TAPS
RIP Doctor E. J. T., USMC
Posted on 01/29/2010 12:05:19 PM PST by ExSoldier
EULOGY & Graveside Ceremony:
Doctor E. J. T. passed away on Friday January 22nd at approx 10:25 am. He passed at the Gainesville VA Hospital, under an order of DNR lawfully signed and executed by him in full awareness that he was suffering from congestive heart failure and pneumonia combined.
(Note: I threw this little tribute together in the hour or so before the formal service at the Funeral Home where a VA Chaplain who’d never met dad officiated. There were a lot of folks there & The chaplain did a very good job, however). I gave the Eulogy.
Eulogy:
I’ve known “Doc” T almost all my life. I grew up just four blocks south of him & back when I was a kid, he was known to us as that wild pilot guy who built airplanes in his garage. Then he’d get the Coral Gables Police to block off the street so he could taxi the plane (wingless) to test the engine.
I also knew his son, who we called “Rusty” back then. But I never knew he had a DAUGHTER. That happened when his son and I finally met again in law school many years later. The son finished and became a well known attorney & I didn’t. Instead I became an educator like my beloved Bride. Eventually, I went to Doc and asked for his daughter’s hand in marriage, I could tell he was pleased by my sense of honor and tradition. Of course, I didn’t know what I was letting myself in for as a former US Army Officer marrying into a family of Marines! Good natured ribbing abounded.
But, honor meant a lot to Doc. I never knew how much until we were helping him move here to Lake City and I stumbled across a shoe box full of medals. Those medals are displayed in the rear of the chapel and I encourage you to look at the citations. There was not a shred of self serving braggart in him. In REAL heroes, there never IS. It was like pulling teeth to get him to talk about his experiences in WWII. He held the Navy Cross, the Silver Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross with two gold stars. The second star is in lieu of a third award of that medal. Those are the top three awards just below the Congressional Medal of Honor that our country can give for Valor above and beyond the call of duty. As late as 1700 hrs yesterday a US Congresswoman’s staff and the USMC were trying to arrange an FA18 flyover to honor this man. Unfortunately, the tasking was just too short notice owing to the exigencies of the war for this to occur. But there will be a marine detail at the grave side.
This warrior did not go gently into the long night. He fought every inch of the way as death took him home like the war hero he was. As I understand it, this was not a gentle and "peaceful" passing.
(note: I started to lose it here a bit, emotionally)
Besides, brave, he was also smart. Possibly one of the smartest men I’ve ever known. He knew my own late father as an engineering contemporary. Doc was called “DOC” because of his multiple bachelor and masters degrees in engineering, both mechanical and chemical as well as in mathematics. He held an SC.D in Nuclear and Theoretical Physics. I had to go look that one up. I always thought that a PH.D was as high as you could go, but that degree includes coursework in social sciences like Philosophy. An SC.D is pure science so it goes above a PH.D. He was highly regarded in his field & he prized his Professional Engineer’s license above all else, because in the State of Florida it is so difficult to obtain.
I’ve known Doc under a few different titles: As a Christian since I know he knows our Lord Jesus, as a Doctor of Physics and as a Colonel of Marines. But the title I’ll always treasure is “DAD.”
Then I looked at the closed casket and whispered “GOD SPEED, Dad.”
Thank you.
A contingent of elderly former marines from the local USMC Association formed as pall bearers and loaded the casket into the hearse. Outside, a phalanx of police stopped traffic and gave escort to the nearby cemetery with sirens and lights ON. People stopped by the side of the road and got out of their car holding their hands over their hearts. That was so amazing.
At the cemetery I was astonished to see a FULL HONOR GUARD detail of over a fifteen US Marines in full dress blues! Led by a major. The funeral director had been led to believe that there would be only three. Two for the flag and a bugler. I knew at that moment that Congresswoman Ileana Ros Lehtinen was helping to send this brave warrior to a righteous interment and I thank GOD for her and her staff. They had worked around the clock to verify the story and speak to the Commandant of the Marine Corps to get things to happen.
The marines took over as pall bearers and then I really started to lose my composure. My wife and I sat front and center to the casket with her younger brother on the other side of her and other family seated behind. Our daughter sat next to me. Each movement of the detail was exquisitely precise and exquisitely slow. I had seen the M16s stacked by their swivels in small upright triangles when we arrived but the first volley for the 21 gun salute took me by surprise, still. The wind was blowing and gusting an easy 20 knots in far more intense gusts. I thought we were going to lose the tent several times.
But at the moment of those three volleys the wind died utterly and stillness prevailed. I smelled the acrid smoke of the fired blanks drift right over the casket. I thought that was such an appropriate sendoff for such a brave hero. And then TAPS sounded. I really lost it then. The flag was folded with precision and passed back and forth between the two handlers. Each rendered a slow hand salute. I didn’t catch the sleight of hand then but later we discovered that several of the blank fired cases from the rifle volleys were deposited inside the flag.
Then the major approached and knelt before my wife as the eldest child: He handed the flag to her and whispered:
“On behalf of the President of the United States and the Commandant of the Marine Corps please accept this flag as a token of appreciation for the service of your loved one.”
Then most of the other people lost it, too. I was sobbing. The marines, slowly departed and the Masons took over with their odd ritualized ceremony. Dad had been a 32nd Degree Mason and a member of the Knights Templar. One of the Knights in full regalia stood guard next to the casket from the first moment of the viewing until the casket was slid into the above ground crypt, next to his beloved wife who preceded Doc in Death on Nov 3rd 1996. At the conclusion of that ceremony, most everybody departed. Ed (son) and I lingered to see the cemetery staff tuck dad away and seal the crypt with the stone which was already prepared. I remember that dad had done the same for his late and much beloved wife 14 years ago and I felt it was my duty to do the same for HIM. Then we returned to the house that POP built for his retirement and received guests for the rest of the afternoon.
It really hasn’t HIT us yet but my world feels smaller for his passing. I shall miss him, but I have absolute contentment that I will see him, his wife and both my parents again. Someday.
RIP. Condolences to you and your family on your loss.
God bless our WWII vets. We’ll never forget our Greatest Generation and the sacrifices they made for our freedom.
Prayers up for you and your family, ExSoldier.
Condolences and yes you will see them again someday.
Thanks for such a great description of the ceremony.
ExSoldier - God bless your father-in-law and your family. Thanks you for posting. As JimRob says, we’ll never forget our Greatest Generation.
We have several WWII Vets who stand with us in Olney countering the Quakers across the intersection. They are men among men.
Sounds like your “father-in-law” was another father to you. You are blessed to have two.
The Trooprallys
PS JimRob, thank you for ping us.
Three rifle volleys, not a 21-gun salute.
Jim, thank you for the ping to this special thread.
Another Marine has reported to his final Duty Station.
I look forward to making his acquantance when my time comes.
Semper Fidelis
Thank you for posting. Condolences on your loss.
I couldn’t read past the Eulogy because the screen is too blurry. God rest the soul of DOC; may a heavenly cloud of witnesses commend his soul to the Lord above.
You know, you're exactly correct. One of the civilians present said that and I just went with it. I'm brain dead over his loss, but you're spot on & I apologize for the error.
My heartfelt prayers and condolences to you and your family. I'm proud of General Conway and his efforts on your father's behalf.
Semper Fi,
TS
Prayers for the Soul of Doc and for the whole family.
To Doc: Well done, thy good and faithful servant.
Semper Fi!
Heartbreaking, but a wonderful send off to a Marine and a Father. I did the same once for an old WWII Army grunt, my Father. I kissed my finger and layed it upon his coffin. I have a small clue what your feeling. Bless you and the family. Your Father will forever be a MARINE in spirit! That can never be taken from him. He was one of the best. BTW, if you ever have such another lost, or someone in your family returns or is leaving for theater, the Patriot Guard Riders will be there in force. Just Google and let them know on the board when, where, and if the family wants them to attend.
It is our mission to welcome home all Military/Veterans know matter their status.
WE must see that they did not serve and die in vain!
My condolences on your loss.
Did you say once that Pop used to fly with the Black Sheep?
RIP Doctor E. J. T., USMC
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