On May 29, 2020, in honor of the brave soldiers buried in Gettysburg National Cemetery, at 7 pm the Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania, Taps for Veterans and the Gettysburg National Military Park presented Jim Steele from Jacksonville, Fla.
Jim serves as bugler for the American Legion Lakeshore Post 137 honor guard, Sons of the American Legion Detachment of Florida Squadron 137, Taps for Veterans, and Bugles Across America. He also serves as commander of SAL Squadron 137, treasurer and past director of American Legion Riders Florida Chapter 137, and Scoutmaster of Troop 522 of North Florida Council BSA.
Jim started bugling when his grandfather passed down a family heirloom, an E-flat British Calvary trumpet, in 1969. Jim took up the trumpet as a military brat living in Morocco in 1970, continuing with it and the baritone horn through high school in Naples, Italy, and Williamsport, Pa. While in college, Jim played in the Allegheny College Wind Symphony under the direction and instruction of Lowell Hepler. Jim currently resides in Jacksonville and is employed as education manager with the University of Florida Jacksonville Physicians.