Before Our Honor Guard

From The Lebanon Enterprise - October 6, 1960

FINAL SALUTE: The sad but majestic notes of Taps has been sounded for almost 200 of the nation's former servicemen by bugler Thomas W. Carrico, Lebanon. Carrico, whose services are sought for virtually every military funeral in Marion and Washington counties, has performed this duty at 198 such funerals since September, 1945. A World War II veteran himself, he receives no compensation for his services except for occasional reimbursement of travel expenses to out-of-county funerals. Now 42, Carrico first learned the bugle as a Boy Scout here over 25 years ago. He gained additional experience while in the Army, from 1939 to 1945, serving as bugler at military posts in Texas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi and Pennsylvania and later, with his artillery unit in France, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg.