PGR_NTX Patriot Guard Confirmed Mission - Medal of Honor Celebration

Tue Jan 20 22:54:22 CST 2009

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This evening I attended a Board meeting for the City of Gainesville's Medal
of Honor Celebration on behalf of the North Texas PGR.  We have been invited
to participate in this year's event.

Each year since 2001 the city of Gainesville has hosted recipients of this,
the nation's highest award for valor that can be bestowed upon a member of
our armed forces for action against an enemy of our nation.  While these
recipients are in Gainesville their money is no good anywhere in town.  They
participate in a number of events, including speaking to school children, a
book signing, a parade, a banquet, tree planting, etc.  They are flown in at
the expense of the organizers and stay at a local hotel.  Please refer to:
<http://www.gainesville.tx.us/Historical/MedalofHonor.html> Click here:
History of Medal of Honor Host City Program  for more information about the
event itself.

This year's event will begin on Wednesday, April 1, 2009 with the
recipients' arrival at DFW airport.  As the recipients arrive (within a 2-3
hour time frame) they are taken to the USO area where they visit with the
incoming and outgoing troops.  They are then put in limousines or other
appropriate transportation and, with police escort, taken to Gainesville.
They return to DFW Airport on Sunday morning to leave for home.  The parade
is scheduled for Saturday morning.

I think you may be able to see where some of this is leading, but there is
more.  Yes, we have been asked to be in the parade.  We will also escort the
recipients from DFW airport to Gainesville on Wednesday and back to the
airport on Sunday.  There are tentative plans, if rider interest is
sufficient, for us to not only ride as an entry in the parade but to have
riders escort the individual open cars of the recipients as they ride in the
parade.  In other words, a PGR rider at each corner of the recipient's car
as it goes along the parade route.  A great honor.

The aforementioned book signing is currently scheduled for right after the
parade.  It is tentatively planned for the PGR attendees and some other
dignitaries to have a little private face time with the recipients prior to
the general public being allowed into this event.  There is a particular
book, I understand, that is being sold at this event for the recipients to
sign, as well as shirts and other items, and I understand that perhaps one
"outside" item might be allowed in for autograph.

Twenty-four Medal of Honor Recipients have been invited to the event.  I am
told that only 2 have sent their regrets.  I am also told that approximately
15-18, or perhaps more, are expected to attend.  This number is expected to
include 100 year old John Finn, who was awarded his Medal of Honor for
actions at Pearl Harbor.  Each year during the book signing a person is
assigned to each recipient to assist the recipient as necessary and when the
Medal of Honor book, for example, is placed in front of him, to know where
the recipient's story is found in the book and turn quickly to that page so
the recipient can sign next to his picture and bio.  The PGR has been
volunteered for this duty.  PGR volunteers will be assigned to individual
Medal of Honor recipients and assist them for a couple of hours during the
book signing, getting a chance to be up close and personal with these
distinguished heroes.

It is a rare event when multiple Medal of Honor recipients are gathered in
one location.  There are less than 100 Medal of Honor recipients alive
today.  Recipients of the Medal of Honor (they are not "winners" of the
medal - it's not something you can compete for) invariably insist that they
wear the Medal on behalf of those comrades who paid the ultimate price for
our freedom.  In that way, the PGR and the recipients are a lot alike.  A
large part of our mission is to honor those who have paid the ultimate price
for our freedom.  And we do that without hesitation.  It's what we do.  When
you read the citations of the individuals who have been awarded the Medal of
Honor, it is obvious that they were willing to pay that sacrifice, also
without hesitation.  It just wasn't their time to be called "home."

Comrades in arms on the same battlefield, non-commissioned officers, field
officers, military investigators, Generals, Admirals, Congressmen, Senators
and Presidents of the United States have determined that these recipients
are worthy of the highest award for valor that can be bestowed on a military
person by our nation.  And now the North Texas Patriot Guard Riders have
been specifically asked to honor these individuals by participating in this
event.  I consider this a great honor and privilege and I was proud to
accept this invitation on behalf of the men and women of the North Texas
PGR.  

Please mark your calendars now and plan to participate.  More information
will be posted as plans for our parts of the celebration firm up. 

Thank you.

Steve Lucas

Deputy State Captain

North Texas PGR

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