May 15, 2025 - Day 2 To DC - Williams, AZ to Gallup, NM

Here are a few more of out Vietnam Veterans that are currently on the Run.

Harlan Olson with his Wife Janelle. He is the platoon leader of the Vietnam veterans

I served in the U. S. Army Security Agency from Jun 1962 to Jun 1965.  I took my agency train at Ft. Devens, MA for 11 months learning Morse code and radio direction finding training.  I was then stationed at Homestead Air Force near Miami, CL to monitor the Cuban and Russian communications.  After a few months I received orders to report to Davis Station on Tan Son Nhut air base outside of Saigon.  While there we monitored Viet Cong,and north Vietnamese radio transmissions.

Story....  My buddies and I used to go to the top of the Cariville hotel where there was a bar to enjoy a bottle or two of Bam mi Ba beer.  Just a couple years ago, our son Kirk had a business trip to Saigon.  He went to the exact place atop the Cariville to recreate the shot.  Pretty cool.

Mike Hodge - Little Big Mike

Enlisted in Marine Corps 12Dec67, stood on those yellow foot prints 1Feb68 after high school graduation. Sent to Nam with 3/1 Kilo Co in July promoted to Lance Corporal as a grunt and lost both legs to mortar fire in Thong Duc, 20 miles West of Da Nang on a firebase.

Injured 22Aug68 with 18 other Marines. Total of 6 weeks in Country.

Also 2 Marines were KIA as well.

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Today was a beautiful day in Williams.  Here are a few of the volunteers that provide us breakfast.  I love the banner.

As I walked over to the area for the morning meeting, Jenny said there was a lady I should talk to. Her name is Nina. Her father is John L McCoy.  She is a gold start daughter.  Her dad was a POW in WWII for 44 months. He continued his military service and served in Korea and in Vietnam.  He was killed in Vietnam when she was only 10.

She wears the necklaces all the time.  

The top one is the Purple Heart and the second represents Gold Star family

We start the day with the Pledge of Allegiance..... 

.... and prayer.

Every morning the Raffle Rousing (Ed and Tai) team has items for auction,  50-50, and other things.  This  is to raise money for the kids at Rainelle.  You will see more of that on Thursday next week.  The team has several quilts donated for auction.  Today was one I happened to make. Here is the winner today.  Thanks for the donation.

When were we in Ontario, the Elks asked if we carry a flag from them to the Wall.  

We will have the missing man escorts carry this on every leg.

Another thing that we do is read a few bios for those MIA.  We then have a person carry the bio, think of them as the ride to DC and then place it and the wall.  They are not forgotten!!

 Kirk is reading this one of John McCoy. WOW....It was an amazing bio and several people needed  tissues for their allergies.  

Nina came up and said what an honor this was for her and thanked us. Then said 

"Say their name and they will not be forgotten"

For 7 years now, Larry and I have been working with Kentucky on a project.  They want to do something for the families of the MIA veterans from Kentucky.  They have a bag with the veteran's name on it.  In there is a binder with blank pages and a POW flag.   As we travel cross country, we ask an FNG to get as many signatures as possible. This is later given to the families. It is letting them know that they are not forgotten.  The names are on the Sundial Vietnam Memorial we will see later on the Run.

Kelly on the left is the RFTW photographer.  He actually knows all the MIA veterans on the Sundial.

The gentleman on the right is the FNG that will carry it.  (Sorry did not get his name)  Thank you!!

There are currently 6 platoons with 2 wheels and 3 for trikes and bikes with trailers. The 2 wheel bikes rotate positions in the pack.  We were first yesterday and today we are 6.  

Yesterday: 1,2,3,4,5,6

Today: 2,3,4,5,6,1

This makes for some good pics for the day.  Here is the first one.  NICE.  Check out all the trees.

Going to Williams there are pine trees. You can smell them as we head down the road.

This does not last long. Back to flat and boring.

Head into Winslow, located on the Historic Route 66

Anyone an Eagles fan. Remember the song "stand on the corner in Winslow AZ".  Well here it is.

Get into Winslow AZ for a fuel stop. We parade thru town.

As we head to a gas stop just before Winslow, there is a 9-11 Memorial.  It has 2 pieces from the Twin Towers.  

Fun Fact:

The centerpiece consists of 14 and 15-foot beams that were entrusted to the citizens of Winslow by the City of New York, making them the largest pieces given to any community in the nation1. These metal beams serve as a poignant tribute to the men and women who lost their lives during the September 11th attacks

I want to take a look at the fuel team and staging team.  They work together to get us thru a gas stop and back into our platoons.

This looks like pure chaos but it actually works. They can fuel 200 bikes in a matter of 15-20 minutes.  Really !! They bikes pull up side by side and the pump never stops.  You have to remember that most of the time you are only putting in 2-4 gallons.

Road Guard and fuel team work together.

It is called "Organized Chaos"

Each Bike has a number on it. That is the platoon number.

 At any point during the Run, the staging team knows which platoon they need to get to.

 As we are waiting to hit the road again, there is a lady that has helped vets all her life.  

I believe she helps with service dogs. (sorry not totally sure).

She was hanging out this card and thought it was worth sharing.

To continue the staging/fueling team....everyone is ready to roll...

You then have to have a starter to make sure the platoons are in the right order.

Thanks John.... you are doing great!!!

Heading to Holbrook for lunch.

I think we pass every school they have.  Check out all the kids!!!

Lunch at the American Legion is always good and entertaining.

The Star Spangled Banner is sung by an 18 year old senior.  WOW what a voice.

Then came the dancers.  Look at the colors of their outfits (not called a costume, that is for Halloween)

One more stop for the day.  Anyone getting tired yet?

On the road.

Gallup is know at the "Most Patriotic  small town in the USA".  We traveled 14 miles thru town with 100s of people waving.  14 MILES!!!

I wish I could have taken more pics but I just sat back and enjoyed all the people.  (Really my batteries died.... hahaha)

We get to the  Red Rock Park and look at the people!!!  

I thought going thru town was a lot of people.

They start about noon and chant and pray for us until we arrive.  Then they ask us to join them in the circle carrying flags.  Leading this is a Code Talker.

Fun Fact:

The Navajo people were very important to helping the US Marine Corps because of the Code Talkers.   

Code Talkers are people in the 20th century who used obscure languages as a means of secret communication during wartime. The term is now usually associated with the United States soldiers during the world wars who used their knowledge of native American languages as a basis to transmit coded messages. In particular, there were approximately 400–500 Native Americans in the US Marine Corps whose primary job was the transmission of secret tactical messages. Code talkers transmitted these messages over military telephone or radio communications nets using formal or informally developed codes built upon their native languages.

Dinner and the day is finally over.

Thanks again for all the prayers.  Weather has been great and the people we have met and reconnected with are amazing.

Temps: 36-65

Route: I40

Miles: 224

Quote of the Day:

Home of the free, because of the brave