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American Legion Post 96 of Cherokee County was named Honor Guard of the Year by the American Legion Department of North Carolina in May. The Honor Guard was established 20 years ago in Cherokee County.
Murphy – American Legion Post 96 of Murphy has been named Honor Guard of the Year Award by the American Legion Department of North Carolina for 2020.
The Honor Guard gives the last farewell to a fallen soldier which is an honor bestowed to all who have served their country. The American Legion Post 96 Honor Guard has 17 members. Members from Hayesville American Legion Post 32; the Marine Corps League, Cherokee Detachment 1011; and Veterans of Foreign Wars Posts 7620 and 6812 also participate in funeral services.
The Honor Guard performs funerals for military members on active duty or in selected reserve, former military members who served on active duty and honorable discharge and former military members who completed at least one term of enlistment with honorable discharge according to military.com. In 2020, American Legion Post 96 Honor Guard performed 58 funerals in Cherokee County, and they have completed almost 50 so far in 2021.
The Honor Guard folds and presents the U.S. flag to the next of kin at the funeral, does a 21-gun salute and “Taps” is played by a legionnaire on the bugle. Everyone plays an important role, from the firing squad, color guard and bugler.