PGR - WW II Navy Lt. Benny Lavon Smith

Pics are from top to bottom, click on a pic twice for full size, text for a pic is under the pic.

One of our greatest generation has passed and PGR was asked to ride in honor, and an honor it was!  The family was very friendly and welcomed us warmly!  Thank you for asking us and God Bless!  Please celebrate the good life lived.

It was a great service and that he was loved was very evident.  Healing  Prayers for family and friends during this time of passing.

We had Sons and grand sons riding with us in the procession, great on 'um!  They were very proud and loved our hero.

 

A shot of most of the scoots, a few came in later, I believe we had almost 2 dozen scoots.  Great showing!  Thanks to all that showed and stood the honor line.

I always say all  missions are different, and today was no different.  There was no RC (Ride Captain) assigned, and a few of us old timers were getting nervous.  I did a little asking around about the mission and was about to join some of the old timers in setting it up.

Then came our Bay Area Ride Coordinator,  Buzz!  I walked over and said  "you've been nominated as RC"!  GBG  And he of course said "I can handle that".  So one of Ben's sons rode with us and updated Buzz.  We also had grandsons riding with us.  And of course got special riding positions in our escort.

Buzz giving us our say-once, half here.... One of Ben's sons is just to the left of Buzz, and Buzz was fourth in from the left..  He rode with us.

And half here.

I stepped out  to take some pics of the flag lines for moving to the hearse, one side....

Other side.  The Navy flag was held by family.  

We had a fine escort to the cemetery,  I was, along with family and others,  behind the hearse and assume it was fine behind me also.  Some of our riders took intersections, Slick John was one and family and friends helped also.

When we arrived and started to form the flag line, one of the two Navy troops there came up to me and said, "I need your help!"  There was only two and they had to fold the flag.  The Chief said he needed a bugler,  and I blinked...  kind of an unusual request.   Well it turns out that it's an electronic one, and you put it to your lips and push a button...  I said just a minute and went to the RC.  

Yup, Buzz played taps! Great on Ya!  Never missed a note!  I made sure and gave him a big congrats!    I almost broke my rule and took a pic of him, but I was too visible to the service.   Pics at a service is a no-no to me. Private time.

Again, a great service and a big loving family was in attendance, and their love was most evident! Sincerely, it was a great honor to attend.