It's the 4th today, and all the flags are triggering my memories of last week. Law enforcement services are a new experience for me, but I found it a fitting and lovely tribute for my hunting & fishing buddy. They say pictures are worth a thousand words and this little vignette says it all for me. I appreciate your forbearance, as this has nothing to do with fine shotguns...

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

The lines for the viewing were around the block most of the day, and the funeral procession involved easily 20 vehicles, with the State Police leading the pack. We travelled from Bradford, Pennsylvania to Wellsboro, a two and a half hour trip. Every little town we went through had their own police and fire departments out, blocking traffic for the funeral procession and standing at attention. Police cars would join and then depart as we travelled through their jurisdictions. I would normally find all of this extravagant but in this case it was simply touching. Not something I'll quickly forget.

When the volley of shots had been fired, taps had been blown, and the flag draping his coffin had been ceremoniously folded and then handed to his widow with the words "given with the thanks of a grateful nation" I was simply overcome.

Marty would have loved it.