To James McElroy of Morris, every day is Flag Day

James McElroy of Morris said it’s a “privilege” to be an American.

That’s why a lighted flag hangs outside his house – not just on Flag Day which is celebrated nationally Tuesday – but every day.

That’s why he serves an election judge, even serving at early voting last week.

That’s why he participates in Taps Across America, a little-known tribute that asks musicians to play taps at 3 p.m. each Memorial Day.

“I think, more than anything, to be an American, you have to be an American,” McElroy said. “And as far as I’m concerned, one way to do that is to honor the flag and to honor even being an election judge.”

But it was music that drew McElroy into serving his country. A trumpet-playing friend had joined the United States Navy Band and encouraged McElroy to consider using his musical talents to serve his country.

“My parents and I went on a vacation out West,” McElroy said. “When we got back, I joined the Navy.”

As a child, McElroy had participated in the music programs at Joliet Public School Districts 86 and Joliet Township High School, now known as Joliet Central High School. McElroy said he was 6 years old when he stared playing both trumpet and accordion.

“At 10 years old, I decided two instruments were a little bit too much,” McElroy said. “So I stuck with the trumpet after that.”

McElroy served in the Navy from 1959 to 1967. At the time the Navy had unit bands, which were typically centered around the admirals of different fleets, he said.

During his service, McElroy was on three aircraft carriers and three guided missile cruisers in Europe and was stationed at Villefranche-sur-Mer in France, McElroy said.

When he left the Navy, McElroy joined the Navy Musicians Association, which connects past and present Navy musicians and hosts an annual reunion, McElroy said.

But McElroy said he stopped playing bugle shortly after he left the Navy.

“I played in the junior college for a while,” McElroy said. “And then I gave private lessons for a while. But then after I had children, when I’d practice, the dog would bark and the kids would cry. So I decided it was time to hang it up.”

These days, the only time McElroy plays the bugle is for Taps Across America. Last year, his granddaughter, Madelyn McElroy, 13, played clarinet in her grade school band and joined him at Woodlawn Cemetery in Joliet to play Taps., he said.

“She surprised me by practicing taps on her clarinet,” McElroy said. “So we played taps together at the grave and it moved me. I had a heck of time getting through it.”