Chris Hughes, 41, blows his horn for America’s military, figuratively and literally.
On Monday morning, he will play “Taps” on the trumpet at the annual Greenwich American Legion Post 29’s Dock Side Memorial Day ceremony at the Indian Harbor Yacht Club. Hughes, who has served as commander of the post, believes, “There is a lot to tell people about our veterans,” he said, “that Americans do things selflessly while the rest of the world does it selfishly.” As master of ceremonies and coordinator, he has arranged for 40 to 50 young people from the Greenwich Boys and Girls Club, Boy Scout Police Explorers and U.S. Naval Sea Cadets, to take part in the ceremony, which begins at 8 a.m., when the traditional wreath is thrown on the water and slowly floats out to Long Island Sound. The youngsters will hear about the sacrifice of those American men and women, “the patriotism, the dedication, the doing something for your country, the being part of the larger whole,” just as he did as a boy, he said. “I’ve played ‘Taps’ all my life,” said Hughes, beginning at age 11 as a volunteer for Post 29. “I’ve heard men talking about others giving their lives to someone else,” he said, “[and] there’s a fundamental difference And he wishes to make clear for those who might be confused, Memorial Day is to honor those who have died in service to their country. The day he completed active duty with the Marines in 1992, after serving five years, Hughes, a Greenwich native, began looking for a way to show the young and all those who’ve not served how veterans have impacted the country. He joined American Legion Post 29, and volunteered to become events chairman and was soon overseeing all veteran events in town, including the Dec. 7 Pearl Harbor anniversary commemoration.
It was while brainstorming with others in 1993 that his idea of a “Salute to Veterans” thank-you event was born with a component that would bring an emotional connection. Why not bring in his Marine helicopter squadron from New River, N.C, for a demonstration, he thought have it at Greenwich High School shortly before the Fourth of July and follow with the Navy, the Army and the Air Force. Today, up to 12,000 men, women and children now attend Salute the Veterans, which was relocated to behind Town Hall and is now organized by others.