An email from my husband....
My first ride with the Patriot Guard by Paul Hickman
2 Nov 2008
It’s 6:45 am and it’s a sweltering 37 degrees outside when I straddle my Heritage Softail and fire up it’s 96 cubic inch motor. I am wearing two jackets and a winter coat, along with ear warmers, gloves, and my helmet. Squeeze the clutch, pop the bike in 1st gear, roll back on the throttle and head on down the road. I am thinking to myself “this isn’t too bad, I am dressed warm enough”, then I pull out on to Rt 8 south and the realization sets in that the temperature drops drastically at 65 mph! I begin to question my decision to take this trip this morning. I decide I can handle the cold for an hour and press on to Canton.
Shortly before 8am I arrive at my destination, and I think it has actually gotten colder too. I am one of the first bikes to arrive at the Reed funeral home in Canton. I am joining up with a group of patriots who have a strong desire and duty to honor our fallen heroes. Today we are honoring Sgt. Nicolas Casey age 22 who was killed serving our country fighting in the war on terrorism. Sgt. Casey was coming home today and we where there to escort him and his family.
At 9am approximately 50 motorcycles fire up their engines and line up two by two, as we slowly begin following the Hearse from the funeral home to the Akron-Canton Airport. Amazingly folks understand what is going on and no one attempts to invade the procession. Bikes of all makes and sizes wind slowly through the streets of Canton before heading north on I-77. It is a short ride on most sunny days, but today it is cold and the trip seems to take forever.
We arrive at the rear section of the Akron-Canton Airport where the charter companies operate. We then line up two by two again and shut down our iron horses. Shake off the cold and begin assembling flag poles and attaching American flags. The ride captain briefs us on not taking pictures of the casket or the family. We then file into the hanger and take up our place on the hanger floor. We stand in somewhat of a resemblance of a military formation. Many of the riders are in fact veterans themselves. A LtCol of the United States Army addresses the group of riders and tearfully thanks us for coming, and tells us how much our support means to the men and women serving and especially to the families who have lost a son or daughter. He then makes it a point to shake everyone’s hand.
A few minutes later the hanger door slowly begins to open, and off in the distance you see a small white jet coming in for a landing. A few minutes later, that very same jet is taxiing carefully into the hanger. The piercing whine of the jet’s engine is almost painful, some people are covering their ears as the jet taxis closer and then stops. Moments later the door of the jet opens and a member of the aircrew lowers a small ladder and assists Sgt. Casey’s father from the plane. The men and women of the PGR stand tall and motionless as tears fill many an eye, including my own. The honor guard commander gives the command “Present Arms” and those of us who are veterans stand at attention and salute while Sgt Casey’s flag draped casket is removed from the plane. We hold the salute until the command “Order Arms” is given.
The family approaches the casket with cries of sorrow and pain for their lost hero, as we the PGR share in their suffering with tears flowing freely. The Army Chaplain stands with the family and says a prayer while the honor guard stands rigidly at attention. As the family walks back to their place in the hanger a family member turns to our group and says “Thank You”.
The soft shuffle of Army boots fills the hanger as the honor guard slowly marches towards Sgt. Casey’s casket. The command present arms is given again and we all salute as the casket is carried to the waiting Hearse. Once Sgt. Casey is securely in the Hearse the command order arms is given, and the hearse slowly pulls out of the hanger.
With many of us wiping tears from our eyes, we head back to our motorcycles and get prepared for the cold ride back to the funeral home. A Sheriff’s deputy on a motorcycle leads the procession followed by a Sheriff’s car, the PGR, Sgt. Casey, and then his family. As we rounded the corner to get back on to I-77 south we encountered a group of about 20 people with American flags and signs of condolences, and thank you for the family. I saw many more riders wiping their eyes as we passed the group of supporters.
As the procession made its way down the interstate, you could see the Deputies who job it was to stop traffic, saluting as the procession went by. And as we passed by Sgt. Casey’s high school we where met by a group of young adults paying their respects to Sgt. Casey.
When the procession arrived at the funeral home, we parked our bikes around back and made our way back to the front of the funeral home, where we lined the parking lot and faced the hearse. The command present arms was given as Sgt. Casey was slowly removed from the hearse, and as his casket was taken into the funeral home, the command order arms was given. I watched with eyes swelled with tears as Sgt. Casey’s father hugged a family member, as I realized he was now holding a Gold Star flag. Making him and Sgt. Casey’s mother members of a sacred group of Americans, Gold Star Parents.
As we stood there lining the parking lot, another of Sgt. Casey’s family members thanked us, We where the ones saying “Thank You” it was our Honor to be there.
I guess in the scope of things, my ride this morning wasn’t really that cold after all.
Thank You
Semper Fi
Paul Hickman
Guitars for Grunts
Sending guitars to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan
http://www.guitarsforgrunts.com/
330-338-4001
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