I have had the honor of playing Taps at 2 family members' funerals that also had military gun salutes. One was a former WWII POW from Cabanatuan and survivor of the Bataan Death March, rescued in Jan 1945. His funeral took place on Nov. 11, 2001, which was an especially poignant time in our history. I've played in front of 100,000 at football games, but doing that was the hardest thing I ever did, and what I am most proud.

Was once asked by a funeral home how much my post charged to render Honors. I told the director in no uncertain circumstances, their price was paid the moment they raised their hand and took the oath. As long as I am above the grass no veteran will ever be charged to sound those 24 Hallowed notes. Btw I love the podcast! Looking forward to future episodes!

"Trumpets have a magical power to summon war." Well, if you've ever heard me playing my horn, you'd know this is true. Just ask the legion of angry neighbors outside my door.

I never thought I would see the History Guy blowing his own horn. I'll just see myself out now 😂

Another great presentation from the history guy . I once was a side drummer my brother a bugler we were in the boys brigade and preformed at Anzac day ceremonies and many other local events . I later discovered that my great great Grandfather was a drummer lance corporal in the 63rd regiment of foot who served in many places including Nova Scotia and India .

I was assigned to Ft. Rucker, AL when the amplifier for the PA system went out and Reveille needed to be called out. When my Capt. told us what the issue was, I immediately volunteered to perform the duty and, while I caught flak for "brown nosing," I also received a letter of Commendation from both my Company Capt. and my Battalion commander, as well. Never felt more proud of my mundane ability to play that horn.

Sometimes at military funerals Taps is played on a “ceremonial bugle” when a real bugler is not available. The ceremonial bugle looks like a bugle, but is electronic. It is held up to the mouth and a button is pushed to play it. Before those came in use, back when I was in high school I occasionally got out of school to play Taps on trumpet at funerals. Those were some memorable and stirring occasions.

The Last Post played on the bugle sends shivers all over my body.

I don't think it's so much a case of bugles having a magical power to summon war. I think it's more likely that some buglers sound so awful that they incite violence.

I'm reminded of Robin Williams being surprised in mid schtick entertaining troops when "retreat" was called and the whole audience did an about face to salute the colors. Edit: When, not if, it happens your attaining one million subs will be well deserved.

What an amazing episode! Bugles are an important piece of history and you definitely did them justice! Thank you for your incredible work!

As a retired Marine and former member of the USMC Drum and Bugle Corps thank you for touching on this part of history.

Part of my enlistment was served on a small army post in southern Bavaria. Each evening "Retreat" was played while the colors were being lowered. If you were anywhere outdoors you stopped what you were doing, faced the colors (even if you could not see them), came to attention and rendered a salute for the duration of the tune. Driving your car on post was considered being outdoors so you stopped your car, exited the vehicle, and also did the above, And, you had better be undercover (wearing a hat) if you were in uniform. Any divergence from the above ritual, if noticed, resulted in a rather unpleasant conversation between you and the company first sergeant.

Bugler Cook describes the action in his own words: "General Gibbon, our commander, had just ordered Lieutenant Stewart to take his section about one hundred yards to the right of the Hagerstown Pike, in front of two straw stacks, when he beckoned me to follow. No sooner had we unlimbered, when a column of Confederate infantry, emerging from the so called west woods, poured a volley into us, which brought fourteen or seventeen of my brave comrades to the ground. The two straw stacks offered some kind of shelter for our wounded, and it was a sickening sight to see those poor maimed, and crippled fellows, crowding on top of one another, while several, stepping but a few feet away, were hit again or killed." "Just then Captain Campbell unlimbered the other four guns to the left of Stewart, and I reported to him. He had just dismounted, when he was hit twice and his horse fell dead, with several bullets in its body. I started with the Captain to the rear and turned him over to one of the drivers. He ordered me to report to Lieutenant Stewart and tell him to take command of the battery. I reported, and, seeing the cannoneers nearly all down, and one, with a pouch full of ammunition, lying dead, I unstrapped the pouch, started for the battery and worked as a cannoneer. We were then in the vortex of the battle. The enemy had made three desperate attempts to capture us, the last time coming with in ten or fifteen feet of our guns." "It was at this time that General Gibbon, seeing the condition of the battery, came to the gun that stood in the pike, and in full uniform of a brigadier-general, worked as a gunner and cannoneer. He was very conspicuous, and it is indeed surprising, that he came away alive. At this battle we lost forty-four men, killed and wounded, and about forty horses which shows what a hard fight it was."

I was a bugler for a civil war re enacting regiment, interesting enough is that there were different calls for Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery during the Civil War and calls were organized into standard calls that you hear today after the conflict. Napoleon had a school for buglers knowing how important the instrument was in calling troops into action.

My great-uncle, Joe Mayuiers, was famously known as the "Ragtime Bugler". His group was the very first of the AEF disembark into France and months later news articles across the country specifically noted that he was one of the first Americans to die during the Battle of Cantigny in France. His history, as well as all who served and sacrificed so much on all sides, deserves to be remembered.

I had the honor of playing taps at a number of military funerals when I was on the Honor Guard at Dyess AFB. It was some of the most somber and powerful experiences of my life.

Sadly the “bugle” used in most military funerals today is an electronic device due to the lack of military personnel that can actually play a bugle.

This is one of the longest episodes. I love it . You are a great History teacher. Thank you.

Navy's turn! A piece on Bosn's pipes would be the ideal follow up. (Yes, I know the Navy uses bugles, also, but hey; the Navy is always different.)

At 9.45 the cap badge displayed is that of the Durham Light Infantry, which was my local regiment. In my home town of Bishop Auckland there was a pub which referenced the regiment. Its name? The Silver Bugle.

One of my favorite History Guy episodes! Played trumpet through high school. Hired by a few funeral homes to play taps at veteran's funerals. It is too bad to hear that some funerals have to bring in people with electronic bugles that play taps automatically. Part of the Drum and Bugle Corps at the Air Force Academy -- I appreciate you taking the time to explain the difference as many people don't know. Thanks for taking a few extra minutes on this one. Even at almost 18 minutes I felt like you could have kept going!

That zoom-in on the bugle next to the horse's butt almost got scary at the end ;D

Stationed in Germany for 5+ years I earned a Jagdshein [Hunters license.] In the education process to accomplish that I was required to learn the 'calls' used by the Hunters Horn to signal different facets of the hunt. When I retired and returned to the US my Hunters Club, consisting primarily of German citizens [all of whom were hunters] presented me with a Hunters Horn. I was most pleased by their generous gesture of appreciation of my efforts. 🤠

I have a Bugle presented to the Light Cruiser HMS Birmingham, from the city of Birmingham, a few dents, but a nice piece to have from my home city. On war bugles, ( not a bugle I know) probably the most mystical Erie sound, and one that must have struck fear into the Roman legions I think is the Carnyx used between 200BC and 200AD by the Iron Age Celts a long upright horn that was played way above the heads of the soldiers , a fascinating instrument 👌🏻😎

I was in the Navy for 7 years, I miss the bugle call "carry on" after the national anthem.

Very interesting story. Thanks History Guy.

The sound of the shofar is distinct and immediately recognizable.

The portrayal of the use of the bugle in the Mel Gibson move, "We Were Soldiers" by both the French and North Vietmanese Forces in combat is stirring.

Now this is timing. Tomorrow is my son's birthday. He plays trombone in middle school. I just bought him a trumpet (which he's wanted for years.) He doesn't know yet.

He tooted his own horn! Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah! 😀

In the British Army, bugle calls often had lyrics added to simplify recognition of the signal. An example of this is the call for meal times, where the words "Come to the cook house door, boys, come to the cookhouse door." fitted the first part of the call. Another example is "Stables" in mounted regiments "Come to the stable all you that are able, and give your fine horses their water and straw."

Bugling above and beyond the call of duty.

Very good and informative, the bit at the ending was very nice too telling us to be careful off fake items, maybe you could start explaining more often what is legit and what isn't for collectables items like these ones as well?

Still used in the Navy along with that damn bosun’s whistle.

one of the loudest noises above the din of battle is the navy bo's'n's pipe (boatswain), shriller than the call of a bugle over the sound of rifle and cannon fire. one bos'n can pipe and direct an entire ship's company during battle with several very distinct calls, still used on many navy ships world wide, and much more ancient than bugle calls, allegedly dating back to whistles of roman centurians. you might address this someday, as well. i was an electrician's mate, and was pretty adept at piping when younger. pipes were shaped from their issued version, reinforced with solder and finely tuned for melodies with melted drops of bee's wax, to the quality tone of the best of any musical instrument. ship's bos'ns take great pride in their pipes and their skill at piping. it's a tradition, and gifted talent seldom attributed to the average "deck ape" of the navy!

I bet you freaked the cat out with that blow.

When you blew the bugle at the end it startled my cat 😂

It's impossible to not appreciate the bugle/trumpet and their origins. Is it possible we might see an episode at some point featuring the bagpipes? Another "war" instrument that has been used for centuries and developed by numerous cultures toward artistic pursuits as well. We Scots do love our pipes and the histories in which they've taken part.

Being a trumpet player for many years I really enjoyed this video. I learned a lot of things that I never knew about my instrument. Thank you History Guy! Your show has taught me so much History that deserves to be remembered.

Interesting as I was watching this first call sounded at Davis Mountain Airforce base here in Tucson. Yup it's 7am. Rise & shine !

Very cool bugle. Always wanted to know more, and now I do.

Joshua was just covering for the noise of the sappers working to undermine the walls... Thanks THG.

Thank you for all the information. I never knew so much of the history of the bugle. What I do know is the sorrow & the pride I feel when I hear TAPS being played. Thank you to all of our vets past, present, & the ones of the future.

If you know the history of the British Commonwealth bugle call "last post", which is the British equivalent to the American "taps", it might be an interesting subject to add to this video, or maybe on it's own.

Now you need to do a video on Boatswain's pipes and their use on ships. Thanks for another great video.

The trumpet from the tomb of Tut remaining in sufficiently good enough condition to actually play after literally millennia, is the most astounding fact I've heard in recent memory. I had never thought about any horn being that old, let alone undamaged over such an extended time. Thank you for an interesting video about a subject I hadn't thought about as history.

My father was a Sergeant First Class First in the First Air Cavalry in Vietnam. He died not long after he returned. His Military funeral was in the winter. I was 11 and the things I remember most are the cold wind, the 21 gun salute, and the bugler. I’m 62 now and those memories still bring tears to my eyes.

Never disappointing!

Accounts from the Korean War say that the Chinese used horns and whistles during the Korean War during human wave attacks. An odd instrument is the auloi, double reeded like an oboe, English horn or bassoon, but forked. It looked like two oboes linked to a common mouthpiece. There were also single examples ehich some sadist eventually turned into the chanter of a bagpipe (which were also used in war) The auloi were probably generally used among the ancient Greeks, but for some reason I associate them with the Spartaans.

Brings back many good memories of revelly and taps played at the various posts and bases I served at during my time in the U.S. Army. Thank you for sharing this.

As a former Bugle and Trumpet player - THANKS! I learned to play Bugle when I was in the Royal Canadian Air Cadets, and progressed to a trumpet. Although rusty at playing either, I still have one of each, and do occasionally dust them off and play them. I've found that probably the most difficult song to play on a bugle is Last Post (of course the British version, as I'm Canadian). The large range of notes is very spread out, as well as the emotions generated both combine to make it quite difficult to play.

My dad, who served in the 101st at the end of WWII passed away last November. My brother's and I were surprised to learn a military honor guard was available to participate in the socially distanced graveside service. The small gathering of family and friends were deeply moved by the playing of taps by one of the honor guard members, which was beautifully done. We all were grateful. I didn't point out the bugle was electronic and played a recording.

As a bugler myself and an avid follower of THG this was a great episode. I kept expecting to have to correct something but this was spot on. Being British (I write under a pen name here on KZfaq) I most often play Last Post, The Rouse, Reveille and Sunset with a few other calls thrown in now and again. It is fair to say I have played dozens of old Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen off with my bugle and also played at many commemorative events. If I may indulge I will tell you about the two that stand out the most. One was a funeral for an ex-soldier who had died at a young age, barely five years older than myself. After leaving the army he had many problems as many do. As funerals go this one was difficult given the circumstances. His parents were there and were understandable distraught. Last Post is always poignant and was particularly so this time. At the end of the service I did as I usually do and lined up outside with the Standards from the Royal British Legion and Regimental Associations for the family and guests to inspect as they left. The father took one look at me, the tears still rolling down his cheeks and said what is the most honest, blunt, and humorous thing I have ever heard at a funeral. He pointed at the bugle by my side and said "That thing's bloody lethal!" The other occasion was at a commemoration for Gallipoli. One of the descendants of one of the Buglers present during the landings had possession of his bugle and had brought it along. It was very battered but with it's connections a very notable instrument. She asked if I would consider playing it instead of my own and I agreed. It still played, not brilliantly but well enough that with my experience I could make it sound good. The interesting part though was the history. Her relative (Great Grandfather as I recall) had landed at Gallipoli, but he didn't get much further. Once on the beach the men formed up and he was ordered to sound the Advance. An Ottoman sniper seeing the flash of something silver in the distance and perhaps thinking it a sword or bayonet or perhaps knowing it was the Bugler and wanting to stop communications took aim and fired. His first shot hit the Buglers knee but the sniper adjusted and the second went straight through his chest. As far as anyone knew the bugle had not been played in earnest since, certainly not publically, until I sounded the Last Post with it that day.

Hey Playboy, while I was in the Boy Scouts I used to play the trumpet to play Taps and Reverly!

I have noticed a sad event happening more and more during veteran funerals. The bugles now have an electronic speaker in the bell and TAPS is played electronically so the honor guard don't have to know how to play the bugle. During one funeral the battery died on the electronic bugle and TAPS ended in the middle. Very Sad!

When I was 11, I was loaned a silver-plated trumpet carried by my Grandparents' dear friend when he served aboard several warships in the US Navy Pacific Fleet in WW2. He was a Signalman, but also an excellent musician, and tapped early on to be a unit bugler. Sadly I never really learned to play the trumpet well, and wound up returning it to him when my middle school band assigned me a trombone.

I was first cavalry division for 18 of my 20 years, and our change of command ceremonies were 100% bugle calls, complete with a cavalry charge... I wish they’d announce these ceremonies ahead of time so I could attend. Experience one, from the bleachers.

Modern military funerals (USMC funerals are the only ones I’m familiar with) use trumpets with a device inserted in the bell to play the appropriate bugle calls. The person holding the trumpet is just a Marine with no musical training. Funerals are the most important mission of the Marine Inspector/Instructor of a reserve unit. If that electronic bugle device fails, or the battery runs out, the Inspector/Instructor gets in a lot of trouble.

6:30 the detail on the painting is amazing brush Strokes flawless you can just feel the horse pucker up as if you were there. Edit: you can just feel the tension that the horses under

The last use of the bugle in action by the British Army was during the Battle of Imjin River in Korea in 1953. The Chinese used bugles for battlefield communication and the Adjutant, Captain Anthony Farrar-Hockley got a senior NCO (whose name sadly escapes me) to play Drummer Eagle's bugle to confuse the Chinese. There is a famous painting of the event. Sadly Drummer Eagle had to destroy the bugle with a hand grenade to prevent its capture. During Operation Market Garden in 1944 Lieutenant Colonel John Frost of 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment used a hunting horn to assemble his troops following the landing. There is a connection between these events as Farrar-Hockley's son received the Military Cross as a company commander (Major) while serving with Para at the Battle of Goose Green in 1982.

Fun fact : in French we call a bugle "un clairon". But we also have an instrument named "un bugle" : that's a flugelhorn !

I used to march in junior drum & bugle corps competitions back in the 1960s (as a drummer). There was also a senior division that competed, and both held national championships each year. The most awe inspiring bugle solo I ever witnessed was in 1966 at the American Legion finals in Washington, DC, when a soprano bugler from the NY Skyliners played Flight of the Bumblebee on a G-D single valve bugle. The triple tonguing and articulation required to do that was nothing short of magical. I believe there's a KZfaq video posted by Gelp99 that shows the complete 66 Legion Finals, and that performance is there.

Gripped, entertained and informed. Many thanks, for history which deserves a fanfare 🎺

Bugles are also produced by General Mills.

As a musician, I was so excited watching this video! I played Alto Saxophone, Mellophone and French Horn in High School and had a blast with it. When I was in Boy Scouts a few years ago, we went on a campout and I had the privilege to play Taps on a bugle before we went to bed the first night. Such beautiful instruments. Also, I wanted to ask if there was any way you could do a video on forgotten history of the Battle of Stones River from the Civil war. Theres tons of stories from those battles that deserve to be remembered. I live near the battlefield so I'm able to visit occasionally. Its quite the sight. Anyways. Keep up the great work THG!

Ample justification for annoying my neighbours with a b flat competition bugle for the last 40 years. They never seem to mind on Remembrance Day.

Great video, I play the bugle for my Boys' Brigade company (72nd Birmingham). Back in the olden days (pre 2020) we used to use bugle calls on our annual summer camp.

I still remember most of the bugle calls I heard over 12 years in one military environment or another. Taps is the one that evokes the most memories both pleasing and depressing.

As an Army brat in the 50s living in Fulda, Germany, I can remember Taps being played every night. When we came back to the states in 1958, I had trouble falling asleep without hearing the call. Even to this day, I miss that sound of the bugler.

Irving Berlin wrote the song for bugle or bugler haters everywhere: "Oh, How I Hate To Get Up In the morning."

You should look into the life of Nancy Hart. She was a woman who lived during the revolutionary war. Awesome story about a frontierswoman who was known to resist British loyalists. She was born in North Carolina and lived in Georgia. We even had an elementary school named after her. Love your videos!

I graduated from Norwich University, the nation's oldest, private military college, and the corps of cadets was organized on the regimental format. I was in Band Company (I played Baritone Horn and Trombone) and we had a corporals slot for the Regimental Bugler. Our day began and ended with the traditional Army bugle calls, and only the coldest Vermont winter days saw the use of a recording played over speakers. And such bugle calls were used to denote certain actions needed during parades such as Adjutant's Call or Officer's Call, and other ceremonies. Additionally the Regimental Bugler was responsible for playing Taps and often a second bugler was used to sound Echo Taps.

It’s been years since I woke up to a bugle... thanks for waking me up in a hurry lmao

The older you get the more of those "phone calls " you get friends family. As a vet myself have many vet friends. still.hard not to shed a tear when I hear taps

I purchased one of those knock-off bugles my freshman year of college, simply for the pleasure of owning a working bugle. I was able to put it to good work as in the fall of 2006 I participated in the filming of a History Channel documentary "The Spanish American War: First Intervention" as they used the USS Olympia in Philadelphia for multiple scenes. I got a brief close-up playing Assembly just before the scene where the commander in Manila surrenders to Admiral Dewey. Since that day I have played the bugle once for a funeral - though the ceremony was non-military, the gentleman was a close personal friend and WWII veteran.

I played trumpet in school. Bugles are cool. So are you.💗👍😎✌🖖

Can’t get enough of your channel! Thanks!!!!

Bronze horns from the bronze age are found a lot in Denmark. They are almost always found in pairs, and have a big disk at the flared end of the instrument that does very little for the accustics but looks pretty. We don't know what they were called back in the bronze age, but today we call such a horn a "lur". The lur was adopted as a brand for quality export butter from Denmark: _Lurpak._

Great insights into bugling as well as purchasing items claiming historical connections!

Thank you for your bugle message. You may recall I requested this coverage as my grandfather was a buglar durng World War I. Nice to know you seriously interact with your subscribers. Thank you.

This was nice. I was an Army Bandsmen, and my last Division still has a command bugler, who often plays a straight horn in ceremonies.

"Spit boy, spit!"

I served as REME attached to the 1st Bn Royal Highland Fusiliers,(now 2nd Bn The Royal Regiment of Scotland) in the late '70's / early '80's. The regiment still used bugle calls to mark daily events such as reveille, meal timings, six o'clock call, when the flags were lowered, ten o'clock call which was traditionally lights out and others lost to me in the mists of time as I moved on to serve with other regiments. Thank you for pointing out the fact about the bugle tradition being maintained by the light infantry. The RHF were themselves formed by the amalgamation of the Highland Light Infantry and the Royal Scots Fusiliers. Nemo Me Impune Lacessit.

Ending your informative video on a good note! Bravo!

I used to be one of the trumpeters doing reveille and taps at my Jr. High School, I also played the calls on my Sousaphone.

I like your channel because I have a BA in History, primarily American history,, something not taught in our schools, today. Hell, they can’t even teach students to read, write or basic arithmetic, something I had a good grasp of by the 6th grade.

I would like to see a video on military drums and cymbals throughout history. It's a fascinating subject that I love to read about.

“Aim toward the sound of that bugle!“

That blast at the end made my day

I loved hearing and seeing The History Guy blow the bugle!

As a previous civil war reenactor I can tell you that after at least two volleys of fire the only thing you can hear is a bugle call as it hits tones that aren't affected by your loss of hearing. You really can no longer hear your NCOs shouts or even commands being relayed down the line. You can always hear the bugle though.

One of my favorite possessions is a photograph of my great grandfather taken in Gibraltar when he was being sent overseas as a new recruit in the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders regiment for Queen Victoria. I don’t know where he was being sent, so if anyone out there knows where the regiment was posted to in 1889, I would appreciate your input. Thanks. Btw, I enjoy this channel and try to watch every day.

Good coverage of this subject. Thank you for your efforts! Best teacher ever.

My great (x4) grandfather was a bugler for the Union in the civil war. He was either 14 or 15 when he joined the army. His discharge papers, signed by Abraham Lincoln, are still in the family.

@The History Guy here's one more request for an episode or two about the USS Thresher and USS Scorpion.

I just went and found my bugle. I was a bugler for my boy scout troop, for several years. It is a trumpet style with out keys. It is an Official Scout bugle, it is a Calvary style with an after market mouthpiece. As a teen I played T.A.P.S for several years for Memorial Day Services at a military cemetery in the Dallas area.

Thank you, History Guy. I am very glad I came upon this video for a few reasons. One is a pet peave of mine whenever I hear someone claim that US Marine musicians do not go to bootcamp. That is true for only The President's Own. The reason for that is because they recruit directly from the nation's universities. And most people who join the military with a college degree become officers. But it would be very impractical to have an entire unit of officers. So, those who pass the audition for the President's Own are automatically started out as an E-6 staff sergeant. The reason for this is to give them the pay as close to a second lieutenant as an enlisted member. On average it takes at least 8 and sometimes up to 12 years to become a staff sergeant. So it is specifically for pay. But those who join are still required to meet all height and weight standards. The enlisted Marine ranks of E-3 and higher have a set of crossed rifles. But those in The President's Own do not. Their rank is divided by a music lyer. However, the drum major is always selected from the field bands and does have crossed rifles. They are also subjected to an audition between the 9 other drum majors in Marine field bands. Nothing is a give me. And yes, a Marine field musician can become a member of The President's Own by passing the audition. However, if you are already an E-6, you will move up in rank faster in the field as to do so in The President's Own basically means someone has to get out. But even the field band musicians have more college degrees than any other MOS in the Corps. (Marine Occupation Specialty) When I was in roughly 1/3 of all Marine field musicians had a college degree and many had 2. I served in the 1st Marine Division band at Camp Pendleton California. I am also a war vet having been a machine gunner in the Gulf War and perimeter security for our commanding general, Mgen Mike Myatt. In fact, on Thanksgiving day in 1990 President and Mrs.Bush came to our position in the desert. Also with them was Gen Schwartzkopf and yes, I have my pictures to prove it. The only ones with live weapons allowed were the president's secret service and the band. We had over 6,000 Marines come through that day and we had to make sure the bolts were taken out of every single rifle. A real pain. But after dinner the president came up and sat with my fireteam in our fighting hole. Not to croud him, I stayed out of the hole. Of coarse tbere was all sorts of press around too. After about 20 minutes and a couple rolls of film, my fireteam leader, a corporal, asked the president for his autograph to which he graciously agreed. So my buddy handed him a copy of Stars and Stripes and a pen. Then president Bush saw a picture of Margaret Thatcher and said, "Oh, she's retiring tomorrow." Then he yelled, "SHIT!!" Not knowing what happened, my buddy asked him what's wrong. President Bush told him, "Now all those bozos out there are going to ask me about her retirement as soon as I get out of here. They aren't suppose to know yet. Mind if I stay a little longer??" My buddy started laughing as did the rest of us when he said, "Sir, I'm a corporal. I think that decision is yours to make !!" He stayed another 15 minutes. Meanwhile I saw Gen Schwartzkopf basically kicking rocks. So I went over, gave him a salute and asked for a picture. Then it was he and I just standing there. So I said to myself, this is it. This is the only chance you will have for this in your entire life. I asked him, "Sir, so .....what's the plan ??" I figured I could only get busted a couple grades. He said, "Damn, I was wondering when someone was going to ask. You are the only enlisted man to do so." I told him, "Well, I'm a Marine and curious as hell." Do you know, he took me about 50 yards away from everyone else and we sat down in the sand where he drew it all out for me in Cliff's notes and told me everything. Then he asked if I thought it would work. I said why not. The guy's an idiot. The more simple the plan the better. I asked him a timeline and he said we are hoping we can do it by next Christmas as there will be no rotations home. We are prepared for about 20% losses. That woke me up. But I told him that we were already tired of waiting. "Yourproblem isn't how long it will take. Its how long we have to wait before we start". As you know, we started the air war on 17 January. I guess he was thinking the same thing. We stood up and he cleaned up all the maps he drew and told me not to say a word. He was never too concerned about what lower enlisted said so I took heed. And I found out real quick that he had not BSed me about anything. What he said would happen happened. Anyhow, I would like you to do a video on the namesake of the USS Cole. He was a Marine musician in WW2 but wanted to be a machine gunner. His requests kept getting turned down as musicians were very hard to come by. But finally he was granted a transfer.. He became a sergeant in a machine gun platoon and yes, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. And 1st Marine Division band also lost members in Vietnam as well. And what upsets me the most is that the people who most often say Marine musicians aren't real Marines are OTHER MARINES !!!

Good morning everyone from Ft Worth TX. Stay safe and practice good Covid safety...

I have a "Made in India" bugle very much like yours, minus the cord and badge. It has a nice patina and sits on a shelf with military history books. I think I got it from an interior decoration company back in the 90s that sold quite a bit of brass decor. I'm sure it cost less than $25 at the time.