May 28, 2022 - in DC

 May 28, 2019 – In Washington DC

It was a beautiful day.  Started at 65 and hit the mid 80s.  Today we headed to the Lincoln Memorial for group pictures.  Washington Monument.

Steps starting to fill in for the picture.

Gomez made it to Washington DC on a limp and a prayer.  About 80 miles out he had a womble in his rear wheel.  He and a few of his NM buddies tightened the spooks and he got here.  New rim in DC before he heads home.  Good luck Gomez and prayers with you to make it home.  LOL

She started singing the Star Spangled Banner.  Every one stood , removed hats, hands on hearts or salutes and sang.  IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.  Darn….hear come the tears again.   Then Papa Smurf had us get ready for a photo.  Then asked HOW FAR WE GOING???   ALL THE WAY !!!!

You could hear it echo.  It sounded pretty cool.

Dick is the person that had the book for the POW from KY.  He has had it all week.  He is a Vietnam veteran and said this was the best thing.  He is also an FNG. He has met so many people and created new contact and new friendships. He thanked us for allowing him the privilege to do this.  Thanks Dick.  The family in KY will be so excited to see this.

Kim is from the Central Route.  She plays the bagpipes and is amazing.  It too echoes thru the plaza.

Lots of riders.

We walk down to the apex of the Vietnam wall.  This is where the plaque is placed signifying the mission for Run for The Wall is complete.

People are looking for names of families , friends..…

As we walk down, you can see the bio paper or the MIA or KIA that people have been carrying across the country. They place them at the bottom part of the panel where their name is listed.

Do you recall the Gilman brother from one of the prior posts?  They were 2 of 11 children and a gold star family.  Look at line 6.  This is their brother who was killed in Vietnam at the age of 20, Fredrick Gilman.

Items are placed below the panel as remembrance and tribute.  The NPS collects, catalogs, and preserves these objects as part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Collection.

These are the 3 Route Coordinators.  

It has been a very long journey to get here.  They have all started this journey 3 different times.  2020 and 2021 were canceled due to Covid.  They have finally completed it.

Plaque at the apex of the Vietnam wall.

MISSION COMPLETE!!

When you are an FNG you have an FNG pin.  This allows everyone to know you are a first time rider and you get lots of hugs.  Once you have reached the wall, you have someone turn your pin upside down to signify you have completed.

As I walked to the end of the wall, I heard Crawfish call my name. Both his sons are with him and both currently are serving.  One here in DC and the other at Ft. Bragg.  The boys have not seen each other for a long time so what a great reunion for the 3 of them.  You could tell how proud he is of his sons. THANKS to all 3 of you for your service.  What a great way to end the day.  Our future is with this generation and here is a great example.

Somewhere on this incredible journey, we had a speaker that said this and it really stuck:

Teach all to honor those that protect our country. 

Always be loyal to those serving. 

And never leave anyone behind. 

So therefore Run must never stop.

POW / MIA Poem

We need to remember them every day.

They went to fight in a place so far away,

They gave their all when their country sent out a call

Not ever knowing that their name would end up on the wall,

No matter how we honor them no matter what we do

We should always remember that they paid the highest price 

For the red, white and blue.

So when you look up at the flag flying in the wind on a clear blue day

Remember it’s there because of the

POW and MIA

*****************

I hope this blog has given you some idea of our mission. It is a grueling trip.   Long day, short night, 4;30 AM wake up calls…. This starts to wear on you.  Our trip was only 10 days.  Think of our troops in extreme hot and cold days.  They have a lack of sleep, long days......they stand to keep us safe a lot longer than 10 days.

Here are a few fun facts about our trip
 - Temperature ranged 31-105

 - We traveled in 14 states + Washington DC
 - From Loveland, OH to Ontario, CA to DC  – 5822 miles
 - Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers.

We did not pay for meals on our mission. Every town we stayed in welcomed us, fed us, and prayed for our safety.  The support, encouragement, respect that the Americans have for the mission is incredible.  There is an unbelievable amount of time hanging banners, kids making bracelets, making pocket patches, hanging flags on the overpasses, closing down streets, organizing volunteers for meals, setting up fuel stops. and the list goes on.

100s, 1000s of hours given by so many to make this happen: route coordinator, state coordinators, missing man coordinator, staging team, fuel team, hydration team, road guards, medical personnel…..and the riders themselves.  The logistics to get that many people across the country has to be done by so many

We continually asked each other: What time is it? What timezone are we in? What day is it? What state are we in?  But there is one thing we knew the answer to: what was our mission?

Mission Statement of RFTW : To promote healing among ALL veterans and their families and friends, to call for an accounting of all Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action (POW/MIA), to honor the memory of those Killed in Action (KIA) from all wars, and to support our military personnel all over the world

I have sent many quotes thru the last 10 day.  Here are my last two:

         U - Unselfish

      S - Service to

      A - America

It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died.

Rather we should thank God that such men lived.

                      General George Patton

On the Run, we said the Pledge every day.  I see this flag and have taken pictures of it all week. Every time I see it waving in the air, it is telling me I am free.  And that right is protected by our men and women.  Let's continue to try and bring them all home.

HOW FAR ARE WE GOING???  ------ ALL THE WAY

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!

I especially want to thank my husband for such an incredible journey.

One more set of prayers please, and that is to get everyone home safely from DC, and continue to pray for all service men and women, past and present. 

I leave you with 2 songs that really hit home with our Men and Women that server: 

Proud to be an American (by: Lee Greenwood) 

If tomorrow all the things were gone

I'd worked for all my life

And I had to start again

With just my children and my wife

I'd thank my lucky stars

To be living here today

Cause the flag still stands for freedom

And they can't take that away

 And I'm proud to be an American

Where at least I know I'm free

And I won't forget the men who died

Who gave that right to me

And I gladly stand up

Next to you and defend her still today

Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land

God bless the USA.

From the lakes of Minnesota

To the hills of Tennessee

Across the plains of Texas

From sea to shining sea
From Detroit down to Houston,

And New York to L.A

Well there's pride in every American heart

And its time we stand and say

That I'm proud to be an American

Where at least I know I'm free

And I won't forget the men who died

Who gave that right to me

And I gladly stand up

Next to you and defend her still today

Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land

American Soldier (by: Toby Keith)

I'm just trying to be a father

Raise a daughter and a son

Be a lover to their mother

Everything to everyone

 

Up and at 'em bright and early

I'm all business in my suit

Yeah, I'm dressed for success

From my head down to my boots

 

I don't do it for the money

There's bills that I can't pay

I don't do it for the glory

I just do it anyway

 

Providing for our futures

My responsibility

Yeah, I'm real good under pressure

Being all that I can be

 

And I can't call in sick on Mondays

When the weekend's been too strong

I just work straight through the holidays

And sometimes all night long

 

You can bet that I stand ready

When the wolf growls at the door

Hey, I'm solid, hey I'm steady

Hey, I'm true down to the core

 

And I will always do my duty

No matter what the price

I've counted up the cost

I know the sacrifice

 

Oh, and I don't want to die for you

But if dyin's asked of me

I'll bear that cross with honor

'Cause freedom don't come free

 

I'm an American soldier

An American

Beside my brothers and my sisters

I will proudly take a stand

 

When liberty's in jeopardy

I will always do what's right

I'm out here on the front lines

Sleep in peace tonight

American soldier

I'm an American soldier

 

God bless the USA.

NEVER FORGET !!!!!

May 27, 2022 - Day 10 to DC - Lewisburg, WV to Washington DC

 May 27, 2022 - Day 10 - Lewisburg, WV to Washington DC

WOW !!!! You prayer warriors knocked it out of the park.  We woke up to rain but it stopped for our morning meeting.  Totally stopped.  

I walked out to the meeting and saw Diesel's bike.  He got his bike wrapped.  This is a road guard thing. I imagine it took him a while to unwrap it.  LOL

Last meeting  :-(

We say the pledge, and pray.  Pray for dry roads and for the Lord to keep us all safe.

Tom asks if there are any blue star and gold star families.  We have several.  All are thanks for their service

He asks if there are any FNGs there.  It is over half of the crowd.  They all get hugs AND he says there are always positions needing to be filled so come back next year.

For the division challenge, the marines won. BUT we also added the Space Force.  YEAH

Someone asked if there are any women on the wall.  There are only 8.

He hands out the last 4 names to be carried to the Wall.  There are still so many not found but they have not stopped looking.  That is why we ride.  

We have formed a bond that will last a lifetime.

Tom: I love f…in riding with all of you.

Concluded with: 

HOW FAR ARE WE RIDING???

ALL THE WAY ????

HOW FAR ARE WE RIDING???

ALL THE WAY ????

*********************

One aspect of the Run I have not covered is the missing man.  It is an honor and privilege to ride this position in honor of someone lost. The escort "rides for those who can't."   

The name is put in the Missing Man position.  Every leg on the Run is covered. 

Missing Man

Formation:

Route Coordinator                    State Coordinator

Escort                                        Missing Man (space)                      

Missing Man Coordinator        Head Chaplin  

       

Here is how it looks on the road.

One person who knew the mission well was Rupert “Preacher” Harrell. I didn’t know Preacher personally, but several on the Run do.. Rupert was to be our Senior Chaplain this year. Instead, he was honored as the Missing Man all day today as he passed away several months ago.  I heard this story about him this morning.  Rupert once saved a man twice. The first was when he pulled that man, pinned down into a helicopter while serving in Vietnam. The second was when he led that same man to Jesus Christ. I can think of no better legacy to be said about a man.

I have a few more riders that gave me a little of  the service information.  I would guess well over 50%  have served.

Fredrick Doten (he is in the orange shirt)

I was born July 25, 1938. I joined the National Guards in 1954 at 15. I went active in 1956 at 17. I was accepted into West Point in 1958 and graduated in 1962. President Kennedy was our graduation speaker. During my senior year I was the President of the sky diving club.

I went Infantry from West Point. My first assignment was to Ft Benning where i  completed airborne training and graduated from The Army’s Ranger school.  I was sent to the 101 Airborne Division where I served as the operations officer at the Division Recondo school (a mini Ranger school), as a company commander, and as the assistant G-3. 

There I was sent to Vietnam as an advisor. I was there 4 months before getting Wounded and sent to the states to Fitzsimmon

Army hospital. 

I spent 6 months in the hospital and then went to flight school in fixed wing training. I deployed to Vietnam again with an aviation company. From there I went to Grad school in  mechanical engineering at University of AZ. After graduating the Army sent me to helicopter school and then to Korea to command a helicopter company. 

After an assignment at a test organization the sent me the Navy’s test pilot school. After school I went to Edwards AFB to the Army’s test organization. I retired there on June 30, 1980.

After retiring from the Army I went to work in the aerospace industry initially as a test pulley and then in program management. I retired for good in 2008. 

THANKS Fred for your service.

Robert “Crawfish” Bazet

Robert was in the USAF 1984-1990.  He was 63150 Fuel Specialist-POL.  He was stationed at Lackland AFB, Seymour Johnson AFB, Hahn AFB (in West Germany), Dyess AFB.

THANKS Robert for your service.

Kris “Tigger” Allen

Kris served in the Navy, OEF/OIF Mass Communication Specialist.  She was in 2001-2012.  Her OEF/OIF deployments were Japan, USS Nimitz (North Island, CA) NCIS Quantico at the duty stations.  Went to a lot of other places.  THANKS Kris for your service.

*******

As soon as the meeting is over we gear up to go.  Guess What? It starts to rain.  God definitely has a great sense of humor.

This is normally a gorgeous ride on a long and winding road but not too many pics for the first leg. 

Just a little rain

Nice of the truckers to share the parking lot with us.

Rain stopped after the gas stop but the road was still wet.

David meet Goliath. Not sure what road guards this was but I am glad he won.

Very few of these today.

First time we stopped here.  It was only about a 20-30 minute stop.  We were running late and Arrilington police wanted us in early enough to miss the 3:30 traffic.  Let’s go!!

Nick is one of the road guards.  They use whistles sometimes to get us up and moving.  I told him next year he needs a bigger whistle.  LOL

Our last staging parking lot.  They have done a great job.  Such organized chaos.

Darron and Debbie, Larry and I want to remind you to say “I Love You” every day.  

Police escort…. SWEET

As we see the miles to Arlington get lower and lower, I realize our mission is almost complete.  I also think of all the troops still deployed all over this world.  I pray that someday they will be able to count down the number of days they will be home.   

     

Good thing for the escort.  Between construction and work traffic, it was crazy!!!

YEAH!!!! we made it!!!!

Platoon 5 in Ontario…..

and in DC…   The Platoon will add and lose people as we travel.

Hugs and high fives all over the place.  

And a little bit of dancing… by  guess who…. yep Gomez and his buddy.

BUT the mission is not complete until we get to the Wall tomorrow. 

Temps: 62-74

Route: I-64 E, I-81N, I-66E

Miles:257

Quote for the day:

  Heroes do not wear capes, they wear dog tags.

I hope you have noticed every day I put a flag at the end of my entry.  They have come from someplace across this beautiful country of ours on the day of my post.  This one is from the back of Larry’s helmet.  It reminds me that I am able to ride on this mission because I am free and those that serve have preserved it for me.

REMEMBER: Please thank our men and women in the service as well as our police and firemen. A simple hand shake goes a long way and it only takes a minute.

Last post will be tomorrow.