine Corps Detachment Goodfellow fold the American flag during a Memorial Day service at the Tom Green County Courthouse Lawn, San Angelo, Texas, May 30, 2022. The folded flag was presented to Mrs. Janet Worden, a gold star spouse in attendance of the ceremony.

U.S. Soldiers with the Pennsylvania National Guards funeral honors team support the memorial service and burial of Pfc. Donald M. Born whose remains were recently identified and given a proper burial after going missing in action during the Korean War in 1950.

Sailors assigned to Navy Region Hawaii and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) conduct an interment ceremony held at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Sept. 21, 2022. DPAA and attending family members paid their respects and honored the life of Petty Officer 1st Class Beoin Corzatt, who was assigned to the USS Oklahoma when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft during World War II. Corzatt was accounted for on Dec. 17, 2020, nearly 80 years after the attacks on Pearl Harbor.

DA-SC-85-00825. Base: Arlington State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

020606-F-6470S-001. Base: Metz-Sablon Country: France (FRA)

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Aug. 18, 2022) U.S. Marine Corps Body Bearers from Bravo Company, Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., carry the casket of Midshipman 2nd Class (junior) Luke Bird during a funeral service at the U.S. Naval Academy. Bird, of New Braunfels, Texas, died July 17, 2022, when he fell over a waterfall while hiking in the Valparaíso region during a semester abroad in Chile.

Official imagery from the memorial services for Chief Warrant Officer 4 Hershel Woodrow Woody Williams, Medal of Honor recipient, held in Norfolk, Virginia, Friday, July 15, 2022. Born in Quiet Dell, West Virginia in 1923, Williams, 98, was awarded the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while he served as a demolition sergeant serving with the 21st Marines, third Marine Division while fighting Japanese forces on Iwo Jima on Feb. 23, 1945. At the time of his death on June 29, 2022, he was the last living World War II Medal of Honor recipient.

Service members from the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard, the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Band, and the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (the Old Guard) Caisson Platoon conduct military funeral honors with funeral escort for U.S. Navy Chief Pharmacists Mate James T. Cheshire in Section 62 of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., July 22, 2022. Cheshire died on Dec. 7, 1941 when the battleship he was assigned to, the USS Oklahoma at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, was attacked by Japanese aircraft.From the Defense POW/MIA Account Agency (DPAA) press release:The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Cheshire.From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nuuanu Cemeteries.In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the America

Members of the Joint Honor Guard take part in the honor cordon as Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III welcomes Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak to the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., April 20, 2022. (DoD photo by Lisa Ferdinando)

U.S. Marines with Headquarters and Support Battalion, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, retire the colors during the 80th annual Evening Colors Ceremony at the Santa Margarita Ranch House on Camp Pendleton, California, Sept. 15, 2022. The ceremony was held to commemorate the official dedication of Camp Pendleton, which took place in September 1942. The base was named after Maj. Gen. Joseph H. Pendleton, who had long advocated for a West Coast training base to be established.

Marines with the Official U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard stand at attention during a Friday Evening Parade at Marine Barracks Washington, June 10, 2022. The hosting official for the evening was Lt. Gen. Matthew G. Glavy, Deputy Commandant for Information, and the guest of honor was the Honorable Ronald S. Moultrie, Under Secretary of Defense Intelligence and Security.

221001-N-EF547-1073 SAN DIEGO OPAREA (Oct. 1, 2022) Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG 57) during a burial at sea ceremony. USS Lake Champlain (CG 57) conducts a burial at sea ceremony. Lake Champlain is operating in the Pacific Ocean and is homeported in San Diego.

U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Ceremonial Guardsmen transfer Capt. David A. Wisniewski on to a caisson while HH-60G Pave Hawks fly over during his internment at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. Captain Wisniewski died July 2, 2010, from injuries suffered during a helicopter crash in Afghanistan.

DF-ST-86-09768. Base: Rhein-Main Air Base Country: West Germany (FRG)

Army Sgt. Howard R. Belden, 19, of Hague, New York, killed during the Korean War, was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, May 12, 2022. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency accounted for Belden on Oct. 14, 2021. In attendance at the funeral was Belden's sister, Barbara Curtis, and three of his brothers, Arthur, Daniel, and Arnold.

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne Bass renders a salute during the flag folding ceremony at the interment of the fifth Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force, Robert D. Gaylor, Feb. 10, 2024, at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Texas. Fifth Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Robert D. Gaylor championed Air Force professional military education in the late '60s and '70s before he was promoted to Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force in 1977. He continued to educate and inspire service members for more than 40 years after his retirement from military service. Air Force

U.S. Army Soldiers of the 1-161st Infantry Battalion were honor guard for 2nd Lt. Eugene Shauvin during a funeral ceremony on July 23, 2022, in Spokane, Washington. Shauvin was an Army Air Force pilot who went missing in action during WWII.

Color Guardsman with the City of Jacksonville Fire Department prepare to present colors during the Patriot Day Observance Ceremony at Lejeune Memorial Gardens in Jacksonville, North Carolina, Sept. 9, 2022. The Patriot Day ceremony is held in remembrance of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and a tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

U.S. Navy Sailors assigned to Navy Region Hawaii and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) conduct an interment ceremony held at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii, Oct. 12, 2022. DPAA and attending family members paid their respects and honored the life of U.S. Navy Fire Controlman 1st Class Hubert P. Clement. Clement was assigned to the USS Oklahoma when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft during World War II. Clement was accounted for on Oct. 1, 2021, nearly 80 years after the attacks on Pearl Harbor.

U.S. Navy Sailors assigned to Navy Region Hawaii and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) conduct an interment ceremony held at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii, Oct. 12, 2022. DPAA and attending family members paid their respects and honored the life of U.S. Navy Fire Controlman 1st Class Hubert P. Clement. Clement was assigned to the USS Oklahoma when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft during World War II. Clement was accounted for on Oct. 1, 2021, nearly 80 years after the attacks on Pearl Harbor.

Members of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) participate in a disinterment ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii, Oct. 24, 2022. The ceremony was part of DPAAs efforts to disinter the remains of unknown service members lost during the Korean War. DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and the nation.

Soldiers assigned to the "Can Do Battalion," 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, conduct funeral honors and carry the draped casket of Cpl. Donald L. Menken, a U.S. Army Korean War casualty who served in Company K, 3rd Bn., 15th IR, 3rd ID, who was interred at Green Acres Cemetery in Ermine, Kentucky, May 14, 2022. Menken was reported missing in action after being wounded by artillery fire while guarding Outpost Harry on June 10, 1953, on a road to Seoul, Republic of Korea, in what is now the Demilitarized Zone and his remains were unaccounted for until Feb. 2, 2022, and then repatriated to the place Menken called home.

Tomb guards from the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) conduct a Public Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., April 3, 2023. The wreath was laid by Gen. Carsten Breuer, chief of defense, German Armed Forces, and German Navy Rear Adm. Axel Ristau, defense attaché, German Embassy in DC.

070214-A-5560M-013. Base: Humacao State: Puerto Rico (PR) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, Funeral with military honors (Editorial Usage Only)

Service members from the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard, the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Band, and the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (the Old Guard) Caisson Platoon conduct military funeral honors with funeral escort for U.S. Navy Chief Pharmacists Mate James T. Cheshire in Section 62 of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., July 22, 2022. Cheshire died on Dec. 7, 1941 when the battleship he was assigned to, the USS Oklahoma at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, was attacked by Japanese aircraft.From the Defense POW/MIA Account Agency (DPAA) press release:The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Cheshire.From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nuuanu Cemeteries.In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the America

040611-F-3050V-133. Base: Andrews Air Force Base State: Maryland (MD) Country: United States Of America (USA)

030924-M-3843B-055. Base: Mcas, Beaufort State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A color guard from the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) supports the 95th Division Legacy Associations 72nd Reunion in Section 2 of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Oct. 20, 2022. As part of the reunion, two wreaths were placed at the gravesite of U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Harry Twaddle, former 95th Division Commander.

CORONADO, Calif. (Sept. 11, 2012) Chief petty officer selectees, assigned to various commands throughout Navy District Southwest, hold an American flag to be retired during a flag retirement ceremony at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. During the ceremony the selectees of class 119 of the Greater San Diego Chief Petty Officers Association retired 52 flags.

A joint services casket team places the flag-draped casket of the Unknown Serviceman of the Vietnam Era onto a caisson at the East Plaza of the Capitol. The 3rd US Infantry (The Old Guard) caisson will transport the serviceman to Arlington National Cemetery for a state funeral service and interment at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Base: Washington State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Army Spc. David Saari, North Dakota Army National Guard, salutes during military funeral honor team training at the Armed Forces Reserve Center, Fargo, N.D., Aug. 17, 2007.

A Joint Service Military Honor Guard carry the remains of repatriated service members, returned from Vietnam, to be identified at the Central Identification Lab of Hawaii on Hickam Air Force Base. The reparation ceremony was held on August 29th, 2000. Base: Hickam Air Force Base State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Members of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) render honors during a chain of custody event for the remains ofU.S. Navy Fire Controlman 1st Class Hubert P. Clement at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii,Oct. 11, 2022. Clement was assigned to the USS Oklahoma when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft during World War II. Clement was accounted for on Oct. 1, 2021, nearly 80 years after the attacks on Pearl Harbor.DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and the nation.

22074-N-MZ836-1153 BREST, France (July 4, 2022) U.S. Marine Corps Col. Ed Norris, right, the Marine Corps Defense Attaché for U.S. Embassy France, salutes during an Independence Day Ceremony in Brest, France, July 4, 2022. The Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group and embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, under the command and control of Task Force 61/2, is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., Allied and Partner interests.

060329-N-1027J-029. Base: Pearl Harbor State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

United States Army Reservist Maj. Rhode, presents a reef of roses honoring the fallen heros during the American Legion 500 festival memorial service at the Indiana War Memorial May 26, 2022. (Indiana National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Aaron Edwards)

220911-N-SI601-1051 YOKOSUKA, Japan (Sept. 11, 2022) Sailors retire the ensign for evening colors on the flight deck of the U.S. Navys only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), while in port on board Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Sept. 11. Ronald Reagan, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 5, provides a combat-ready force that protects and defends the United States, and supports alliances, partnerships and collective maritime interests in the Indo-Pacific region.

030302-A-7884W-003. Base: Ramstein Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU) Scene Major Command Shown: Europe

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne Bass prepares to receive the U.S. flag during the flag folding ceremony at the interment of the fifth Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force, Robert D. Gaylor, Feb. 10, 2024, at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Texas. Fifth Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Robert D. Gaylor championed Air Force professional military education in the late '60s and '70s before he was promoted to Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force in 1977. He continued to educate and inspire service members for more than 40 years after his retirement from military service. Air Force

Soldiers from the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) participate in Flags-In, where Soldiers placed U.S. flags at the headstones and niche of service members buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Va. Over 250,000 flags were planted at the final resting place of our Nation's fallen.

U.S. Marines and special guests are presented with flowers during a ceremony at Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, Belleau, France, May 29, 2022. This Memorial Day ceremony was held to commemorate the 104th anniversary of the Battle of Belleau Wood. The visit is to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their respective countries during World War I.

Members of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) lift a casket containing the remains of a U.S. service member during a disinterment ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii, April 11, 2022. The ceremony was part of DPAAs efforts to disinter the remains of unknown service members lost during the Korean War. DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our nation.

U.S. Marines with the Silent Drill Platoon perform in New York City, Nov. 11, 2022. The Veterans Day Parade is observed annually by veterans, service members and local residents to give thanks and support for members of the armed forces.

Official imagery from the memorial services for Chief Warrant Officer 4 Hershel Woodrow Woody Williams, Medal of Honor recipient, held at the West Virginia State Capitol, Sunday, July 3, 2022. Born in Quiet Dell, West Virginia in 1923, Williams, 98, was awarded the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while he served as a demolition sergeant serving with the 21st Marines, third Marine Division while fighting Japanese forces on Iwo Jima on Feb. 23, 1945. At the time of his death on June 29, 2022, he was the last living World War II Medal of Honor recipient.

Marine pallbearers carry COL William R. Higgins' coffin to the grave site during funeral services at Quantico National Cemetery. COL Higgins was killed by terrorists after being taken hostage while serving with the United Nations Truce and Observer Force in Beirut, Lebanon. Base: Marine Corps Base, Quantico State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

The U.S. Air Force Honor Guard, the U.S. Air Force Ceremonial Brass Band, and the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) Caisson Platoon conduct military funeral honors with funeral escort for U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Cuthbert Pattillo and Lt. Gen. Charles Pattillo in Section 75 of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Sept. 14, 2022.Twin brothers, Maj. Gen. and Lt. Gen. Pattillo enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces in November 1942. During World War II, both flew with the Eighth Air Forces 352nd Fighter Group, protecting bombers and attacking ground targets. Maj. Gen. Pattillo flew 135 combat missions before being shot down and captured by the Germans. He remained a POW until the end of the war.Both were released from active duty following World War II but were later recalled in early 1948, serving with the 31st Fighter Group. Later, both served with the with the 36th Tactical Wing at Furstenfeldbruck Air Base in Germany. While in Europe, both helped form and flew in the U.S

070402-A-5560M-010. Base: Muniz Air Base State: Puerto Rico (PR) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Members of the 101st Airborne Division Honor Guard stand at attention next to caskets containing the remains of a member of the 3rd Bn., 502nd Inf., 101st Airborne Div., during a memorial ceremony. On December 12, 1985, 248 soldiers of the 3rd Battalion were killed in plane crash at Gander Airport, Newfoundland. They were returning to the United States after participating in peacekeeping duty with the Multi-national Force and Observers in the Sinai Desert. Base: Dover Air Force Base State: Delaware (DE) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Marine Corps body bearers from Marine Barracks 8th and I, carry the casket of CWO4 Hershel "Woody" Williams at the State Capitol Rotunda during the West Virginia State Memorial services for Woody, July 3, 2022 in Charleston, W.Va. Born on October 2, 1923, in Quiet Dell, WV, Woody enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve on May 26, 1943, and advanced to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 4 before his retirement in 1969 after 17 years of service. During WWII, Woody served in New Caledonia, Guadalcanal, and Guam before landing in Iwo Jima where his actions earned him the Medal of Honor. At the time of his death on June 29, 2022, he was the last living World War II Medal of Honor recipient.

020329-F-1644L-011. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Ramstein Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

LIBERTYVILLE, Il. (May 18, 2022) Senior Chief Boatswain's Mate Kyle Dahlke, left, from Harvard, Il., and Master-at-Arms 1st Class Daniel Arroyo, from Zion, Il., salute a the casket of a Navy veteran during a funeral service. Navy military funerals are conducted to recognize the proud American tradition of honorable service which Navy men and women have given to their country. Our Nation regards the memorializing of its military deceased as an honorable and sacred obligation.

A tomb guard from the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) walks the mat at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Nov. 4, 2022.

The Commandant of the Marine Corps, General David. H. Berger, watches Marines from Marine Barracks Washington 8th and I fold the national ensign during the West Virginia State Memorial services for U.S. Marine Corps CWO4 Hershel "Woody" Williams at the State Capitol and Culture Center Theater, July 3, 2022 in Charleston, W.Va. Born on October 2, 1923, in Quiet Dell, WV, Woody enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve on May 26, 1943, and advanced to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 4 before his retirement in 1969 after 17 years of service. During WWII, Woody served in New Caledonia, Guadalcanal, and Guam before landing in Iwo Jima where his actions earned him the Medal of Honor. At the time of his death on June 29, 2022, he was the last living World War II Medal of Honor recipient.

The Honorable John McHugh, Secretary of the Army, Gen. George W. Casey Jr., Army Chief of Staff, Gen. James Thurman, commanding general, Forces Command and others bow their heads in prayer Friday during the invocation by Maj. Gen. Douglas Carver, Army Chief of Chaplains, at an awards ceremony and memorial stone unveiling at Fort Hood, Texas. Fifty-two Soldiers and civilians were honored for their efforts to aid the wounded in the wake of the Nov. 5, 2009 shooting at the installations Soldier Readiness Processing center. A memorial stone was dedicated to the Soldiers and civilians who lost their lives that day.

DN-SC-89-07244. Country: Unknown

Barracks Marines continued the tradition of excellence with another outstanding performance at Marine Barracks Washington D.C., June 17, 2022. The hosting official for the evening was Lt. Gen. Mark R. Wise, Deputy Commandant for Aviation, and Her Excellency Dame Karen Pierce, British Ambassador to the U.S., was the guest of honor.U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Mark Morales)

030616-N-9593R-004. Base: Arlington National Cemetery State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Members of the Mandeville Police Department Honor Guard unfold an American flag during the unveiling of a permanent memorial to Mandeville Police Captain Vincent Liberto Jr., in Mandeville, Louisiana, Sept. 14, 2022. Liberto served 10 years in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve before being honorably discharged as a sergeant. He was shot and killed in the line of duty, Sept. 20, 2019. U.S. Marine Corps Col. Justin Ansel, the assistant chief of staff for the Marine Forces Reserve G-3/5 and a Mandeville resident, attended the dedication on behalf of the Marine Corps. We as officers owe it to America to give back someone whos better physically, mentally, morally. Thats what we do in the Marine Corps, said Ansel. We make Marines; we make them better mentally, physically, and morally, and then they go back into their communities. Vinnie Liberto is just a perfect example of this. His irrational call to serve continued from his Marine Corps service to public service as a Mandeville police officer.

Vice President Cheney participates in memorial ceremonies for the September 11 attacks

070102-F-3961R-128. Base: Grand Rapids State: Michigan (MI) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: NORTHWEST

Service Members from the U.S. Coast Guard, along with family and friends of the victims of the USS Serpens, attend a wreath-laying ceremony at the USS Serpens Memorial in Section 34 of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Jan. 27, 2023. This year marks the 78th anniversary of the explosion and destruction of the USS Serpens (AK-97). 250 service members lost their lives in this incident. This was the largest single disaster in the history of the Coast Guard.

U.S. Marines with the Silent Drill Platoon perform in New York City, Nov. 11, 2022. The Veterans Day Parade is observed annually by veterans, service members and local residents to give thanks and support for members of the armed forces.

U.S. National Guardsmen of the Level Two Course of the Missouri Military Funeral Honors Program, are training at the Ike Skelton Training Site, Jefferson City, Missouri, April 26, 2022. Every year the Missouri Military Funeral Honors Program Level Two Course is taught to National Guardsmen.

New York Army National Guard Maj. Gen. Michel Natali, the assistant adjutant general, Army, and Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Jenks, the senior enlisted leader of NY's Joint Force Headquarters place the presidential wreath at the grave of former President Chester A. Arthur on his birthday, Albany, New York, Oct. 5, 2022. On each former president's birthday, a wreath is laid at their grave on behalf of the current president.

U.S. Marines from 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division and the 2d Marine Division Band stand in formation at a ceremony at Aisne-Marne American Cemetery marking the 104th anniversary of the Battle of Belleau Wood, May 29, 2022. The Battle of Belleau Wood is remembered for the intensity of the fighting and sustained, as well as for the participation of the 5th and 6th Marine Regiments. To this day, Marines assigned to these two regiments wear the French fourragere on the left shoulder of their uniforms as a reminder of their unit's distinguished service during the First World War.

Usa, Virginia, Arlington. Iwo Jima Memorial, Sunset Parade which consists of a performance of 'The Commandant's Own' Drum and Bugle Corps, the U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard.

The honor cordon arrives as Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace hold a bilateral meeting at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., May 11, 2022.

U.S. service members with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) prepare to transfer the remains of a service member during a disinterment ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii, August 11, 2022. The disinterred remains were transferred to the DPAA laboratory for identification. DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our Nation.

031212-M-6717G-001. Base: USMC Recruit Depot,Parris Island State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DF-ST-89-01903. Base: Andrews Air Force Base State: Maryland (MD) Country: United States Of America (USA)

070310-M-8182G-007. Base: New Orleans State: Louisiana (LA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: MARFORRES

020920-F-4649H-013. Subject Operation/Series: NORTHERN WATCH Base: Incirlik Air Base, Adana Country: Turkey (TUR) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (June 4, 2012) Petty Officers 1st Class Gomecindo Rodriguez, left, and Luke Rohrer carry a wreath to be placed at the Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton flag pole while taps is played during the hospitals 70th anniversary commemoration of the Battle of Midway.

California State Guard members present honorary wreaths to display for fallen troops during the annual Memorial Day Observance Ceremony at Oak Hill Funeral Home & Memorial Park, San Jose, California, May 30 2022. The 129th Rescue Wing was invited to host an HH-60G Pave Hawk flyover event for the annual ceremony, which honored veterans of all armed forces of the United States.

Soldiers from across the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) assist in celebrating President George Washingtons Birthday at Mount Vernon, Va. on Feb. 19, 2024. Later that day, the Fife and Drum Corps marched during the 2024 George Washington Birthday Parade in Alexandria, Va. Army

Remains of U.S. Army Air Corps Cpl. LaVerne Dirk Van Dyke, B-25 crew member, is laid to rest at the Zeeland Cemetery, Michigan, May 12, 2022. Van Dyke's great-niece, Beth Klomparen and great-nephew, Steve Klomparen accepted the ceremonial folded flag from Wright-Patterson Air Force Honor Guard 80 years after Van Dykes death. Remains of six crew members were found in a remote area of Papua New Guinea in 1998. The DNA analysis process to identify the remains took 20 years and another three years to bring Van Dyke home to his final resting place.

U.S. Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer 2 Stephen Howell, a band officer with the 2d Marine Division band, stands alongside a formation during a ceremony at Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, Belleau, France, May 29, 2022. This Memorial Day ceremony was held to commemorate the 104th anniversary of the Battle of Belleau Wood. The visit is to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their respective countries during World War I.

Respects are paid to former U.S. President Gerald Ford as his casket lay in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol

On Friday October 28 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit FIVE (EODMU5) held their change of command ceremony with Cmdr. Jason Shell relieving Cmdr. John Keefe. Under Cmdr. Keefe EODMU5 conducted 8 operations, 41 theater security cooperation engagements, 7 joint and combined exercises, 3 Defense Prisoner of War Missing in Action Accountability Agency missions, and 3 humanitarian mine action missions across 24 Pacific nations. Keynote speaker for the ceremony was Commander, Task Force (CTF) 75 Commodore, Capt. Shaun Lieb.

U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May personnel participate in the Cape May County Veterans Cemetery Memorial Day Ceremony in Cape May, New Jersey, May 30, 2022. This Memorial Day, Adm. Karl Schultz, commandant of the Coast Guard, called on all members of the Coast Guard to reflect on the service and sacrifice of all American military personnel who died in the performance of their military duties, and to pay tribute to these heroes and to honor the family members they left behind.

September 11th remembrance ceremony held in front of NASA Research Park Bldg-17 (Lunar Science Institute) hosted by the American Legion, Post 881, Moffett Field.

U.S. Army Reserve Brig. Gen. Scott Linton, deputy commanding general-readiness, 88th Readiness Division, left, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Erik Archer, Professor of Military Science for the University of Wisconsin La Crosse, Viterbo University, and Winona State University, and Master Sgt. Kamillio Lara, Senior Military Science Instructor, present arms during the Eagle Battalion Army ROTC UWL, WSU and VU Spring Commissioning ceremony at Riverside Park in La Crosse, Wis., May 14, 2022.

Marine Sergeant Major Allan J. Kellogg, right, Medal of Honor recipient for duty in Vietnam, and Air Force General Jerome O'Malley, commander-in-chief of Pacific Air Forces, salute during the wreath-laying ceremony to honor the Unknown Serviceman of the Vietnam Era. The casket will be transported California aboard the frigate USS BREWTON (FF 1086). Base: Pearl Harbor State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

010713-F-7906C-030. Base: Kelly Air Force Base State: Texas (TX) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: AFMC

(From left) Lt. Sean Kerrigan, Fort Bragg Fire and Emergency Services, and Patrol Officer Steven Bailey, Provost Marshal Fort Bragg, salute after placing a wreath during the Fort Bragg 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony on Fort Bragg, N.C., Sept. 11, 2022. The ceremony highlighted both U.S. Army Soldiers and first responders who participated and were impacted by the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

Members of the California Army National Guard's Honor Guard team perform military funeral honors during the 2009 Army National Guard Honor Guard Competition at Fort Myer, Va., Monday, Sept.14, 2009. The competition, which included eight finalists, tested the skills of the team members on their drill and ceremony knowledge, performance of military funeral honors, and attention to detail in wearing the Army uniform.

Office of the Secretary (Carlos Gutierrez) - Balkans Trade Mission Commemoration

021024-F-3329S-009. Base: Ramstein Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

Service members from the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard, the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Band, and the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (the Old Guard) Caisson Platoon conduct military funeral honors with funeral escort for U.S. Navy Chief Pharmacists Mate James T. Cheshire in Section 62 of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., July 22, 2022. Cheshire died on Dec. 7, 1941 when the battleship he was assigned to, the USS Oklahoma at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, was attacked by Japanese aircraft.From the Defense POW/MIA Account Agency (DPAA) press release:The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Cheshire.From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nuuanu Cemeteries.In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the America

U.S. Navy Sailors assigned to Navy Region Hawaii raise a U.S. flag over a coffin during an interment ceremony for U.S. Navy Shipfitter Third Class Francis Hannon at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii, Oct. 13, 2022. Hannon was assigned to the USS Oklahoma when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft during World War II. Hannon was accounted for on Aug. 28, 2017. DPAA's mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and the nation.

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