Please explain the term TAPS
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br0wn85 — 20 years ago(April 26, 2005 02:11 PM)
Commonly, in some military schools, you have a saying when you hear taps. If I was in the hallway with a group of cadets, we're immediately put at attention when it starts. When the song is over, the highest rank in the hall way yells "For those who served," then everyone else yells back "We will remember." Don't know if that's a tradition at other schools, but it was at mine. After taps is played, we were suppose to inside our rooms and out of the hallways for atleast thirty minutes. A moment of silence basically.
And oh man, if you left any lights on during taps, you were in some extreme beep -
pastoreb — 20 years ago(May 02, 2005 07:47 PM)
It doesn't have to be a religious school. Taps is a time when one can reflect on the great men and women in history ho gave their lives in the name of this great nation. Two minutes is not enough time to show them the proper respect. It's never a waste of time to remember these people and remember what and why they did what they did. The origin of taps came from the Civil War when a Union captain risked death to save a stranger not caring whether he was Confederate or Union. He went to bring the soldier to the get medical aid, but when he crossed the lines he was too late and found the Confederate soldier dead. He then realized that it was his own son who had went to the South before the war to study music but apparantly enlisted with the Confederates. He asked for a military burial but was denied, but he was allowed a bugler. He gave the bugler a piece of paper that ad some notes and these words attched to them: "Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lakes, From the hills, From the sky, All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh./Fading light, Dims the sight, And a start gems, the sky, Gleaming bright, From afar, Drawing nigh, Falls the night./Thanks ad praise, For our days, Neath the sun, Neath the stars, Neath the sky, As we go, This we know, God is nigh." That is taps. It is a call for reflection on the heros and actions of the past.
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saxmg — 20 years ago(May 03, 2005 02:37 PM)
Common myth of TAPS, but just thata myth
TAPS was written during the Civil War, but by Gen. Daniel Butterfield with help from a bugler (name forgotten)it's a adaptation of "Tattoo" written to fill what Butterfield felt was a empty spot in funeral ceremonies. It was adapted by both North and South and evolved into a call signalling the end of the day, "lights out." -
pastoreb — 20 years ago(May 03, 2005 06:40 PM)
i don't think what i said is a myth if my school,Norwich University, the oldest private military academy in America, which was founded in 1819 and has a ton of Civil War heros who were alumni, teaches us about this in our own handbook. It was a Union captain and is name was Captain Robert Ellicombe
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saxmg — 20 years ago(May 04, 2005 06:28 AM)
Find a university of any sort that doesn't foster mythological stories of its past or events related to its past.there's quite a long list from my alma mater.
myth it is
http://www.snopes.com/music/songs/taps.htm#add -
shygurl131991 — 19 years ago(November 17, 2006 02:58 PM)
All I have to say is no matter what TAPS is (I have to validate that it is not a term, but a song) to anyone it is just met to show respect. So weather you are in the Armed forces or not, you still should show respect when the song is played. Also I know that it is very hard to play on the Trumpet (or bugal, same thing really), and that my brother can play it amazingly.
~@L3>< -
sinatrachairman — 19 years ago(December 13, 2006 06:58 PM)
I hope I can help with this question. I am currently serving in the US Army and Taps IS played at night here on the post I live on. It is not the tune that people are saying we salute to at the end of the day. That is the flag call and it is played around 5pm, that is when we stop and salute as the post flag is being lowered. Taps is played around 10pm and is to signal "lights out." It's more of a symbol now than a real command.
This web site has a wonderful history of the song Taps and what it was made out of. http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/taps.htm
Hope this helps!
The world belongs to the meat eaters, Miss Clara, and if you have to take it raw, take it raw. -
iceman43 — 19 years ago(December 20, 2006 06:37 AM)
To Bike bryan
I've been in the Air Force for 12 years. TAPS is played here at Mcguire and also it was played at Pope. Most Stateside bases now play TAPS at 10 but it is up to the Wing Commander if they want it played. They are trying to get back to being more military and honoring our dead if you know what I mean. Overseas it's generally not played out of respect for the host nation. Just like the National anthem is played at 1700 at most stateside bases but not overseas due to respect for that country.
To Sinatrachairman
When TAPS is played and you are in uniform you stop and salute. In civies you stand at the positon of attention. But most of the time people are either in bead or about to go to bed when TAPS is played and Genreally are not in Uniform to salute. -
bikebryan — 19 years ago(December 20, 2006 02:00 PM)
Let's see now:
Eilson
Elmendorf
Lackland
Sheppard
Keesler
Eglin
Homestead
Andrews
McGuire
Fort Riley
Fort Belvoir
Fort Meyer
Fort Dix
These are all the military installations I have personally been on and have not heard Taps played once at any of them. I don't dispute that it is played many places, it's just far from universal. I would also dispute your statement that "Most Stateside bases now play TAPS 10 10" as in my experience it is NOT - and I also called several friends on other bases not listed and they say it's not played there either. -
iceman43 — 19 years ago(December 21, 2006 10:58 AM)
Again you didn't read the whole messege. It is up to the Wing Commander weather it is played. I spoke to the command Post and they directed me to the Pubic affairs Office and Protocal Office they are the authority on those type matters.ALso in the PFE it also states that those type ceremonies done PER the Wing Commander.So I am not just going off my exprience. And they Play it here. The Army base seem to not play it but Air Force base do. Just like on Army bases at 5 they play the flag call instead of the National Anthem which is what AF bases play at 5 if the Wing Commander wants it. There are differant regulations for Army and AF. No disrespect but I wanted to get correct info and not just go off friends
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bikebryan — 19 years ago(December 26, 2006 08:06 PM)
Strange. They play the NATIONAL ANTHEM at 1700 at Fort Meyer and Fort Riley. Don't state facts if they AREN'T facts.
By the way, the list I presented was not a list of what I heard from friends. Those were all installations I personally have been on. That list comes from first hand experience. -
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wallace569 — 19 years ago(January 29, 2007 02:45 AM)
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jefgg — 13 years ago(January 26, 2013 07:14 AM)
"Taps" is a musical piece sounded at dusk, and at funerals, particularly by the U.S. military. It is sounded during flag ceremonies and funerals, generally on bugle or trumpet, and often at Boy Scout, Girl Scout and Girl Guide meetings and camps. The tune is also sometimes known as "Butterfield's Lullaby", or by the first line of the lyric, "Day is Done".
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alcockell — 12 years ago(May 05, 2013 09:37 AM)
Just curious about a cross-Pond query TAPS sounds suspiciously like what we Brits would know as the Last Post. The comment upthread about the "front he rising of the sun, and to its setting, and in the morning, we will remember them" statement - this is uttered on Remembrance Day over here in the UK
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jefgg — 12 years ago(May 05, 2013 11:28 AM)
There is one original set of lyrics meant to accompany the music, written by Horace Lorenzo Trim:
Day is done, gone the sun
From the lakes, from the hills, from the sky
All is well, safely rest
God is nigh.
Fading light dims the sight
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright
From afar, drawing near
Falls the night.
Thanks and praise for our days
Neath the sun, neath the stars, neath the sky
As we go, this we know
God is nigh.