“Atten hut!” Commander Peter Larson calls out to the Moorhead Honor Guard after a veteran’s funeral. (From left) Bugler Tom Linnertz, Jim Beckstrom, Gary Nolte, Allen Lefer, Roger Christopherson, Dan Hunt, Rich Bannerman, and Larson. (Photo/Nancy Hanson)

Shining a Light on Local Veterans
The Clay County Courthouse is illuminated in green light to honor the service of veterans. It’s part of Operation Green Light for Veterans, shining a light on the service of local veterans and their families through Nov. 11, Veterans Day. Clay County Veterans Services encourages residents and businesses to join the initiative by changing one outdoor or entryway lightbulb to green in coming days … letting veterans know they are seen, appreciated and supported. (photo/ Nancy Hanson)

Peter Larson Commander

Nancy Edmonds Hanson

It’s the most solemn moment of laying a veteran to rest. At funeral’s end, or as the casket is lowered into the grave, the Moorhead Honor Guard steps forward to salute his service to his country.
Seven rifleman and a bugler stand at parade rest as the casket or urn is brought out. The commander calls, “Atten hut! Present arms.” The uniformed volunteers port arms and then prepare to fire the rifles they carry.
“Ready, aim, fire!” The commander repeats the order three times. Seven shots ring out again, and again, and again. Then the bugler raises his instrument to his lips and plays the solemn strains of “Taps.” The Stars and Stripes is ceremoniously folded. Then, at ceremony’s end, the volunteers collect the cartridge casings and present them to the next of kin.
Volunteers from Moorhead American Legion Post 21, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1223 and the F-M Legion Riders repeat the familiar ceremony as often as half a dozen times each month. Sometimes they muster in cemeteries across Clay County; at other times, they assemble outside the churches or funeral homes where services are held. In every case, the sentiment is the same: Men who have served their country themselves honor their fellow veterans at the end of their lives.
“It’s all about honoring our veterans for their service,” says Peter Larson. The U.S. Army veteran has commanded the Moorhead contingent since 2021.
Ten men, all veterans of the U.S. armed services, are currently on the Honor Guard’s roster; two others are on medical leave. Seven riflemen and a bugler assemble in full uniform, then pick up the M1 Garand rifles they’ll fire in the traditional 21-gun salutes.
Larson, as commander, delivers the historic firearms to the site where the honors are to be presented. “They are all refurbished weapons used in World War II and the Korean conflict,” he reports. “They are fully refurbished by the Civilian Marksmanship Project after they have been retired from service.” The semi-automatic  rifles were used by the U.S. Army during World War II and the Korean War. The guns, on loan to the American Legion, remain the property of the CMP.
The U.S. Army provides blank cartridges for honor guards’ use. “There are no bullets involved. They’re blank cartridges,” Larson reports. “They just provide the bang.”
Memorial Day and Veterans Day are the highlights of the Honor Guard’s year. On Monday, Nov. 11, they will assemble at Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton High School to post the flags at a public event where veterans will tell their stories. That afternoon, they will participate in a program at Eventide’s The Linden assisted-living facility for a program on the history of what was originally called Armistice Day.
In May, the schedule is tighter. After taking part with other vets’ groups in a citywide ceremony on Veterans Memorial Bridge, they conduct ceremonies at five cemeteries in Moorhead and two in Sabin … all before lunch. They’re also called upon to post the colors before the National Anthem at American Legion youth baseball games and, with other local units, at F-M Redhawks matches earmarked to raise funds for the Honor Flights.
Most members of the Honor Guard are retired, and some have physical limitations. Larson explains that marching in parades can be difficult for many. That’s when he calls on members of the Legion Riders and the junior group dubbed Sons of American Legion to carry on the tradition of showing the flags.
Larson joined the Air Force after graduating from Moorhead High School in 1971. He repaired electronic sensor systems at Beale Air Force Base in California and the Royal Thai Air Force Base in Udorn, Thailand. After completing his service, he married his Thai sweetheart Mon and returned to Moorhead to complete his degree in accounting. He also joined the North Dakota Air National Guard, where he calibrated search radar on F4 Phantoms and video recording systems on the F16. The lifelong Moorhead native went on to become a revenue agent and senior tax specialist for the Internal Revenue Service office in Fargo, retiring in 2005.
Active in the Moorhead Vikingland Kiwanis Club, Larson has spent his post-retirement time volunteering with the international service club and its projects. He says he came to the Honor Guard late; he was invited to join the group shortly after enrolling as a member of the Legion post in 2019.
“We’re always looking for veterans who interested in joining us,” he emphasizes. “Members of the Honor Guard have all been through the same service to our country as the veterans we honor. As fellow vets, we’re privileged to honor them on behalf of our society.”