For Chuck Knutson, one military funeral changed everything.
More than a decade ago, the Marine Corps veteran agreed to help conduct funeral honors for a fellow service member. Although he had spent years volunteering for veteran-related causes, he was hesitant to take on such an emotional responsibility. But after some convincing from his wife, who is a Marine veteran, he decided to do it.
After folding the American flag and presenting it to the veteran’s widow, Knutson realized the significance of that final gesture.
“She was very emotional, and it was like an epiphany that I was trading that flag that we had just folded for her husband, who laid in the casket behind me,” Knutson said. “She was leaving him there at the cemetery and taking the flag home to remember him. It was going to be displayed on a fireplace mantel or on a shelf for everyone to see, and that represented her husband. I realized just how important what I had just done was for her and her family.”
That experience inspired Knutson to found Last Salute, an all-volunteer military funeral honor guard that provides funeral ceremonies for veterans throughout South Jersey.
Today, the organization conducts between 125 and 150 military funerals each year, serving Atlantic County and parts of Ocean, Gloucester, Burlington, Cape May and Cumberland counties.
“We don’t like telling families no,” Knutson said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Last Salute’s workload increased dramatically as military personnel were often unavailable to conduct funeral honors. Knutson said the military would tell families to call him.
Last Salute has since become known for ceremonies that go beyond the traditional military funeral protocol. While the military often sends two service members to play taps and present the folded flag, Knutson wanted families to experience something more meaningful.
“I wanted it to be more elaborate than that,” he said. “When the military would send a couple young people to do a funeral, it might be somebody that had a Bronze Star or a Silver Star. They weren’t putting enough effort into it.”
Today, Last Salute ceremonies can include Civil War-era cannons, a rifle team, military vehicle transport and the organization’s Memorial Prayer Box, which contains the prayer cards or photographs of every veteran it has honored. More than 2,000 cards have been placed inside the box, symbolizing what Knutson calls the eternal presence of those who served.
The organization’s equipment also carries a unique distinction. Its black Humvee, used at every funeral, bears the signatures of 11 Medal of Honor recipients, while a second Humvee, used as a caisson to transport flag-draped caskets, has been signed by nine Medal of Honor recipients.
Among the most memorable services Last Salute has performed was the funeral of Hershel “Woody” Williams, the last surviving World War II Medal of Honor recipient.
“He actually put it in his will that he wanted us to do his funeral,” Knutson said.
Helping those going into and leaving the military
Though best known for funeral honors, Last Salute reflects just one part of Knutson’s broader commitment to veterans and youth.
Long before creating the organization, he organized charity motorcycle raffles benefiting veterans, operated the Magnus Mud Run, a free military-style obstacle course for children, and worked with military recruiters to prepare future service members for boot camp. He continues mentoring recruits today, helping them improve their physical fitness while also offering advice on finances, saving money and adjusting to military life.
“It’s not just about training them and preparing them physically for the rigors of boot camp,” Knutson said. “It’s also mentally preparing them so they’re not terrified when they get there.”
He believes those conversations help build stronger adults.
“Anything I can do to help them live better, more confident, positive lives is going to help society overall,” he said. “If we can make young people more responsible, confident and productive, how is that not helping all of us?”
Last Salute also visits schools throughout the year, particularly around Veterans Day and Flag Day, demonstrating flag-folding ceremonies, teaching military traditions and, when appropriate, firing ceremonial cannons for students.
“We love the kids,” Knutson said. “You just want to make them see that there are people who care about them and are excited to show and teach them stuff.”
The organization is staffed entirely by volunteers, most of whom are military veterans. Anyone interested in serving must verify their military service and meet the organization’s standards for professionalism and appearance.
Despite its reputation and recognition — including being entered into the Congressional Record and serving as the official military funeral honor guard for several South Jersey municipalities — Last Salute receives no government funding. The organization provides its services free of charge and relies entirely on donations to cover expenses.
Knutson said his motivation has never been recognition; it’s the family standing beside the grave.
“[The family sees] that somebody cared enough to show up and honor the person that they love,” he said.
That belief reflects a broader philosophy that has guided his decades of volunteer work.
“I want to be a positive member of society,” Knutson said. “I want to help people where I can, and this just happens to be the best place for me to do it because this is where my skill set is.”
Whether mentoring future Marines, teaching schoolchildren about military service or presenting one final folded flag to a grieving family, Knutson hopes every act of service inspires another.
“If you smile at somebody, they smile back,” he said. “If you do good, maybe somebody else will do good.”
Families interested in arranging military funeral honors through Last Salute can contact the organization at LastSaluteUS@gmail.com or by calling 609-780-7432. Because Last Salute is an all-volunteer organization that provides its services free of charge, it relies entirely on donations to continue its mission. Donations can be made through the organization’s website, lastsalute.us.
