Honor Flight!

[{CLR} ObiTroy]

Well, we had plans to go see the new Shrek and Iron Man movies at the drive in Saturday night, daughter was really excited about that. I got the e-mail below earlier today. I'm going to go on this early AM event and then also want the rest of the family to go when the Vets return in the evening, which creates a conflict with our drive-in plans .

I told my daughter about this and the importance of honoring our Veterans... telling her I would really like her to attend this event with Mommy and Daddy but then we wouldn't be able to go to the drive-in. "That's ok. We have all summer to go to the drive-in. Something like this doesn't happen every Saturday." I gave her a big hug after she pulled away she asked, "Why are you crying, Daddy?" Just tears of pride.

North Carolina PGR: WWII ESCORT TO PTI FOR HONOR FLIGHT AND TRIAD HONOR FLIGHT INFO:

Triad Flight of Honor: Honoring the courage, valor, and sacrifice of our WWII Veterans.

The Patriot Guard has been invited to escort CPL Marvin Lee Smith US Army 1944-1946 From Stokesdale NC to The Piedmont Triad International Airport Saturday May 22nd 2010.

CPl Smith is a decorated WWII Solidier who served in the 1st Infantry During the Battle of The Bulge.

The Ardennes Offensive (16 December 1944 ? 25 January 1945)
The Battle of the Bulge claimed the lives of 19,000 Americans.

Stage Time: 6 am Saturday May 22nd 2010
KSU 6:15
Location:
Countryside Retirement Village 7700 Hwy 158 Stokesdale NC
http://tinyurl.com/27hpyvl

If this is something you feel like you might be interested in, here's the link to the Honor Flight web site. They have several flights leaving this weekend from different parts of the country. Click on the Schedule link from here: http://www.honorflight.org/ .

I went on one last year with the PGR. Typical Harley riding bikers... lots of leather... beards... bandandas... mostly Harley types but also a good percentage of crotch rockets and Goldwing types as well, we don't discriminate - don't even need to ride a bike but a majority are Veterans and ride Harleys. Good percentage of Vietnam Vets... it's very healing for them. But my point is that you have never seen a bunch of grown, burly men crying as I witnessed last year when those WWII Vets starting coming off the plane and were greated by a very greatful crowd.

I'll take the camera and post some pictures probably sometime Sunday. I'm really looking forward to the morning and evening Saturday.

[Apache Warrior]

Our community started doing those two years ago. I know quite a few WWII veterans that went. I knew even more who never got the chance to go.
Apache

[{CLR} ObiTroy]

... I knew even more who never got the chance to go.
Apache

Same here. I have a cousin that was on the USS Missouri when Japan surrendered. He's in a rest home in Martinsville, VA currently and his health is just too far gone to make a journey like this. So sad.

[baconoclock]

Well, we had plans to go see the new Shrek and Iron Man movies at the drive in Saturday night, daughter was really excited about that. I got the e-mail below earlier today. I'm going to go on this early AM event and then also want the rest of the family to go when the Vets return in the evening, which creates a conflict with our drive-in plans .

I told my daughter about this and the importance of honoring our Veterans... telling her I would really like her to attend this event with Mommy and Daddy but then we wouldn't be able to go to the drive-in. "That's ok. We have all summer to go to the drive-in. Something like this doesn't happen every Saturday." I gave her a big hug after she pulled away she asked, "Why are you crying, Daddy?" Just tears of pride.




If this is something you feel like you might be interested in, here's the link to the Honor Flight web site. They have several flights leaving this weekend from different parts of the country. Click on the Schedule link from here: http://www.honorflight.org/ .

I went on one last year with the PGR. Typical Harley riding bikers... lots of leather... beards... bandandas... mostly Harley types but also a good percentage of crotch rockets and Goldwing types as well, we don't discriminate - don't even need to ride a bike but a majority are Veterans and ride Harleys. Good percentage of Vietnam Vets... it's very healing for them. But my point is that you have never seen a bunch of grown, burly men crying as I witnessed last year when those WWII Vets starting coming off the plane and were greated by a very greatful crowd.

I'll take the camera and post some pictures probably sometime Sunday. I'm really looking forward to the morning and evening Saturday.

Living in MO right on the kansas boarder we hear a ton about the westboro church freaks(If youre not fimiliar Google them ) . Nothing makes me more proud to hear that every time that 'church' is going to protest a soldiers funeral the PGR is right there to be with the family and drown out the protesters.

If I rode i would join in a second.

Side note: I'll probably never ride . Of the 15 or so friends i have that ride, every one of them has been put in the hospital due to riding, and one has died. Just too dangerous.

[Apache Warrior]

My best friend's father was the Captain of two destroyers in WWII. He was at Normandy with the first one. He was off Omaha Beach. When it looked like the Allies were about to be driven back into the sea he took his ship in as close to the beach as he could get. He even ran temporarily aground once. He expended all of his 5 inch ammo against German gun emplacements. The Allied Navy was under orders to not expend their ammo in case the invasion was attacked by German Z Boats.
After that he was transfered to the Pacific and commanded a Destroyer against Japanese Kamikazes. His ship was in the harbor with the Missouri when Japan surrendered.
Unfortunately he died of Prostrate Cancer a few years before they started the Honor Flights.
Apache

[{CLR} ObiTroy]

Wow, great story Apache. True heros! Those guys truly are The Greatest Generation.

bacon... you don't have to ride to join the PGR. In fact, we love folks who take cages (cars ) on our missions that can carry coolers of water, snacks, and also our poles/flags for us. http://patriotguard.org/

Patriot Guard Riders Mission Statement
The Patriot Guard Riders is a diverse amalgamation of riders from across the nation. We have one thing in common besides motorcycles. We have an unwavering respect for those who risk their very lives for America?s freedom and security. If you share this respect, please join us.

We don?t care what you ride or if you ride, what your political views are, or whether you?re a hawk or a dove. It is not a requirement that you be a veteran. It doesn't matter where you?re from or what your income is; you don?t even have to ride. The only prerequisite is Respect.

Our main mission is to attend the funeral services of fallen American heroes as invited guests of the family. Each mission we undertake has two basic objectives:

1. Show our sincere respect for our fallen heroes, their families, and their communities.
2. 
   Shield the mourning family and their friends from interruptions created by any protestor or group of protestors.

We accomplish the latter through strictly legal and non-violent means.

[baconoclock]

Wow, great story Apache. True heros! Those guys truly are The Greatest Generation.

bacon... you don't have to ride to join the PGR. In fact, we love folks who take cages (cars ) on our missions that can carry coolers of water, snacks, and also our poles/flags for us. http://patriotguard.org/

Signed up Obi. Wanted to browse the site but it looks like they're having issues this afternoon.

[{CLR} ObiTroy]

Great. You should be able to sign up for e-mail notifications of any events in your area.

[{CLR} ObiTroy]

Great day yesterday! About eight of us met up to escort CPL Marvin Lee Smith from his retirement community to PTI airport in Greensboro NC. CPL Smith was in the Battle of the Buldge! It was an honor and privelage to meet him and get to chat with him for a few minutes. CPL Smith is in the yellow t-shirt, that's me to his left (with ObiTroy on my vest ).


Escort arriving at PTI...


Sending all the WWII Vets off on their day trip. The Vets are in the yellow t-shirts.


Their plane getting ready to taxi. PTI did a great job keeping things well organized and giving them a very memorable send off.


Ok, took the bike home, got soaked on the way. Returned in the PM for their return. Wife and daughter below with the sign my daughter made for the WWII Vets.


There was about 1500 folks there to welcome them back from their DC trip.


Next few are some of the Vets coming up the ramp to our warm reception.











This is problaby my favorite picture of the day. This is one of the Vets we met that introducted herself as Ms. Margaret. She and my dauthter took a liking to each other and chatted for several minutes. Ms. Margaret was a Navy Nurse in the Pacific Theatre.


Great day indeed!

[Apache Warrior]

Apache

[baconoclock]

Obi, are you having issues connecting to the PGR website? Everytime i try it just says "the page cant be displayed"

Great photos btw

[{CLR} ObiTroy]

Yep, I just tried... same message. They frequently have issues with the site due to supply/demand - don't think their web servers have the gumption they need. It's usually not down this long, though.