WWR PGR Fallen USAF Wife Loretta Sloop, Tim's mom GGNC

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This one hits a little closer to home my friends. My very good friend and Fellow Rider,  and for most of you, Sloop’s mom has been ill for awhile, and finally it got the best of Her. I met Loretta before, and such a nice lady. I called her mom and she had a great giggle.  She was married to Richard J. Sloop , Tim’s dad.

Richard served in the Air Force during The year of 1952 for 4 years , and was an E-6 Tsgt. He was attached to the 78th Food Service Squadron at Hamilton AFB, Ca.  Richard passed away in December of 1999.

We will Escort Loretta and her family to Golden Gate National Cemetery to be laid to rest with her Husband.   From Spike


And Tim asked for an honor escort and an honor it was!  God Bless you, my friend during this sad time of passing!  Please remember and celebrate the good and long life lived.


Many of us have ridden with Tim in the past and this was personal to me as it was many others.  Thank  you for asking us to be there!

I decided to meet the arriving service at GGNC and offer a flag and salute.  Rudy and Senior made it also, thank all that attended!!  IIRC, we had 9 scoots and 2 cages.

Rudy by Ruby at the front gate.

I got in behind Rudy's truck of many flags for another pic. 

Senior showed up and I got a pic, fitting, he's a retired Sr MSgt from USAF.  If you look at the 1/2 staff flag on the hill.... it was just hanging...  I've never seen that before.  This isn't Chicago, but very seldom the wind is not blowing!

Spike leading the procession into GGNC

The rest of the procession.

They had a delay in staging everyone.

Panak in front of the bikes.  We had a good turnout and Tim was very pleased to have the support from his friends and riders.  God Bless Ya my friend!!!   We'll all be together in the bye and bye...   Cranky

ALR PGR Spc Sean Walsh - San Jose

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The Patriot Guard Riders have been requested to help with Final Honors for SPC Sean M. Walsh US ARMY.   Spc. Sean M. Walsh, 21, of San Jose, Calif., died Nov. 16, in Khowst province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained after encountering indirect fire.  He was assigned to the 185th Military Police Battalion, 49th Military Police Brigade, Pittsburg, Calif.  ALR Dist 13 was also invited.

Another of our finest has passed and honors were due, and an honor it is.  Thank you for asking us to be there.

Part 1, Wed 11/30/11: 

I had the idea that he would arrive at the Chapel, and of course was wrong. 

So I moved up  to the office entrance with everyone else.  Lining up and waiting.  Buzz in front talking to a rider.  The two folks to the right of the Honor Guard, were from Sean's AL Post 419.

Cliff, coming up with camera in pocket.

Honor Guard waiting.

SPC Sean M. Walsh US ARMY was in the Military Police and was a dog handler and five of San Jose's finest showed up for him.

More of our members, some from his AL Post 419.

Flag line in wait.

Panak, our RC leading the procession, looks like he had an equipment malfunction.

Part two, 12/03/11:

I decided to meet the returning procession at Oak Hill. 

Cliff, John, and Chris (Squeezer) plotting where to put up some flags.  They did a fine job, and thank you for your efforts!

We had a line of scoots at the gate to welcome the procession to Oak Hill.

Anothe pic, with Sweet Ruby in front!

I'm good at getting fuzzy shots, some day I'll figure out how to use this thing, sigh.  John bringing over a flag for us to put up on the front fence.

Chris (Squeezer) supervising John, and Garry....  Great job was done!

Waiting...  And we have flags!

And the ladder truck put up a fine one for all to see!!!  

Thank you all for your attendance.  And to all that rode in the procession to the church and back.  You all did a great job and great showing!!!  

God Bless Sean's family and friends during this very sad time of passing.  God Bless

PGR - Petty Officer Second Class Hugh William Ryan

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A link to Cliff's nice slide show:  http://tinyurl.com/3lkrytx

Link to Rich M nice slide show:  http://tinyurl.com/449hapw 

One of our Vietnam vets passed and PGR was asked to ride in honor and an honor it was!  

Sgtmaj is a 'Nam Vet and has deep respect for all that served, and volunteered to be our Ride Captain.  He asked for folks to ride in honor and over three dozen folks attended, thanks to all for being there.   We had many scoots and over one half dozen cages.  ALR Dist 13 was again well represented.

I didn't make the escort ride so decided to wait at the entrance of offer a salute for our hero.  The participants arrived in four groups and confused me, which is easy to do.  

First was a series of cages, one was Cliff with his flags flying.   Next came some motorcycles and I thought that was the group and followed them to the service location and Buzz waved me over and said, this isn't it... so back to the main entrance I went.

This is the procession!  Got my chance to offer an honor salute.

With all the attendance, the service was literally surrounded with flags, great service!  Thanks to the family for asking PGR to attend.

After the service, Doug/Sgtmaj was talking to the honor guard.   He said the family did not know of their services and responded in less than 48 hours and that is real good!  Thank you for your great show of respect!

A couple shots after the service....

We had scoots all the way down past the service. Great showing! 

PGR - Staff Sargent Wayne Keith Hepple Hollister

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PGR was asked to escort a fallen veteran and it was a honor to be there, and thank you for asking!  

The mission:  The Patriot Guard Riders have been asked to form a Flag line and Escort Wayne Keith Heppler to his final resting place. Wayne was in the Air Force for 4 years and was a Staff Sargent.

This is unusual, as I did the same, 4 years USAF and made E-5 SSgt.  You must not miss a promotion cycle to do this. 

So I had to make this mission, and headed down 101 and what do I see south of Morgan Hill?  Buzz and Mike J,  so I Joined behind them.   

The fog was over south Gilroy, the normal trough, and I thought it would be cool and planned on a sweater under my mesh jacket, but Buzz was in short sleeves and I thought, why not.  It was not that bad, and got a lot warmer the east'er we went. 

OK, not our meet place, but Panak stopped here and everyone else did too.

Another shot of the members, IIRC, we had 10 scoots with one 2-up and one cage for a total of 12.  Great showing and thank you all for riding!!! 

While we were at the stop, a car stopped and asked if we were the riders, and it was Wayne's daughter.  She led us up to their home.

Getting parked and ready for the escort.

Wayne lived in a very pretty place, a nice overview and we were up a ways. Getting ready for the flag line to the car.

Panak did his normal great job and got us there safe and a good run.  From the rear of the escort.

Another shot.  Flag poles being put together center right.

The family gathering for the service.

A view from the front of the escort.

A successful mission, all safe, and God Bless family and friends during this sad time of passing.  Please celebrate the good life lived.

PGR - Ssgt Nicanor Amper IV Moffett Field Part 1 and 2

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Some great pics here, real good overall:  http://tinyurl.com/3d6g982

Cliff sent me his link to facebook, no text but he got some great photos of the GGNC prep, and  escort coming in...  It starts here...   http://tinyurl.com/3krnxb5

Chappi's facebook page where he has many mission pics...  This mission will be up soon:  http://www.facebook.com/media/albums/?id=140266762701410

One of our finest has passed and PGR was asked to ride in honor, and an honor it was for all that attended.  Thank you ALL for riding!

I excused myself from the ride, we had a great showing and I've been having sleeping problems, bunch of mosquito bites driving me nuts, but I had to go to make sure there was a good turnout, and there was.

I did not feel that my attention and focus were up for a large group ride and safety comes first.  A small group would have been fine but thankfully, we did have a large group!

The police escort arrived, 8 bikes at this time, should be a safe run!  Our RC James B (Thank you for doing this!!!! We need more like you!!!) and Buzz ere chatting with them, planning the ride, I'd guess.  

Channel 7 had a reporter interviewing some of our regular riders.

Mark Z was the first.....

Bunker and Sgtmaj in the middle chatting....

I was just taking pics of the group, we had a couple dozen riders at least....

More scoots, and more were pulling in...  All  of these folks had arrived before the initial staging time!   Sweet Ruby on the far end.....

Cliff had his flags flying on his SUV.....

Bunker's turn at the podium.

Hope it was a safe journey for all.   I hope to make Part 2 on Monday.

Monday 07/18/2011

I knew this would be a large mission, so I went directly to GGNC.   The San Bruno  FD normally has a large ladder truck with flag out front and always looks nice. 

 

Initially there were 3 scoots and one more showed up.  The center one belongs to John and he was doing the organization for the reception at GGNC.  He arranged for some flags to be at the grave site and the rest at the gate to welcome the family.

Each mission is different, no different today.  It turns out there was a problem at GGNC and the scoots had to park in a different area than normal.   

We were to lead the group with the shuttle van and show folks where to park..  John went ahead of the shuttle, and I followed it in front of the hearse, thought a 3x5 flag waving was a good touch.   

The idea was that folks would see me turn off and by then John would be there waving folks to the parking area.  Worked fine!  Thank you John for all your work!

Cliff was there with his SUV and all his flags and they looked great!  He was taking pics so I thought I would too....

The procession coming in was VERY impressive!!  Many scoots and Police in the escort, and of course, I was watching instead of taking pictures, sorry!

We gave our welcome salute and took off with the shuttle to the parking area, My pic of the scoots coming in was blurred but you can see them lined up to park.  There had to be 100 scoots.

The area where the service was to be.  We had enough flags to completely circle the service.  The weather was nice and a breeze to flutter our flags.

Very good service with full military honors and lots of brass showed up.

After the ceremony it was time to leave and GGNC wanted to move quick, there must have been another service coming.  Slick John,center,  I followed him back to San Jose.

There was a service before ours and they had cleared out just before Ssgt Amper IV arrived.  The folks at GGNC were worried about an overlap and all the cars.


A great turnout and thanks to all that rode!!!!  Special thanks to James B for being the Ride Captain on this mission, we need more like him, step up if you can!