“They Are Brothers”: Wyoming Honor Guard Never Lets A Soldier Be Buried Alone

EVANSVILLE — Members of the Natrona County United Veterans Council Honor Guard began gathering an hour early at the state’s Oregon Trail State Veteran’s Cemetery in Evansville, Wyoming, to prepare for another “brother’s” passing.

It’s something they do about 100 times a year — giving their fallen military brothers and sisters a proper, honorable last salute.

Honor guard members are mostly Vietnam era veterans from the Marines, U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force. They devote whatever time it takes each week to give a military comrade their final salute.

United Veterans Council President Hank Laurenz said they average about 100 burials a year.

“The honor detail we have here is people from the American Legion, the VFW and the local Marine Corps League,” he said. “We need five to perform the ceremony, three riflemen, a chaplain, and myself.”

This particular day in late July, they are honoring U.S. Navy veteran Mike Miracle of Casper. He died May 20 at age 86.

Laurenz has had phone conversations with the deceased veteran’s widow, Rose Miracle. He understands from her that the ceremony will just be the honor guard.

‘They Are Brothers’

At the state cemetery, one of two in Wyoming, veterans can be buried or cremated remains interred for free providing eligibility is proven.

For Laurenz and fellow honor guard members William Oleson, Ernie Blackford, Daniel Carmona, Dean Welch and Larry Winzenried, their commitment flows from convictions about the importance of honoring those who served their country and, in some cases, put their lives on the line.

Carmona, a Vietnam vet served two years in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper and a year in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969. He said serving on the honor guard is something essential for him.

“They are brothers, they are military brothers, that’s the way I see it,” he said. “When I was in Vietnam, I met nothing but good people, we shared things. We saved each other’s life maybe, something like that. Someday, I hope I get the same thing.”

Welch served four years with the Navy from 1973 to 1978 and then joined the Wyoming National Guard and spent 22 years in service there. His volunteer service goes back to the beginnings of the honor guard, and he continues as an advocate for veterans in other organizations as well. He estimates he’s done more than 1,000 funerals.

“I started doing it way back in 1996 or 1997. I was still in the Guard and doing funerals in uniform. I would come out and be pallbearer or whatever they needed and started doing funerals for the guys that were lost over in Iraq and Afghanistan,” he said. “Once I retired from the Guard after I got back from Iraq in 2005, I started doing this … I try to get to as many as I can.”

Protocol for the cemetery dictates no more than a 30-minute service. When the honor guard goes to a church or funeral home the services can be an hour or two. That can translate to time commitments of 10 hours a week, sometime more.

The Goal

Marine Corps vet Laurenz said he just sees honor guard members’ role as an extension of their military service to a community service. He recalled his own father’s funeral, a Korean War veteran, where the entire military ceremony consisted of someone just walking over to his mother and handing her a flag.

Laurenz’s team’s goal is to communicate the appreciation of a nation and help the family come to closure on a loved one’s loss.

At the state cemetery, the typical protocol involves opening remarks from the group commander, a prayer, a three-rifle salute, taps, and the folding of the flag. The United Veteran’s Council group typically does everything but fold the flag. That task is reserved for members of the deceased veteran’s service branch.

However, the veterans honor guard carries an extra 5-by-9-foot coffin flag for the occasion in case something goes awry — like a snowstorm on a February day that delays a Cheyenne flag team. This day, two sailors from U.S. Naval Reserve Center Cheyenne arrive early.

Lt. Commander Tyler Shang, a 19-year reserve officer with experience in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bahrain, and Kuwait, and Petty Officer First Class Samantha Ward will perform the ceremony. Shang said the honor guard detail is something they travel around the state to perform “to honor the sailors before us.”

“They were part of this endeavor to defend freedom and liberty worldwide,” he said. “We are honored and privileged to be here and say a big farewell to our predecessors.”

Ward, who serves on active duty at the Naval Reserve Center, said she volunteers because without the older veterans who have served in past years, “especially the women,” she might not have had her own career.

The Service

As the Miracle family and friends gathered at the front of the cemetery chapel, the service commenced at 11 a.m. Laurenz addressed family members about their loved one’s service. Blackford prayed.

Oleson, Welch, Eizenreid marched out the side door for the three-gun volley salute. Carmona stood behind them with a salute.

Taps followed.

Laurenz said typically the cemetery plays a recording of taps as part of the service — which happened for the Miracle ceremony. When not at the cemetery, his team is able to provide taps with a member who holds a bugle that has an electronic amplifier and the prerecorded song inside it.

“There is a military order that deals with this, that’s what everybody tries to adhere to,” he said. “You will find variances from one county to the next.”

Following taps, the Naval Reserve team unfolded a flag resting at the podium, and then proceeded to fold it again as Laurenz spoke about the symbolism of the flag’s colors.

Prior to the service, Shang and Ward practiced folding the flag. It’s not easy to do. There can be no red showing and the final fold needs to have enough material to complete a tuck to make it a perfect triangle.

During the service, they did it flawlessly, saluted it, and presented it to Rose Miracle. Shang thanked her for her husband’s service to his country. The widow also received three of the six shells from the rifle volley in a special holder. A certificate from the American Legion also was presented that commemorated her husband’s service.

Poignant Times

Laurenz said at some services, the honor guard outnumbers the family gathered and at others the chapel is overflowing. He said the team has learned to “tap dance” and be ready to adjust to the service needs at a moment’s notice.

Oleson, who served as a Navy hospital corpsman between 1970 - 74, said some services seem more poignant than others.

“The ones that really get to me are the old cowboys and the ones that pass away more before their time,” he said.

One particular service stands out to many of the honor guard from a few years ago. A funeral home in Sheridan sent down the unclaimed cremated remains of several veterans for burial. A message went out on Facebook and 50 people arrived for the ceremony at the chapel.

“They had no relationship to those eight or nine veterans who were being interred but they all showed up to send them off,” Laurenz said. “Two thirds of that crowd was probably former military.”

As for the Miracle family, Rose Miracle said she appreciated the ceremony and honor guard efforts shown her husband. He had served from 1954 to 1958 in the Navy.

“He was always so proud of it. Part of his crowning glory would be to see this, and he was a retired preacher so it all fits in,” she said. “It was so awesome to have them here. When I finally found everything I needed to do this, I was led to ask him (Laurenz) how it was going to happen. I think they do a wonderful job, and it feels special for people to see it and be part of it.”

Dale Killingbeck can be reached at dale@cowboystatedaily.com.