PGR - Dedication of Lt. Ken Ballard Memorial Post Office-Mt. View

Pics are from top to bottom, click on a pic for a larger pic, text for a pic is under it...

Notice from Blue Star Moms:  

The Mountain View Main Post Office will be dedicated as the Lt Ken Ballard Memorial Post Office on Saturday, April 13 at 1 p.m. 211 Hope St, Mountain View, CA  

Gold Star Dad Tom Ballard is a friend and has  had a BBQ on 4th of July for many years in honor of his son Ken, and has asked for PGR to attend.    I've been honored to attend many of them.    Thank you my friend and God Bless Ya!   I told Tom  my oldest son just got back from a tour in Afghanistan,  and he said you know the anxiety!  And that I do.

The new Mt View Post Office!

Parking was tight so I took a tad of space behind a car.  Due to timing it was around 1230, I brought my ever PBJ+H ( like to add a couple pieces of ham for flavor) for my lunch.   Ate my lunch and headed for the post office.

My destination.

The event was behind the post office, in the back dock / parking area.  We have news coverage!

The dedication, straight ahead.....

Tom Ballard talking with some friends.  (previous error removed, very  sorry! Thanks Debbi)

Better pic of Tom.

Tom went to get Ken's truck and back it up here, he asked me to thank the guy in the wheel chair for saving his spot, well, it was a bit like that.

Tom explaining the truck to a friend.  better shot of the person in the wheel chair.

PGR section.  I took a few pics, didn't seem to get any one right.

A little better.

Finally got a smile from Ruth C!

The Honor Guard ready to post the colors.

Ready to start, very nice and large crowd to honor Ken and family.

A good friend, called Ken his brother.  He made a very nice talk, but you knew it was hard for him to do so, personally, I don't know how he got thru it.....

The Gov person that presented the legislation to a vote.  Believe it to be Anna E.  She made it a point that ALL members of the House and Senate voted for this honor!  It brought a large cheer from the group!  All the other reps from local up were also there.

Anna making a presentation to Ken's mom.

Mom sharing a few words.  Very nice speech and it had to be very hard to do.  God Bless the family and friends of Lt Kenneth Ballard!






 

PGR-USAF Deborah Dowell Casto Valley

PGR was asked to honor a fallen Veteran and an Honor it was.  Mission notice:

The Patriot Guard Riders have been requested to Escort Fallen
Veteran Deborah Dowell to her memorial service. Here is what her
fiance Mike had to say about his beloved...

Debi, is my fiance of 4 years. She is a Honorably discharged Veteran
of the United States Air Force. She passed 9 days after open heart
surgery. She is a wonderful women who I would like family and
friends to see her honored by the Patriot Guard. If possible

Debi was in the Air Force from 1978-1984 and was an E-4 at the
time of her Honorable Discharge. Because Mike & Debi loved to
ride, Mike will be joining us on this Escort with his bike.
Please bring your Flags and lets Honor this Hero

Thanks to the family for asking PGR to attend.

I like to say all missions are different, at the last moment there was a notice on our facebook  page that the staging had been moved from SB to Peets Coffee, some of our folks don't do FB, so I got there about 1/2 hour early to put up my flag for notice, and it worked!  Scouts Vulcan on the right. 

My sweet Ruby and another...

... and then the bulk of us, I'll guess 12 - 15 scoots, great showing for less than a days notice of the mission.

Just visiting and waiting for the briefing.....   Our RC (Ride Captain) with his back to us.

More scoots....   While I was waiting for folks to show up, a cage stopped by and asked about the 3x5 flag flying, I explained it was a honor mission for a fallen Veteran.

... another shot.....

Nice group of folks!  Our RC who also rides with WWR gave us our briefing and laid it out in fine fashion!  Thank you for what you do!   We need more like you to help out on honor missions.

We arrive at the family home after a short ride and our RC and Scout discuss the route to the service.  Mike was in the center and rode with us.

More of our group....

... and more....

We arrive at the service location and get ready for the flag line.  The family thanked us for attending and again, it was our honor!  God Bless during this sad time of passing.

WELCOME HOME 129th Rescue Wing

Pics are from top to bottom, click on a pic for a larger pic, text for a pic is under it.

PGR was invited to welcome home our heroes and it was an honor to be there!

As I like to say, all missions are different, no exception.  Buzz did the RC duty and made the contacts.  While we were at the staging point, he heard about the second part of the mission, so we got to do a loop to Moffett and back to get round two!    It worked out fine.  We only had 5 scoots and a cage, and we lost one scoot after mission 1, but 4 hung around for round 2.

San Jose Police outdid themselves, we had about 12 squad cars for both trips!  Lots of lights and when we hit Moffett, sirens galore!  They DID hear us coming!  GBG

We staged at our favorite place on first st, short trip to the airport.

 

So today's  contingent amounted to 5 scoots and one cage, my size of escort!  Don't like the big rides....

Buzz chatting with our liaison to the PD.  Everyone else was around Hercules!  He is JD's dog and rides in the sidecar with him.... everywhere!  Folks love him!

My good friend and fellow ALR Dist 13 rider Slick John showed up!

Another shot of the group, the Prius belonged to a Gold Star aunt.

The sign on Hercules hack.

Every ready to pose, he is such a nicely mannered Service Dog.

Round 1, at the ready.

Nice poster!

What better than a Blue Bird for Air Force folks.  Baggage truck was behind.

In front of the bus, 4 scoots and 1/2 dozen squad cars....   Now look across the road, just over the first squad car..... yup more!  We had a convoy!

Made the ride in fine police flashing lights fashion. 

All the happy folks getting off for some treats then debrief and then FAMILY!!!!  This is their time, God Bless 'um!!!

Just shooting some shots... Didn't get a pic, but I saw a soldier holding a brand new baby, first hold, first time.   Bless him!!!  

Our 5 scoot bus escort.

Some fellow service folks watching on...  

Folks visiting before debrief.

                                      ROUND 2!!! 

So we lost JD and Hercules, he had to make a trip to the VA Hospital for a visit.  They love Herc and look forward to their visits.  4 scoots and a cage came back around.

The young lady in the green told us that her dad, who is big into PGR in Minnesota, was on that flight!  Well that called for a coining, and Greg did the honors!  He was, as his daughter, blown away!     He was so impressed that they joined out escort out to Moffett!    I gave him one of the 129th pins that Carolann W was passing out, I went back and got another.   

The young man in a blue shirt asked about what we did.... we have a new member!  Buzz ran out of cards a LONG time ago on this mission!  GBG   Slick John even gave the one he had back to him!  

Again, across the street, line of squad cars, about 12 more again!  OUTSTANDING!!!!  Thank you SJPD!

Safe again!

Visiting and treats before debrief.

And then there were 4.   Outstanding escort!  I really do like the smaller missions.

A few more friends on hand.  Outstanding ride!  If you could've heard those sirens on base, and as we went around a curve, seeing all those flashing lights, OUTSTANDING! 

God Bless 'um and Thank You for your service!

PGR - USAF Veteran O' Ray Perry 

PGR mission post:

The Patriot Guard Riders have been requested to Escort and give
final Honors to USAF Mr O Ray Perry. We will be Escorting
this Hero from San Jose Ca to San Joaquin National Cemetery in
Santa Nella Ca. Please bring your Flags and lets Honor this Hero
as he is laid to rest.

And it was an honor to attend, altho I did meet the mission about at the top of Pacheco Pass.  Bit of a story, I was late in leaving, and knew I would miss the staging, so headed directly to SJVNC to meet the escort.

I left at the same time as the group was to leave and I was closer, I thought I had plenty of time.  As I was riding up Pacheco Pass, I saw this red Harley with it's flashers on, and I know what that means, but there was no escort?

I followed for a bit and he appeared to be bird dogging a car, but then they took off.  I continued my ride and caught them a few miles further, along with the entire group.  My guess is somehow the last car got separated from the group and the tail gunner was staying with it, as he should.

Well I just fell in behind, I knew who they were and where they were headed.   Still couldn't believe they were ahead of me, but all missions are different, and you just roll with it, must be flexible!  We arrived safe and sound.

Before I caught up with the group, someone else met them at 152 junction.  We had 8 scoots and 2 met on the fly.  Pretty good mid week group!  And it looked great with the flags flying and the entire escort.   

I hope I have this right, someone correct me if I don't.  Chaplin Ken took the mission and received many compliments for his efforts.  Thank you for doing this!  We need more like you!

Tried to get a pic of the procession line, but had to walk up for another shot.

The main body of the scoots, real nice showing for mid week.  Nice group of family and friends also made the journey.

Walking back down the line, got a better shot of the "tail gunners".

Successful mission and as we went over Pacheco Pass, the weather warmed right up.  It was quite warm there!    The family was grateful for our being there and as always it was an honor to attend.  I thank them much for inviting PGR to ride.

As I am apt to say, all missions are different, and you just roll with 'um.  I'll say this is the first of hundreds of missions, the bugler didn't...    The services have moved to a electronic bugle, someone holds it and it plays taps.     We once had a mission that our PGR Ride Captain played taps.   Today, it didn't, I guess we had an equipment malfunction.  We waited an appropriate period of time and preceded with the service.