The Old Guard honors America's fallen heroes at Arlington National Cemetery
As the official ceremonial unit of the U.S. Army, The Old Guard places flags at every grave in Arlington National Cemetery each Memorial Day.
Get all the latest news on coronavirus and more delivered daily to your inbox. Sign up here.
A group of military veterans out of Mount Airy, N.C., made a video to bestow a funeral honor guard upon departed service members who are unable to receive one due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.
The effort was led by Rob Luffman, whose late father Bobby Luffman served in the Air Force. He said he saw a friend share a Facebook post asking for someone to play taps at her dad's funeral several weeks ago. The woman's father had served three tours in Vietnam.
"That was the first time it occurred to me that veterans were not getting honors ceremonies at graveside services," he told Fox News. "I had no idea it was an issue. Never thought it would be. It's only an issue due to the COVID pandemic.
"So I started calling local VFWs," Luffman explained. "I started calling my friends who were in the services, trying to track down any honor guard willing to stage one for a film. Finally Mr. Arlis Thomas called me back from Mount Airy and got the group together. We scheduled it and met for the first time to do the film."
BLUE ANGELS HONOR US NAVAL ACADEMY'S CLASS OF 2020 WITH SPECIAL FLYOVER: SEE THE VIDEO
He said he and his friend Jon Brooks usually photograph landscapes, but that both jumped at the chance to honor America's veterans.
"I arranged it with my friend and fellow photographer Jon Brooks. Normally we only do still landscapes and wildlife photos, so this video was a first," Luffman explained.
"The VFW members were kind, happy and elated to do the film. They took a few minutes to rehearse since they haven't done a ceremony since February. I believe they said they did 86 of them last year. When it was ready to do go, they did the show -- filmed in one take. It brings tears to the eyes. Everything was perfect."
Luffman said he hopes families of deceased service members use his video as a way to honor their loved ones as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage on.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
"They knew what this means to everyone. They performed admirably. They did it with honor and care," he said. "The film is on the Internet. All I ask is that the link to the YouTube video be shared so folks in need can find it, and share it with loved ones in times of need. That's all we ask. It was the right thing to do, and we did it."
True Crime
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.
