BELLE FOURCHE—Anticipation filled the air as the countdown began, those playing TAPS Across America wanted to be sure to start their tribute at exactly 3:00 p.m. Watching the clock made the seconds tick by slowly, but the start time arrived, the signal was given and Craig Norwood and Katie Anderson began playing Echo Taps. As the small crowd stood silent their horns rang out over the stillness at the Pine Slope Cemetery on May 26.
TAPS Across America is a nationwide tribute that extends coast to coast to honor those who sacrificed their lives for our country. At 3:00 p.m. (local time) musicians from all backgrounds join in a synchronized, nationwide sounding of Taps, uniting the country in a shared moment of honor, remembrance, and reflection.
The two Belle Fourche residents joined over 1560 other musicians all across America playing TAPS together to honor our fallen military heroes. Both musicians were humbled by the experience. “That’s the main part about it, of course it’s at every different time zone, but there are a lot of parts—and if you look up on the site, you know the whole history of it—we need to do something for veterans and so like I say, this is my little part of that,” explained Norwood. “For the ones that have already passed and for the families that are still here—somebody cares and says thanks!”
Anderson shared that playing with so many others at the same time “was kind of comforting, you know, it’s music, music often brings everyone together—no matter what the situation—even if it’s for a time in memorial or if it’s for something to be joyful about. It’s just something I really appreciate about being human.”
Norwood moved back to the area, after leaving in 1986, to be closer to his family. He has been involved in playing taps at different Memorial Services over the years. It is his way to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives at a time when he couldn’t. “I’m not a veteran, they didn’t want me during the Vietnam era, I was just steps behind everyone and so this is just my way of saying thanks guys—you were out there taking my place,” he said. “I had a couple brothers that were in the service, but I wasn’t, so this is just my way of saying thanks.”
Military is important to Anderson as well; her dad, Blaine Anderson, served in the Army for over 40 years. She credits him for a lot of her choices, he is the reason she joined in the TAPS Across America program. “My dad asked me—he usually does a lot of the Memorial Day Services up here since I was, I don’t know, before I was born—he’s been doing it a long time,” she said.
“I owe a lot of my (success), well the reason why I’m working in the place I work now and got the degree that I got is because my dad helped me out with his veteran’s benefits,” explained Anderson. “So I figure if he helped me and people like him helped me, I might as well help out because it’s only fair!”
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