Motorcyclists Roll to Soldiers' Funerals

[skyrider*4*ever]

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!

[motophotos]

NIGHT WATCH------

A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside. "Your son is here," she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened.

Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man's limp ones,
squeezing a message of love and encouragement.

The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed.

All through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old man's hand and offering him words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile.

He refused. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital -- the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients.

Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only held tightly to his son all through the night. Along towards dawn, the old man died.

The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse.

While she did what she had to do, he waited.

Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her. "Who was that man?" he asked.

The nurse was startled, "He was your father," she answered.

"No, he wasn't," the Marine replied. "I never saw him before in my life."

"Then why didn't you say something when I took you to him?"

"I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn't here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed."

The next time someone needs you ... just be there. Stay.


In light of the recent appeals court ruling in California, with respect to the Pledge of Allegiance, the following recollection from Senator John McCain is very appropriate:

"The Pledge of Allegiance" - by Senator John McCain


As you may know, I spent five and one half years as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. In the early years of our imprisonment, the NVA kept us in solitary confinement or two or three to a cell. In 1971 the NVA moved us from these conditions of isolation into large rooms with as many as 30 to 40 men to a room.

This was, as you can imagine, a wonderful change and was a direct result of the efforts of millions of Americans onbehalf of a few hundred POWs 10,000 miles from home.

One of the men who moved into my room was a young man named Mike Christian.

Mike came from a small town near Selma , Alabama . He didn't wear a pair of shoes until he was 13 years old. At 17, he enlisted in the US Navy. He later earned a commission by going to Officer Training School Then he became a Naval Flight Officer and was shot down and captured in 1967. Mike had a keen and deep appreciation of the opportunities this country and our military provide for people who wan t to work and want to succeed.

As part of the change in treatment, the Vietnamese allowed some prisoners to receive packages from home. In some of these packages were handkerchiefs, scarves and other items of clothing.

Mike got himself a bamboo needle. Over a period of a couple of months, he created an American flag and sewed on the inside of his shirt.

Every afternoon, before we had a bowl of soup, we would hang Mike's shirt on the wall of the cell and say the Pledge of Allegiance.

I know the Pledge of Allegiance may not seem the most important part of our day now, but I can assure you that in that stark cell it was indeed the most importa nt and meaningful event.

One day the Vietnamese searched our cell, as they did periodically, and discovered Mike's shirt with the flag sewn inside, and removed it.

That evening they returned, opened the door of the cell, and for the benefit of all of us, beat Mike Christian severely for the next couple of hours. Then, they opened the door of the cell and threw him in. We cleaned him up as well as we could.

The cell in which we lived had a concrete slab in the middle on which we slept Four naked light bulbs hung in each corner of the room.

As I said, we tried to clean up Mike as well as we could. After the excitement died down, I looked in the corner of the room, and sitting there beneath that dim light bulb with a piece of red cloth, another shirt and his bamboo needle, was my friend, Mike Christian. He was sitting there with his eyes almost shut from the beating he had received, making another American flag. He was not making the flag becau se it made Mike Christian feel better. He was making that flag because he knew how important it was to us to be able to Pledge our allegiance to our flag and country.

So the next time you say the Pledge of Allegiance, you must never forget the sacrifice and courage that thousands of Americans have made to build our nation and promote freedom around the world.

You must remember our duty, our honor, and our country

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

[trident_t150]

Found this on the Patriot Guard web site this morning.

Under the Leather and Behind the Shades

Under the leather and behind the shades stands a biker. We ride for the sense of freedom it gives us. The encouragement to take the road less traveled in the chance that we may encounter something new. We ride for the friendships we make along the way, as well as, the solitude of the open road. We don’t really care what you ride, just that you do.

Under the leather and behind the shades is a beating heart. A heart filled with compassion that on any given day will be riding for those in need. Ask one of us for help, but don’t be surprised when all of us show up.

Under the leather and behind the shades stands a proud American. We are as diverse a group of people that you could possibly assemble. We are men, women, tradesmen, doctors, lawyers, retirees, military, civilian and on and on and on. We stand silently with reverence and one voice that, in the silence, can be overwhelming.

Under the leather and behind the shades stands an invited guest to the funeral of a soldier that we most likely have never met. We hold the flag of our nation as a tribute to the greatest sacrifice anyone can make. Out of respect for the fallen, we travel to stand firm for a family, a community and a nation to lean on.

Under the leather and behind the shades stands a biker with sons, daughters, brothers and sisters of our own. Beneath the rough exterior we tremble and weep at your loss. You may not see that, for we are there to support you. That’s why we stand so silently under the leather and behind the shades.

Respectfully,

David Meyers II

HogJR

PGR

[motophotos]

That about says it all.
One thing I have noticed, at the PgR missions, is the utter and complete lack of animosity between the different military branches of the service or civilians.

While I was in the 3rd Maring Air Wing, there was a lot of compitetion between the services. Going back over 200 years.

While stationed TAD with the Air Force, we got a lot of kidding from the "fly boys" as we were a ground Battalion Flight Communications Squadron.

But it is totally absent in the missions.

Everyone is equal, Admirals to Privates to civilians.

It's all about the mission.

Respect and Honor to the families.

Semper fi.

[trident_t150]

Isn't that the truth. We had an admiral at the Iowa Falls mission for the female Naval corpman, and two weeks ago at a little town of 200 in Mn, we had a two star general attending, who walked the line and took time to visit with all as he thanked us for being there.

[motophotos]

It is the strangest thing, to see a squared away military officer as you mentioned "step down" (in the old days, it wouldn't have happened) and acknowledge
the Vets and civilians who are there silently respecting the soldier and his or her family.

And the PGR silently standing there in freezing weather without a wimper. Quite a sight.

I was totally harassed at El Toro Air Station long ago where I was stationed-- by the gate guards, my Squadron Staff Sargent, and M.P.'s for even riding a bike to base. I was harassed by the public in town if in uniform off base during the Viet Nam War.
Then, I became a driving instructor, and they finally left me alone on base, since I had a CA drivers license. LOL

[trident_t150]

Nice article about Harley

http://www.amadirectlink.com/news/2006/HDvets.asp

[motophotos]

Pretty sweet.

Com'on Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda, Kawasaki.

Match it.
Victory already donates tons to the Victory Camp for disabled children in conjunction with the Richard Petty Foundation.

Hooray for USA.

[trident_t150]

Nice video tonight on ABC News

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2772003

[motophotos]

WOW. That is the best news tribute I have seen in a while. Maybe one of the very best.
Thanks, Tri. I saved that one.

And sent it to everyone I know, except you. LOL

[wiersma98]

I saw it, too. Called my Mom when they previewed it before the broadcast, so she could tune in!

Ironically, it was on just a few hours after I returned from the funeral of Marine Corporal Josh Schmitz, from Loyal, Wisconsin. Josh was killed on Dec. 26 in Iraq.

The visitation was last night at the high school (more than 1000 people came out). Since my daughter, Little Chick (age 7) was my riding buddy this past summer, she begged to go. And since she understands what it's all about (2 cousins have completed tours and a third is shipping out any day now) I took her.

I couldn't have been more proud of that kid. She held her own flag (never let it touch the ground) and stood in line--quiet and respectful--with the rest of us for more nearly 2 hours. It was only about 30 degrees--with the wind chill significantly colder--but she never complained about being cold or tired.

****************
Terri

[wiersma98]

MORE PIX FROM LAST NIGHT:



Traveling display:





21-gun salute:



TAPS:
****************
Terri

[wiersma98]

FROM THE FUNERAL TODAY:


This is (what I think is) the best of the pictures I took--the procession approaching the cemetery.

****************
Terri

[motophotos]

What a brave little girl. You must be bustin your buttons!
When I was in the Marines, we had dress greens, but I never had occasion to wear the dress blues.
Pretty cool lookin' though.
Semper Fi...

[wiersma98]

THANKS, {{{{{moto}}}}}

She's not just a good kid--she's a neat PERSON. Don't know how I managed to rate so how with the Man above, that he let me be her Mom. :-x ****************
Terri

[motophotos]

I think "Mom" might have had something to do whit it, gurl.