Military Funeral Shells
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Many Military funerals include the firing of rifles by the Military Honor Guard consisting of three volleys in honor of the deceased.
These spent shells are then presented to the family members, sometimes placed within the folded flag that rested upon the coffin.
I am able to transform these spent shells into working pens, to help keep the Veteran's memory alive.
Please contact me if you have shells that you would like transformed into pens. They need to be 30 caliber (i.e. .308 or 30.06). Price will depend on how elaborate you would like it to be (FYI, the Iwo Jima Pens and holders pictured below would be considered extremely elaborate!)
If you are unsure of the style or caliber of your shell, please email me a picture of the side of the shell next to a coin for size reference, and the primer end of the shell with the stamped markings.
Price per pen is usually $50, unless more expensive materials are chosen.
We are now offering personalized laser engraving of the shell. $10 for up to two lines.
Please inquire when ordering.
Please refer to this page for the history of the Honor Guard Rifle Salute.
(Click Here)
mfortner@fortnercrafts.com
Designing your pen.
After you have decided to transform your shell into a pen, here's what I'll need to know:
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Bullet Tip
(L to R) Chrome, Copper, Gold, Gun Metal, Black Enamel
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Custom Laser Engraving is available!
Typical Honor Guard Shell Types.
Common 30.06 Military Blank
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Common .308 Military Blank
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If you are not sure what type of shell you have, please send me an email with a photograph of your shell, with something next to it for scale (like a coin).
Gallery of Honor
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Right:
Iwo Jima Honor Guard Commemorative Pens. 30.06 Honor Guard Volley Shells, fired by the Honor Guard at the Military Funeral of W. Decker Humphrey, USMC, Veteran of The Battle of Iwo Jima, WWII, and the recipint of two silver star medals. Wood top is from a vintage M-1 Garand Stock, black line is beach sand from the Island of Iwo Jima inlaid into the wood. Gun Metal Components and polished and clear powder coated shells. Below:
Iwo Jima Honor Guard Commemorative Pens and Desk Stands. Desk stands for the pens above using the Veteran's Company and Division insignia, USMC Eagle, Globe and Anchor. The metal pen holder is the trigger guard from an M-1 Garand, Supported by a 30.06 bullet shell. The marble comes from the same quarry that supplies the headstones to Arlington National Cemetery, resting inside a custom made oak base. |
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30.06 Honor Guard Volley Shell Fired at the Military Funeral of US Navy Veteran Mark Marler. Shell was left "raw" with no polishing and no powder coating. Wood is Spalted Apple obtained from an apple tree that grew in the Veteran's mother's yard in Ririe, Idaho where he grew up as a child.
30.06 Honor Guard Volley Shells fired at the Military Funeral of US Army Vietnam Veteran Robert O. Himel III, better known as "Red" to his friends. Red earned the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with 2 Stars, Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 Device, Good Conduct Medal, and the Bronze Star for meritorious service in a combat zone. Shells were left "raw" with no polishing or powdercoating, the upper half is made from Spalted Tamarind wood with copper bullet tip and gun metal components..
30.06 Honor Guard Volley Shells fired at the Military Funeral of US Marine Lester C. Brandenberger. Lester was a Technical Sergeant (TSgt) for the US Marine Corps during World War II in the pacific. During his time he worked on planes and was island hoping to support aircraft of all kinds. During his service, he survived both an explosion and lightning striking one of the planes he was actively working on. He was a proud Marine who always lived the values of the corps. He was honorably discharged and lived a quiet life in central Ohio until his passing. Shells were polished and clear powder coating was applied. Upper half is made from Cocobolo wood with chrome bullet tip and components.
.308 Caliber Honor Guard Volley Shell fired at the Military Funeral of U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Richard L Redfield.
Sgt. Redfield faithfully served tours in World War 2, Korea and Vietnam. Shell was left "raw," Upper is jet black Tru-Stone with black Components.
Sgt. Redfield faithfully served tours in World War 2, Korea and Vietnam. Shell was left "raw," Upper is jet black Tru-Stone with black Components.
30.06 Honor Guard Volley Shells fired at the Military Funeral of US Marine Sgt. Jack David Martin. Sgt. Martin served as a sharpshooter in Vietnam, and went on to serve his community as a police officer after he was Honorably Discharged from the Military. Shells were left "raw," Uppers are stabilized Sycamore Burl with black enamel bullet tip and components.
30.06 Honor Guard Volley Shells fired at the Military Funeral of US Navy Veteran John "Ray" Guerrier. Served during the Vietnam War on the USS Sam Houston nuclear submarine and was a distinguished Navy Seal. Shell was left "raw," and the top is made from Spalted Beech.
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30.06 Honor Guard Villey Shells fired at the Military Funeral of Charles "Chuck" William Bontrager Jr. who served 6 years in the US Army from May 63 - May 69. He was in Company C 703rd Maintenance Battalion specializing in gas turbine engines. He also earned a medal for marksmanship. Charles was a Christian above all else, known by friends as Chuck and Charlie to family. The cherry wood came from a tree that Chuck's father fell on the property in Burr Oak, MI where he Chuck grew up. Chuck had been saving the wood for many years but never had the chance to use it for a project. Chuck's family made the above flag cases from that special cherry wood, and sent me a piece to make the pens. Shells were left "raw," and the cherry tops were left unfinished so that the family could stain them the same color as the flag cases they constructed. (Finished pens on Left).
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30.06 Honor Guard Volley Shells Fired at the Military Funeral of a Vietnam Veteran. Wood is from an Oak beam that was in the family's Church that was built back in the 1700's. The Church was tragically burned down in a fire on July 4, 2020.
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30.06 Honor Guard Volley Shells Fired at the Military Funeral of a Vietnam Veteran. "Old-School" Vietnam Era camouflage pattern in Acrylic Acetate. Matching smoking pipe made from the same material, just because.....
30.06 Honor Guard Volley Shells Fired at the Military Funeral of US Air Force Captain Harold Elwyn Johnson. Light blue dyed Box Elder Burl.
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Captain Harold Elwyn Johnson.
Capt. Johnson's favorite assignments in the Military had to do with anything meteorological. Some of his Granddaughter's fondest memories where the moments where he would just stop mid-stride to point out the clouds and their formations. He would just pause…nothing else mattered in that moment. His pen is made to represent the blue sky with a white cloud. |
30.06 Honor Guard Volley Shells, in Black Acrylic fired at the Military Funeral of USMC CPL Rogelio Vasquez who served in the U.S. Marine Corp (USMC) from 1974 to 1977. After his honorable discharge from the USMC, CPL Vasquez worked for the Federal Government in the Laughlin AFB Civil Engineering Squadron and the Operations Support Squadron for 25 years, retiring in 2008. The shells were fired by the American Legion Honor Guard with the USMC Honor Guard in attendance who performed Taps.
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Gene McCarroll PFC Fort Bliss TX 1949 Age 18
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30.06 Honor Guard Volley Shells, Stabilized red Sycamore.
From Elaine McCarrol Suits:
My dad Gene Dalton McCarroll served in the U.S. Army from January 5, 1949 to January 6, 1950, stationed at Fort Bliss, TX. He was a Private First Class AUS, and his title was Aircraft Wing Specialist, which his Separation Qualification Record describes as "Would go out in the field to an observation post and call in to Headquarters the movement of planes." Probably not the most dangerous assignment, but certainly an important one in those times. He was given the choice to re-enlist after his first year ended and be shipped to Korea, or be honorably discharged, which is the path he took. The Sycamore wood I requested for the pens represents the city of Sycamore in Illinois where he settled after he left the service, met my mom, married, and raised my two sisters and me. Red was his favorite color. He passed away in January 2021 at age 90, a few months shy of his 91st birthday. He was madder than a wet hen when Coronavirus, aka Covid, came along in 2020, one month before he turned 90, and prevented him from renewing his driver's license due to all the DMVs closing down. He was a stubborn hillbilly from Arkansas and could be meaner than a snake to me at times, but he was my dad all the same, and I loved him. When the Honor Guard presented me with the American flag at his graveside service, I felt so proud of him - all the angst of my childhood and teen years just melted away. When we collected the rifle shells from the ground after the service, I knew I had something special. They sat on my living room bookshelf until I came across your website, and then I knew exactly what to do with them. You have such a special talent in crafting these pens, and I know you have brought joy to many, many people with them. Thank you so much for the service you provide to those who have served our great country so willingly and proudly and to us, their loved ones who miss them.
From Elaine McCarrol Suits:
My dad Gene Dalton McCarroll served in the U.S. Army from January 5, 1949 to January 6, 1950, stationed at Fort Bliss, TX. He was a Private First Class AUS, and his title was Aircraft Wing Specialist, which his Separation Qualification Record describes as "Would go out in the field to an observation post and call in to Headquarters the movement of planes." Probably not the most dangerous assignment, but certainly an important one in those times. He was given the choice to re-enlist after his first year ended and be shipped to Korea, or be honorably discharged, which is the path he took. The Sycamore wood I requested for the pens represents the city of Sycamore in Illinois where he settled after he left the service, met my mom, married, and raised my two sisters and me. Red was his favorite color. He passed away in January 2021 at age 90, a few months shy of his 91st birthday. He was madder than a wet hen when Coronavirus, aka Covid, came along in 2020, one month before he turned 90, and prevented him from renewing his driver's license due to all the DMVs closing down. He was a stubborn hillbilly from Arkansas and could be meaner than a snake to me at times, but he was my dad all the same, and I loved him. When the Honor Guard presented me with the American flag at his graveside service, I felt so proud of him - all the angst of my childhood and teen years just melted away. When we collected the rifle shells from the ground after the service, I knew I had something special. They sat on my living room bookshelf until I came across your website, and then I knew exactly what to do with them. You have such a special talent in crafting these pens, and I know you have brought joy to many, many people with them. Thank you so much for the service you provide to those who have served our great country so willingly and proudly and to us, their loved ones who miss them.
.308 Honor Guard Volley Shells, Navy Blue Acrylic Acetate.
Fired in honor of Captain and Mrs. John W. Allin. United States Navy. Personalized laser engraving.
Fired in honor of Captain and Mrs. John W. Allin. United States Navy. Personalized laser engraving.
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30.06 Honor Guard Volley Shells, Black Walnut
Fired in Honor of Kenneth A. Breland, Staff Sergeant United States Marine Corps
Sgt. Breland served as a military police officer. He was stationed in San Francisco & San Diego CA., Fort Gordon GA., Seattle WA., Camp LeJune NC., but spent the majority of his enlistment in Okinawa, Japan. He met his wife, Cheri in 1982 and married in 1986. After leaving the Marines Sgt. Breland stayed in law enforcement, working in a small town in Louisiana called Bogalusa, where he and his wife were born and raised. His wife Cheri told me that she chose the black walnut wood (on the left) to complete the first set of pens because his absolute favorite ice cream was black walnut, reportedly the ONLY ice cream he would eat! The pens are to be given to Sgt. Breland's friends, one who is left handed, and the other right, hence the difference orientation of the engravings. Cheri also said that his favorite tree was a Blossoming Cherry Tree, and the pens on the right are made from Blossoming Cherry Wood.
Fired in Honor of Kenneth A. Breland, Staff Sergeant United States Marine Corps
Sgt. Breland served as a military police officer. He was stationed in San Francisco & San Diego CA., Fort Gordon GA., Seattle WA., Camp LeJune NC., but spent the majority of his enlistment in Okinawa, Japan. He met his wife, Cheri in 1982 and married in 1986. After leaving the Marines Sgt. Breland stayed in law enforcement, working in a small town in Louisiana called Bogalusa, where he and his wife were born and raised. His wife Cheri told me that she chose the black walnut wood (on the left) to complete the first set of pens because his absolute favorite ice cream was black walnut, reportedly the ONLY ice cream he would eat! The pens are to be given to Sgt. Breland's friends, one who is left handed, and the other right, hence the difference orientation of the engravings. Cheri also said that his favorite tree was a Blossoming Cherry Tree, and the pens on the right are made from Blossoming Cherry Wood.
