Grandfather's Honor Guard 30/06 shells

[akolleth]

Well when I was much younger my grandfather died of cancer. He was a veteran and served in the invasion of Normandy. He was knocked out of the battle and the war by a German shell on the beach which tore his leg up pretty bad.

At the funeral he of course had an honor guard do a military salute with M1 Garands, and when the ceremony was over I was asked by some of the vets if I wanted some of the empty shells. I only took five :banghead::banghead::banghead: as I wasn't into firearms at the time, and five seemed like plenty.

So fast forward numerous years and I recently get a M1 Garand. And somehow my thoughts go back to my grandpa and the shells. I dig them out of a box and see they are LC 69 headstamped.

Now my question. I am considering having them reloaded back up. I am thinking that I could load up one clip (I have other LC shells I could load with them to get to 8), since I have a Garand, and it would be a special clip that has a direct relationship with my deceased grandfather. Probably would not be shot, but it would be nice to have a functional link to my grandfather and his service.

Or should I leave the shells as they are, kind of an homage in that they were used for the honor guard ceremony? They do have a symbolism as they stand, the spent shells representing his life in a way.

Is there a proper protocol for such things? And what would you do?

 

[tkendrick]

I tucked my Dad's into the bottom fold of his flag. Have been told that was the proper way to keep them, but I don't know if there really is any traditional way to keep them.

 

[armoredman]

Usually the 21 empty cases are placed vertically under the folded flag in a shadowboard arrangement, but since you only have 5 of them, reload them, and then get the special 5 round hunting Garand clip to load them into. Save it for posterity, or think if your grandfather would rather you shoot them.
Or, make that the first clip in, if the Garand is your SHTF rifle, so your grandfather can help you one last time.
*salute*

 

[Outlaws]

I think I only got 3 shells when my grandpa died.

 

[offthepaper]

My own Fathers shells were tucked into the bottom fold of the flag by one of the Honor Guard before it was presented to my Mom at the graveside. That's where I've let them rest also.
But whatever your decision, consider your Grandfather's honor, and your decision will be the right one for you and your family.

 

[RH822]

When my Dad passed, we received 3, one from each volley and they were tucked into the flag by the OIC of the funeral detail. They have fallen out since then but are visible in the bottom of the flag case.

RH

 

[JWarren]

I REALLY wish we had ANY of the casings from my grandfather's honor guard.

Like others have said, I would have shadow-box framed them with the flag.

As it is, I have my grandfather's flag and his medals shadow-boxed-- with his combat infrantryman badge in the center.


-- John

 

[Titan6]

Protocol is three for enlisted soldier and junior officers. You can buy plenty of Lake City of various vintage on line. Why not just save them and buy more LC?

 

[rantingredneck]

My Grandfather was a WWII (Pacific Theater) Navy vet and Korean War Army vet. When he died several years ago they tucked three, one from each volley, into his flag which sits above my mantle now. The others I collected up and they are in a box with some other mementos.

 

[CajunTim]

When I was in I never actually served on an Honor Guard but trained for it as we had rotations and if you were needed during that rotation you went. The M-16s used during the ceremonies are shooting blanks w/o blank adapters and have to be manually cycled. The three rounds are live fired brass and are polished before the ceremony and or slipped into the bottom fold of the flag before they are handed to the next of kin.

As for as reloading your shells do what you think he would want.

 

[Nanook]

I have the brass from my father's funeral, too. We wrapped them in the flag, which I have and put into a case.

Other members of my family desired some brass, so since I'm the friendly neighborhood handloader, I was able to supply the brass. I tumbled and polished a dozen or so .30-06 brass to a high shine and passed them out. All were happy, and the originals are still in the flag.

More reasons to be a brass scrounger.

 

[Smitty in CT]

My nephew (PFC Eric J. Smith) died May 21, 2007, his honor guard were using M-16's, they didn't have to manually cycle the guns... His parents were given the flag with 3 casings... they weren't "blank" casings though...

The blanks that were used when I was in the service (over 20 years ago) had the crimped end

It is still a very nice gesture...his platoon sergant escorted him back home and stayed until after the funeral.

Smitty

 

[Neo-Luddite]

Old brass--especially loaded as a blank (black powder is corrosive)--doesn't age well. If it will make you happier, and if the cases aren't damaged and can all be loaded (seek an expert)--

take armoredman's advice: load them and place them with 3 tracers on an en-bloc; Tracers at either end, one at 4 or 5 position. For extra fun, load them with AP.

That said, just leave 'em be. Put one in the hollow of you M-1's stock--or load it up as a dummy and make a key chain or charm or something.

No doubt, your Grandfather would want you to use safe ammunition.

I really appreciate your sentiment, but it's probably unsafe.

Regards--

Mike


(Loaded rounds you never intend to shoot, as they might be unsafe, will outlive you--something to think about. Any 'don't shoot these' I have lying about are put in an ammo can labeled very clearly "UNSAFE TO SHOOT").

 

[Outlaws]

Not to high jack this, but can someone IM if you have bought a flag case online that you were very happy with quality wise? There are so many places to choose from, I need to narrow it down.

 

[akolleth]

Thanks for the advice

As far as the flag goes, I checked with my mom and she doesn't have it, so my aunt must. I am going to contact her and see if I can check if they have a case for it, or whatever. I will see if she will let me put them in the folds of the flag, I think that would be the best way to honor him. Or to see if there already is three placed in there. Maybe, I don't honestly know.

Either way I decided that I am not going to reload them.

I do think that I am going to keep one out and place it in my Garand's stock like Neo-Luddite suggested. Kind of personal reference to him.

 

[langenc]

Get the flag 'on display'. It is no good tucked in a drawer or in a closet with some blankets piled on top. Lots of nice cases available.

 

[Sunray]

"...black powder is corrosive..." Yep. However, blanks do not use BP. They use a special powder made for blanks.
akolleth, you could make some DP ammo to put with granddad's flag when you find it. Just make 8 rounds without a primer or powder and put 'em into a clip. You may want to drill and deburr a small hole in the cartridge too. Just to be sure they're very obviously DP's.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I tucked my Dad's into the bottom fold of his flag. Have been told that was the proper way to keep them, but I don't know if there really is any traditional way to keep them.

That is the traditional way to keep them. Normally, 3 spent cases are given to the family, one for each volley, but sometimes the honor guard will give more.

 

[DogBonz]

This was my thought

akolleth, you could make some DP ammo to put with granddad's flag when you find it. Just make 8 rounds without a primer or powder and put 'em into a clip. You may want to drill and deburr a small hole in the cartridge too. Just to be sure they're very obviously DP's.

I would put 3 with the flag because it is tradition and would be nice to have in there if you hand it down. I would then make the rest into "dummy's" so that you can have some display ammo for the Garand.

But that's just me

 

[MrDig]

I have my Dads Flag, and one of each volley fired. As a Bonus I recently received a 36th infantry Division Patch and a 151st Artillery Bn unit crest from his unit.
Knowing what he and the 36th as well as the 151st endured in Italy, I could not fathom wanting to reload the brass from my Dads 21 gun salute.
Those who served and specifically in WWII were very ordinary men in Extraordinary Circumstances. Those who stood, out would not have, were it not for the efforts of men like your grandfather. Those seemingly insignificant pieces of Brass are representative of the Bravery and Sacrifice, of an Entire Generation. Not to mention the Generation of parents that waited and prayed and worried for the safe return of loved ones.
The legacy that was given to us by your Grandfather or your Father, Uncle Great Uncle, or what ever the relation is one that we need to honor by preserving and retelling to future generations, Picture yourself 15 years from now telling your Children the story why those pieces of brass are so important.
Keep the brass. Give your children the legacy.

 

[CZguy]

I have my Dads Flag, and one of each volley fired. As a Bonus I recently received a 36th infantry Division Patch and a 151st Artillery Bn unit crest from his unit.
Knowing what he and the 36th as well as the 151st endured in Italy, I could not fathom wanting to reload the brass from my Dads 21 gun salute.
Those who served and specifically in WWII were very ordinary men in Extraordinary Circumstances. Those who stood, out would not have, were it not for the efforts of men like your grandfather. Those seemingly insignificant pieces of Brass are representative of the Bravery and Sacrifice, of an Entire Generation. Not to mention the Generation of parents that waited and prayed and worried for the safe return of loved ones.
The legacy that was given to us by your Grandfather or your Father, Uncle Great Uncle, or what ever the relation is one that we need to honor by preserving and retelling to future generations, Picture yourself 15 years from now telling your Children the story why those pieces of brass are so important.
Keep the brass. Give your children the legacy.

Well said, I agree completely.

 

[wuchak]

I do think that I am going to keep one out and place it in my Garand's stock like Neo-Luddite suggested. Kind of personal reference to him.

If you do this I would put a note on parchment or archive quality paper inside the shell with your Grandfather's name, military information,dob, dod, and that it's a shell from his honor guard. That way anyone else, in the family or out, who comes to own the rifle will know where the shell came from and it's significance.