"The Ride Home"

[BEER30]

As some of you would know, Sept. 19 was POW-MIA Recognition Day. On Sept. 19-20 , the event I participated in was designated, ”The Ride Home” . Ceremonies were held at the National Prisoner of War Museum and it’s Cemetery in Andersonville, Ga.

I just returned home from Andersonville, Ga., where we Honored those 96 Ex-POW’s who attended, with their Widows, and their Spouses whom attended as guest of Rolling Thunder, various supporters, and numerous sponsors. Also survivors of Gen. MacArthur's “Rainbow" Division were honored. I had the honor to escort the Widow of, and the Wife of our Nations Hero’s in this occasions on which they rode as a distinguish navigator on the back of my RSV within these 2 day event. (also they were served Ice Cold Beverage out of the cooler of the BEERCART.) My scoot and trailer was truly Blessed! In fact, the wife of the ex-POW is most likely going to go out and buy here hubby and herself a new scoot here real soon after I took her out on a sunset ride out in the countryside.

One nights occasion, we broke bread with the ex-POW’s and spouses at a dinner event that we were seated with. I and another fellow RT member sat at the table with our guests. These guys are a RIOT! Four of the five ex-POW’s were held at the same German POW camp that we sat with. The tales they share was us at dinner were more than anyone could imagine. There were tears shed, embracing, smiles and laughter. It was an earth moving experience for all of us. As some were departing back home on the last day, I helped assist a very lovely young at heart lady from her wheelchair onto the charter bus, to find myself a POW now ! They would not let me off the bus and told me I had to go home with them. I said, “OK then, If I cannot leave, I have demands !” . They replied,”What demands”? ….. I replied, “If you keep me, I demand an ALLOWANCE” …….. They door was quickly opened and I was out on my “keester” before I knew what happened !

I must say, this event was one the most rememberable occasions I will never forget.

 

BEER30

Edited September 22, 2008 by BEER30
Clerical error

[Guest HdHtr]

Well done Gene.

[MAINEAC]

Great Job Beer30!! I wish I coulda been there... I'm facinated with World War II and the Holocaust and have talked to several POWs and worked with a Jew that survived the Death Camps as a young boy and had the number tatooed on his arm... I also watch everything about it on The History Channel and have read several books on the subject... Sounds like a great time..

 

Pretty ironic to hold such a gathering at Andersonville a Civil War POW camp that makes the German POW Camps look like the Ritz..

[Squidley]

Good to hear it was a memoriable time Gene. I know when I was in the service one of my duty weekends was on a 4th of July. My duty was to ride in a 4th of July parade in Jacksonville Florida, in the Rumble seat of an old Ford. It was one of the greatest memories I have of my time in. I was able to ride in a bus with a number of Vietnam vets that were so very cool to us despite what they went through when they returned home.

You were lucky enough to spend time with the greatest generation this world has seen or probably ever will see again.

[hipshot]

GENE!

i envy you! i would give anything, to be able to visit with the guys that "HAVE BEEN TO THE WALL, AND BACK"

i don't mean the memorial wall , either!

i had a friend, many years ago, who was "Austrian", she survived 4 years in a concentration camp, only because she was young and strong, and was able to "help dispose of the babies and dead Jews"!

my lord, the tales this old woman could tell, and the tears that i cried, just listening!

you made us all proud of ya brother!

just jt

[Gray Ghost]

Pretty ironic to hold such a gathering at Andersonville a Civil War POW camp that makes the German POW Camps look like the Ritz..

 

Andersonville is the National POW Museum as well as being a former prisoner of war camp. As far as brutality goes, none of the Civil War camps, including those ran by the Federals were a picnic. But I am not sure that the camps run by the Nazis were exactly a Ritz. When I went to Yad Vashem in Jerusalem years ago I was able to see a record book from one of the concentration camps. It seems that those GIs who could be identified as Jewish didn't go to the Stalag, but to a camp.

[Eck]

Great job Gene...

looking more and more like we will be honoring you one of these days for all your services ..

PS:

I was up in Ethridge last weekend....Took the wife up there antiqueing...We even stopped at the amish store tha tis north of Mars hill...Was thinking about ya...