A Funeral For A Hero

In honor of Staff Sgt. Dale White, who passed away on September 2, 2007.

It seemed to be too beautiful of a day to have a funeral. The sky was a beautiful cerulean blue that only comes with crisp fall days. There were only a few clouds; just wisps floating slowly across the sky. Since this was the beginning of September the leaves were just beginning to turn. The trees were still a beautiful dark green shot through with hints of yellow and red. We were in Lexington, Kentucky. The street was lined with the white fences that are always associated with horse farms. It is very easy to see how Kentucky had gotten the name “The Blue Grass State”. Horses and colts are in the fields, some are grazing and some are standing beside the fences almost as if they know where we are going.
The only discordant note to the beauty of the day was the protestors who lined Harrodsburg Road. Men, women, even small children were standing along side the road holding signs with sayings like “The only good soldier is a dead soldier”. There were other signs, but that is the one that stuck most in my mind.
The first thing you noticed turning into the parking at Kerr Brothers Funeral Home were the motorcycle riders standing at the entrance. There were at least one hundred of them; they were the Patriot riders, former military personnel who now ride motorcycles and show their support to families of fallen soldiers. They were all wearing bandanas of red, white, or blue. They were also outside to deter the protestors away from the funeral.
As you walked into the front doors of the funeral home, you are first hit with the overwhelming scent of flowers. Flowers were everywhere. There were large arrangements and small arrangements, both silk and fresh cut flowers. There were also plaques, with different quotes and bible verses on them, which I personally preferred. Then you walk into the chapel and at the back of the chapel there it is, the casket. It is not opened, because the military would not allow it to be. There is a flag draped over it. Two military guards stand at either end of the casket. They are standing at attention. When little children walked up to them, the guards still maintained their pose. To the right of the casket, a table is set. Medals are waiting to be given to the widow and the mother of the fallen hero. There are quite a few. There always is when someone is killed in action.
Before the funeral can begin, a military ceremony is held in which the medals awarded to the fallen hero are given to his family. This was a very solemn process. After the medals are handed to his wife and mother, his children, his brothers and sister are called up and all are given a Gold Star Lapel Button. This is a small lapel pin with a gold star on a purple background with small gold laurel leaves surrounding it.
After the medal presentation ceremony was over, it is time for the actual funeral to begin. They start by playing the hero’s favorite song. “Letters From Home” by John Michael Montgomery. The preacher says a few words, but we don’t really remember them. The hero’s youngest brother gets up and reads messages from most of his family. Some of the messages are sad, and some are written to remind everyone of what a fun loving person the hero was. The last song played was “There Ain’t No Grave”. I’m not sure who sang that song, but it was a great way to end a funeral.
It is now time for the trip to the cemetery. The hero is being buried in Camp Nelson National Cemetery in Nicholasville, KY. It was only about a seventeen mile trip that should have taken only twenty minutes or so, but instead the trip took almost an hour. Cars were lined up as far as you could see. People were standing all along the road holding up signs of support. Police cars and fire trucks are stopped at most intersections, with their drivers standing beside their vehicles saluting. Farmers in their fields were standing beside their tractors with their hats over their hearts. A grade school had all the students and faculty come outside and the children were holding up a huge sign saying “Thank You and God Bless You”. There was also a manufacturing company whose employees had gathered outside the plant holding signs of support. The family of the fallen soldier riding in the limousines behind the hearse couldn’t hold back the tears because of the overwhelming response of the community that had lined upon the route of the funeral procession to support their hero.
The procession turned into Camp Nelson National Cemetery. Small, white markers in perfect rolls lined the gardens of the cemetery. The procession came to a stop at the graveside of the hero. The soldiers slowly bring the flag draped casket out of the back of the hearse. “Amazing Grace” is played on the bagpipes. It had such a beautiful but lonesome sound to it. By the time the last note had played, there was not a person in attendance with a dry eye standing. Next came the twenty-one gun salute, a ceremony that typically takes place at funerals of active military personnel that have been killed in the line of duty. Every shot seemed to echo into our very hearts. Three military jets flew overhead to honor the hero. The folding of the flag was a beautiful ceremony. Every fold was carefully placed to make a perfect triangle. Three bullets are placed into the folds of the flag. The flag is then presented to the widow of the hero. Finally “Taps” is played. It is now over. They will lower the casket after the family has left.
SSG Delmar White was killed in action on September 2, 2007 by a roadside bomb, only thirteen days after arriving in Iraq. His funeral was held on September 11, 2007. SSG White was not only my hero, he was my brother.