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skyrider*4*ever · ‎02-21-2006

Motorcyclists Roll to Soldiers' Funerals
By RYAN LENZ

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (Feb. 21) - Wearing vests covered in military patches, a band of motorcyclists rolls around the country from one soldier's funeral to another, cheering respectfully to overshadow jeers from church protesters.

The rest of the story, in post 2, so ya don't have to scroll by a long post!

trident_t150 · ‎07-18-2006

P.s. If you scroll down on the web site, all the previous year's pictures are posted. Awesome talent--some of them look like 3D. The rock sits right in the middle of a country intersection in the middle of nowhere, yet people from all over search it out to take pictures.

bazango · ‎07-18-2006

In that last article they mention that two of the doves took off and one stayed. Is'nt that exactly what happened at falls city? Strange...

trident_t150 · ‎07-20-2006

Here's some pictures from our latest Minnesota mission, for Cpl. Troy Linden, of Detroit Lakes, Mn. Night*sky and I rode 220 miles one way to this mission, and both of us scrambled to get our bikes covered in an early morning hailstorm.

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZMmLJq0ZMmLz4

trident_t150 · ‎07-26-2006

Buddy's death serves as a call to return to duty
A National Guardsman from Moorhead, sent home from Iraq after losing a finger, has been cleared to replace his fallen friend.
The two soldiers met last summer while preparing to serve in Iraq and weren't separated until Specialist Blake Trombley lost a finger in the war last fall and was sent home to Moorhead, Minn.
This spring, Trombley served as a pallbearer at the funeral of his buddy, Specialist Michael Hermanson of Fargo, N.D., who died in mid-May when his vehicle was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.

Now Trombley is returning to Iraq to take his buddy's place in their mine-clearing unit.

"He was a good soldier, a good guy," Trombley said.

Hermanson's death created a shortage in their National Guard unit, Company A of the 164th Engineer Combat Battalion out of Minot, N.D.

"I will be filling his position," Trombley said Monday from Fort Bliss near El Paso, Texas. "These are my friends, and this is my unit."

Trombley said after surgery and six months of physical therapy, he felt compelled to complete his duty, even before his friend was killed.

"I grew up in a military family, understanding how important it is to serve," said Trombley, a former Marine. "I want to finish the job we started."

'Mission capable'

The war seemed over for Trombley, 26, in November when he suffered a freak accident only 36 days after arriving in Iraq. He fell from a patrol vehicle, and his wedding ring caught on a bolt, tearing off his finger.

After months of rehabilitation, Trombley broached the idea with his commanders only days before Hermanson, 21, was killed.

"He's fully mission capable," said Guard Capt. Craig Hillig at the Fargo National Guard armory.

Hermanson's death solidified Trombley's resolve to return to Iraq.

"People were wondering if his death would deter me, but it was just the opposite," Trombley said. "Here was a guy who gave everything. Going back was the least that I could."

His wife, Tiffany, is also in the National Guard and said she supports her husband's decision to return, just as she supported his decision to enlist just four months after they married.

Trombley's father, a former lieutenant colonel and pilot in the Air National Guard, said he understands his son's desire to rejoin his unit and his friends.

"He saw there was a need; he knew they were looking for folks," John Trombley said Monday. "We look at the situation and certainly we're concerned, but we're incredibly proud of him."

harleyhasben · ‎08-03-2006

Bump

motophotos · ‎08-04-2006

FINAL ITINERARY~Spc. Joseph A. Graves, 21, of Discovery Bay, CA~07 Aug 06
by PGR Mad Dog

After Ride Report - PGR Motorcycle Escort of Spc. Joey Graves from San Francisco International Airport to Brentwood, CA on the night of 31 July.

At the request of Spc. Graves' family, PGR was offered the honor of accompanying the Army Honor Guard to meet and escort him from the moment of his arrival in CA to the funeral home in Brentwood, CA on Monday evening of this week.

This was literally a couple of hour in advance request, so there was not a general call put out to the PGR.

I would like to express my thanks to Glen 'Paladin' Palmer and Chief who, after working all day to make the Welcome Home event for the CA Army Guard 115th a big success, answered the call and immediately rode, last minute, from Sacramento (over 100 miles) to meet me and the Army Honor Guard at San Francisco International. Paladin and Chief provided the big flag mounts on their bikes (3x5 US and 3x5 US Army flags), and when not riding, were also the dismounted color guard for this escort.

Once assembled at the airport, we briefed up, and were escorted through the security gate and led in a big procession down several taxiways and across a runway to the foot of the terminal and gate where the Delta Airways 757 would arrive around 1030 pm. The Delta pilots must have been scratching their heads at the civilian motorcycles parked right at the front of where the nose of the aircraft rolled to a rest.

As the aircraft rolled to a stop, we were formed on the right (starboard) side of the aircraft parking pad off the tip of the wing. The Army Honor Guard was in line and flanked by Paladin with the US Army flag, and Chief with the US flag. Every window of the airplane as well as well as the large terminal windows were filled with solemn faces of people watching as the Honor Guard stepped off and performed their duties to move Spc. Graves to the awaiting hearse. The Honor Guard was sharp and dignified. Even the Delta pilots and a dozen or more SF Police formed up and rendered hand salutes during the Honor Guard's movement of Spc. Graves.

We then formed the procession with the CA Highway Patrol, 3 motorcycles, Spc. Graves and several other vehicles, and were escorted back across the airport taxiways and onto the freeway. Thanks also go out to the CA Highway Patrol who provided un-interrupted escort from SFO to Brentwood across the Bay Bridge, several freeways, and 8 miles of back roads in the delta. On arriving in the in Brentwood, we were met by several local PD units who fell in behind the CA CHP and in front of our flag bikes to block for the final couple of miles.

At the funeral home, we were met by a small group of the family, and Paladin and Chief once again provided a dismounted color guard as the Army Honor Guard provided their last duty to Spc. Graves for the night.

Thank you to the Family of Spc. Joe Graves for allowing us to honor him in such a way.

Semper Fi,

Mad Dog

To view the complete thread and reply, please visit: http://patriotguard.org/Forums/tabid/61/view/topic/postid/168020/ptarget/171952/Default.aspx

(Maddog was my Ride Capt. on two of my missions, a fellow Marine Corps Veteran)
One h-lloffa Dude. Gotta have b-lls to do what he did, At the San Francisco International Airport, no less. OOhRAHH!

bazango · ‎08-05-2006

*hat off, eyes forward*

*southerneagle* · ‎08-07-2006

Completed another mission. A young Marine....PFC Sanchez. He had a life long dream of becoming a Marine and lost 126lbs to make the weight limit. May he rest in peace. It was another humbling experience for me, but an honor to attend.

Click on "Watch DotPhoto Show" for a slide show.

http://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=kenhall1702&P=Ayscue&AID=3746241&CID=0&T=1&E=Y
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trident_t160 · ‎08-07-2006

Merrrywren and I visited the field of 3000 flags at Buffalo Chip erected by the Patriot Guard. An unbelieveable sight. I will post pictures when we get back.

skyrider*4*ever · ‎08-08-2006

:_|:_|:_|

trident_t150 · ‎08-08-2006

Skyrider, and others, walking around with a Patriot Guard patch is an experience in itself. All of a sudden you hear someone call out, "PGR Rider," and you turn and meet another from states away....PA, NY, CA, WV--they are here!

One of the popular patches being sold is "Forget the Wars, Remember the Warriors."

You wouldn't believe the area out by the Chip. It's a mini-sturgis all by itself, with new gas stations, major vendor exhibits, etc. That's where we test drove the Boss Hoss, driving by and thumbing our noses at Wydeglyde as he stood at Dr. Dyno's getting his bike tuned. New road coming in from the east as well. The first thing you see coming into the Chip's main entrance is the Healing Field.

All the little towns around have here own little parties going on as well. We're 50 miles away, and the town is solid with vendors, with the steets blocked off to everyting but bikes.

motophotos · ‎08-08-2006

Must be quite a site! More bikes every year, eh?
Sorry, brothers and sisters, I didn't make it to my PGR mission yesterday...I will check with the ride captian Maddog to see how it went.

If you look back at Sky's first post, there were 5,000 PGR members.

Now there is ? 40,000 plus, I think? Wow. This is great!

I wanted to make it to Sturgis, but we had our vacation in Louisana and MO.

It's amazing how Americans can recover from disasters. Including Katrina, and 9/11.

Stay safe Tri, and Glyde. And all the PGR's at the Rally!

trident_t160 · ‎08-08-2006

Merrrywren and I are loaded at midnite, all because I grabbed the first t-shirt I came across, and it happened to be a PGR shirt, and we paid for our first drink, and the rest just came....

It's not about us, but people have noticed, and they are truly appreciative.