Honor Guard at 98: 'I think it's a nice thing to do'

Russell Pittsley probably has earned some down time. The 98-year-old World War II Army veteran fought during the Philippines Liberation and later was part of the occupation forces in Japan.

But despite approaching the century mark, the member of American Legion Post 64 in Middleboro, Mass., still stays active, most notably as a member of the Middleboro Veterans Honor Guard. Comprised of members of The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Disabled American Veterans, the group stays busy providing military burial and ceremonial performances throughout the area.

“I think it’s a nice thing to do,” Pittsley said. “We attend funerals for the veterans, and we do other things around town. On Flag Day we did two ceremonies. It’s something I can do while I’m still alive.”

Pittsley said he’s been involved in the honor guard for roughly 10 years, a little less than the time he’s been a member of the Legion. Ensuring a veteran has a funeral befitting of his or her military service drives Pittsley to continue showing up in his honor guard uniform.

"I think it’s very important they get that final ceremony after all that they went through,” he said. “I went through it myself. I think it’s a good thing we do for them. All the guys (in the honor guard) feel the same way.”

Pittsley said a former Department of Veterans Affairs staff member once told him that he was the oldest shooter on an honor guard in the country, a claim Pittsley quickly dismissed. “That’s kind of hard to believe,” Pittsley said. “It’s a big country. There’s got to somebody older than me.”

To read more about Pittsley, click here.