Young Man’s Memorial Day Taps Heard Across Billings

Anyone outside on the west end this afternoon probably heard this young man playing a salute to fallen veterans...it carried for miles

What a great tribute by this young man for our fallen warriors on Memorial Day. Heidi Paulson sent us the above note on Memorial Day. She said she was outside doing yard work near 58th and Grand Avenue in Billings and could hear the young man playing Taps "loud and clear."

According to video shared by Q2's Russ Riesinger, the young man's name is Elijah Sneigoski.

"Taps" has long been used to honor fallen warriors, but you might wonder how it first came about? History.com notes that it dates back to the Civil War

The origins of “Taps,” the distinctive bugle melody played at U.S. military funerals and memorials and as a lights-out signal to soldiers at night, date back to the American Civil War. In July 1862, U.S. General Daniel Butterfield and his brigade were camped at Harrison’s Landing, Virginia, recuperating after the Seven Days Battles near Richmond. Dissatisfied with the standard bugle call employed by the Army to indicate to troops it was time to go to sleep, and thinking the call should sound more melodious, Butterfield reworked an existing bugle call used to signal the end of the day.

The VA also has a history of Taps which you can find by clicking here.