Did you know Alabama has heroes from World War I remembered in England?
While in England this week, I had the privilege of visiting Brookwood American Cemetery in Surrey and playing Taps among the graves and memorials of American service members from the First World War. Brookwood is the only permanent American military cemetery in the United Kingdom from WWI, and it is a deeply moving place… quiet, beautiful, and full of memory.
This visit was especially meaningful to me for several reasons. It was my third American Battle Monuments Commission cemetery where I have had the honor of playing Taps, and the sixth cemetery I have visited in Europe. I am deeply grateful to the American Battle Monuments Commission for their kindness and willingness to let me come and play. Places like Brookwood remind us that remembrance matters… and that honoring the fallen with something real, solemn, and human still matters.
Two Alabama names stood out to me in a special way during this visit.
The first was Osmond Kelly Ingram of Alabama, whose name appears on the Wall of the Missing. Ingram was a Medal of Honor recipient and the first U.S. Navy enlisted man killed in action during World War I. On October 15, 1917, while serving aboard the USS Cassin off the coast of Ireland, he saw an incoming torpedo and rushed to release depth charges in an effort to protect the ship and his fellow sailors. He lost his life in the blast, but his courage and selflessness became part of the story of American valor in the Great War. Standing there and seeing his name etched in stone was a reminder that heroism is often measured in seconds… and in sacrifice.
The second Alabama story was that of Pvt. Columbus Burrough, whose white cross stands at Brookwood. Burrough served in the segregated 816th Pioneer Infantry and died on October 27, 1918. He was the son of freed slaves and came from a world where opportunities were limited and dignity was often denied, yet he still answered the call to serve his country. His story reflects not only military sacrifice, but perseverance, courage, and faithfulness in the face of injustice. To stand near his grave and play Taps was a powerful moment for me… a small act of honor offered in memory of a life that should not be forgotten.
That is one of the reasons the mission of Real Taps for Real Heroes matters so much. Behind every grave, every name on a wall, and every cemetery pathway is a human story. These are not abstractions. These are sons, brothers, husbands, friends, and neighbors. They came from places like Alabama. They carried hopes, burdens, and dreams. And they deserve more than to be remembered as names in a book.
They deserve to be honored.
Playing Taps at Brookwood was my way of saying thank you… not only to these two Alabama men, but to all those Americans buried and remembered there. I left grateful, humbled, and reminded once again that memory is a duty. Honor is a duty. And when we play Taps live for real heroes, we bear witness to both.
Thank you.