Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Salute to a Fallen Warrior

Today I was a pallbearer for a man I did not know. He served our country as an Airman in the US Air Force and lost his life. A last-minute call yesterday caused a little more than a dozen of us to attend his service this morning. He had no family, had not married and had no children. His only "family" were those of us who made the trip to Punta Gorda, about 30 miles north of Ft. Myers this morning. There were four civilians there, their connection to him I do not know. The Patriot Guard, a group of motorcyclists who take it upon themselves to stand a flag line for these veterans at times such as these, assembled about a dozen men to stand a line. The local American Legion provided an Honor Guard, rifle squad and bugler to play "Taps".
     A representative of the cemetary thanked us all for being there and asked for six of us to act as pallbearers. All of us from the Special Forces Motorcycle Club immediately stepped forward to lay him to rest. Our club founder accepted the ceremonial flag, being that there was no family present.
   He was interred on a humid Tuesday morning, seen off by his Brothers-In-Arms. Thank you for your service. Rest in peace.

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