Walter Campbell, Jr., Still Bugling

Walter D. Campbell, Jr., 81, of Middleboro has been playing a horn of various descriptions since about the age of seven. His memories of first playing a horn go back to about 1937 when his uncle Dominic Lepre gave him a trumpet. “ My uncle Dominic was a horse cavalry soldier prior to WW1,” said Walter. “He gave me the trumpet and a short time later, I became a member of the Sons of the Legion drum corps.”

“I remember playing with the drum corps in Boston for the Legion Convention in 1938,” recalled the Peirce Street resident. “The Sons of the Legion drum corps had been given the drums and bugles of Post 64’s drum corps, which had disbanded in the late 30’s,” according to Walter. “The Sons of the Legion drum corps ended because of WW2.”

“During high school, Assistant Principal Ernest Thomas, who was a history teacher and an American Legion member, would release me from school to play “Taps” at funerals for the WW1 veterans,” remembered the long time bugler.

Walter was recognized by the American Legion for his playing of “Taps” at funerals, when on January 5, 1942, the Post voted to buy him a bugle.

According to the minutes of that 1942 meeting, which state: “Walter Campbell has performed excellent services participating at funerals as bugler. It was voted to present him with a bugle as a gift with his name inscribed on it.” The motion to present Walter with the bugle was made by WW1 Navy veteran George Dunham and recorded by Post 64 adjutant Marshall Snow.

Walter still has the horn given to him by the Post, which he describes as a French bugle. There is an inscription on the horn which reads: “Given to Walter Campbell, Jr. for untiring service to Post 64 American Legion 1942.”

As he recently posed with that bugle, Walter told of how one of the Legion members volunteered to chrome plate the horn. “The man took the horn and returned it with the beautiful chrome plating. But, unfortunately, the plating caused a problem with the tone of the played notes,” Walter recalled. “The chrome plating distorted the sound.”

Following high school Walter joined the Navy in October of 1950. While in the service the Post paid full membership for him. Walter stated that when he came home on leave he would play “Taps” at funerals or at parades.

He retired from the Navy in August 1976 as a Senior Chief Boatswain’s Mate and was highly decorated after 26 years.

Among the many military awards he received: Bronze Star with Combat “V”; Gallantry Cross with Palm (Vietnam); Combat Action Ribbon; Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal; Vietnam Service Medal with 4 bronze stars; Navy Expeditionary Medal; China Service Medal; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; Presidential Unit Citation; Korean Presidential Unit Citation; United Nations Medal; Korean Service Medal; National Defense Service Medal with bronze star; Navy Achievement Medal; and, Good Conduct Medal with 7 bronze stars.

During the Korean War he served aboard the aircraft carrier Tarawa CVA-40. He was also involved in the Cuban Missile Crisis as part of the blockade. In Vietnam he was assigned to river patrol boats with the River Division 512 on the Bassac River in the Mekong Delta. He completed 161 combat patrols, where he came under sniper fire over 50 times and engaged the enemy on 12 occasions. His Bronze Star with combat “V” was awarded for action during the TET offensive in Vietnam.

After his Navy retirement, Walter worked with the Massachusetts State Police, Troop D in Middleboro for 23 years in maintenance and as a truck driver.

As a member of Simeon L. Nickerson Post 64, Walter has served in many positions over the years. He has been the Junior Vice- Commander, Adjutant, Commander (twice) and currently the Sergeant at Arms. In addition, he has been in charge of leading the Middleboro Veterans Council Honor Guard at military funerals and parades. And, of course, still playing “Taps” with the Honor Guard.

“Our Veterans Council Honor Guard activities have increased during the past five years due to the leadership of Paul Provencher, Middleboro’s Veterans Agent,” said Mr. Campbell. “He was very instrumental in re-organizing the group.”

At February’s monthly American Legion Post 64 meeting, Commander Robert Burke presented Walter Campbell, Jr., with a new bugle purchased by the membership.

In November 2006, Walter was named as “Veteran of the Year” by the Southeastern Massachusetts Veterans Housing Program, Inc., and the Veterans Housing Transition House Board of Directors of New Bedford. He was honored at a banquet held in Acushnet, which was attended by many veterans from Middleboro.

Walter lives on Peirce Street with his wife of 50 years, Marilyn.
This article was also printed asa front page story on July 14,2013 in "The Blues Traveler," a publication of the Free Bird Times.
( Article written By Bob Lessard, Post 64 Historian)