EchoTaps to be Sounded in Andersonville National Cemetery

Date: April 25, 2014
Contact: Eric Leonard, 229 924-0343, x. 201

ANDERSONVILLE, Georgia – Armed Forces Day is Saturday May 17, 2014 and the solemn tune Taps will be sounded at the Andersonville National Cemetery at 11:00 a.m.This tribute to veterans is known as EchoTaps.Since 1949, the third Saturday in May has been designated as Armed Forces Day.This day honors all those who have served and continue to serve in uniform.

The purpose of EchoTaps is to honor and remember our American military veterans, foster a new generation of buglers who will play for veterans' funerals and raise awareness of our National Cemeteries in the U.S. and overseas.The National Park Service maintains 14 National Cemeteries including the Andersonville National Cemetery.

The EchoTaps tribute depends on volunteers who can play Taps on any brass instrument. Participating buglers need to arrive at least thirty minutes beforehand, and will be stationed throughout the cemetery to play a cascading rendition of 'Taps.'Anyone wishing to participate should contact Chief of Interpretation and Education Eric Leonard at 229 924-0343 or by email at [e-mail]

The EchoTaps event at Andersonville National Cemetery begins promptly at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday May 17. "EchoTaps begins nearly two weeks of events centered around the Memorial Day holiday," stated Superintendent Brad Bennett, "this program, along with those that follow one week later, provide Americans opportunities not only to reflect, but to participate in remembering."

Andersonville National Historic Site is located 10 miles south of Oglethorpe, GA and 10 miles northeast of Americus, GA on Georgia Highway 49. The national park features the National Prisoner of War Museum, Andersonville National Cemetery and the site of the historic Civil War prison, Camp Sumter. ­Andersonville National Historic Site is the only national park within the National Park System to serve as a memorial to all American prisoners of war. Park grounds are open from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. with the museum opening at 9:00 a.m. Admission is free. For more information on the park, call 229 924-0343, visit on the web at www.nps.gov/ande/, or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/AndersonvilleNPS

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About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 401 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.