Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Patriot Guard Riders Ride
















It has been an extremely busy week or ten days for us. I have attended 4 different visitations and funerals for our fallen heroes from Minnesota. A week ago Sunday I was in Hastings for a visitation for Sgt Wayne Hosford, the following Friday I was in Cottage Grove for Spc Carlos Wilcox and the next day I was in Woodbury for Spc Dan Drevnick. The mission for Spc Wilcox was quite large and followed a thunder storm so the weather was fairly cool and it was on Friday which tends to limit the amount of the turnout due to jobs etc.. Saturday was clear and cool for spc Drevnicks' funeral and we had a large turnout of around 250 bikes. Dave Mude and his wife Jan and I figuring that the ride to Fort Snelling with a group of that size was more fun than we wanted, headed home through Hastings again. We had been riding the same route for all three of the funerals in that area because it is a much quieter and less traveled way to get to the southeast metro. Yesterday-Monday- we were at Bird Island for the services for spc James Wertish and we had a tremendous turnout, Patriot Guards from all over Minnesota and some from South Dakota too. I am not sure but I think that we must have had close to 200 bikes again. The procession from Bird Island to Olivia where he was laid to rest was well over a mile in length riding two wide, with people along the route with flags etc.. As I said it has been busy and we have another coming up on Friday in Apple Valley. As long as there are people out there wanting to do us harm I am afraid that we will continue to have these missions. I am just proud to be able to honor these heroes in this way. This country is lucky to have these young people that will step up to do their turn on the front lines of keeping us free. Remember freedom is not free!! Spcs Drevnick, Wilcox, and Wertish were National Guardsmen from the 34th Red Bull division out of Stillwater that were all killed in a single rocket attack on their base near Basra, Iraq, which was a relatively safe area in the sand box. I have included some pictures. The upper ones are from spc Wertish's funeral and the one on the bottom is from the visitation in Hastings for sgt Hosford.

7 comments:

Jan said...

Very, very proud of you for doing these missions. I know the families and friends of those soldiers appreciate it too. I hope you never have another couple weeks like this has been though...

Kathy said...

I can echo Jan's remarks. I read yesterday's StarTribune article and knew you would be there to honor these fallen heros.

DD4 said...

Bless you for volunteering to honor these soldiers in this way.

It was nice seeing you and Jan on Sunday.

MamaD4 said...

Ditto on the last three comments. I always scan the casualties list in Stars & Stripes, and when there is someone from Minnesota, wonder if you'll be there.

I meant to do my own post on the Minnesotans who have given their lives over the last couple of weeks. Like Mom, I hope your "workload" is lighter in the coming days.

Looks dry in some of those pictures...

Pat said...

I have to comment on this.
What you are doing is such a moving tribute. It has to be an awesome sight. I can only imagine the many hearts that are touched-- not to mention what it must do to you as a person. Take pride in this wonderful act of volunteering that you do. There are no words to express my appreciation.

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