Airport Recovery, Hunter Biehle, 22, Active Duty US Navy, 27 APR 2020

[markwells]

[markwells]

Confirmed mission: The family of Hunter Nathaniel Biehle has requested the participation of the Patriot Guard Riders in his return to Texas. Hunter served in the US Navy for a year and was assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS America in Japan. He was last stationed at Naval Base Coronado in California. He grew up in Lexington, TX, and was due to soon visit his family there.

https://www.phillipsandluckey.com/obituaries/Hunter-Biehle/#!/Obituary

This is an LEO escorted procession form the airport to Giddings, TX. The funeral portion is not yet scheduled.

Due to the current pandemic restrictions PGR attendance will be limited. An invitation to participate went to those riders who have registered as Big Flag Bikes.

Date/Time: Monday, 27 April 2020. Flight arrival at Austin Bergstrom Intl Airport (ABIA) was at 5:30 pm.

Staging Location: Airline Freight facility, 3400 Spirit of Texas Drive, ABIA

Directions: From TX 71, take the ABIA CARGO exit and turn south onto Spirit of Texas Dr. Stay on that road all the way to the end. The facility parking lot will be the last one on the right before the gate.
Map link: https://goo.gl/maps/8rGcUjUb5H32

Timeline:
3:30 – 4:30 pm Staging
4:30 pm Briefing
Recovery ceremony and procession per ABIA operations and APD.

Wx: Hi 84 deg, mostly sunny

Notes: Bring a bottle of water for yourself and one for a friend. Arrive at the staging fully fueled and fed. Maintain current social distancing protocols. Wear a mask at the staging if you have one. Stay six feet apart. The procession will proceed to the Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home in Giddings, approx. 54 mile ride.

Ride Captain: Keith Longacre, keithlongacre@att.net, (512) 751-8955
Flag Wrangler: N/A

[keithlongacre]

After a long 2 month Stand Down, we finally got back in the saddle. And what a mission to be the 1st. We limited ourselves to just 7 flag bikes because of covid-19 & that also allow us to be a part of the on site airport recovery. The hour long ride was a tear jerker ride, seeing the little groups of people standing along side the road, many holding flags and a lot of older, presumably former military codgers (like some of us) standing at attention and holding a salute for the entire procession.  Young, old, black, white and brown all represented, the way it should be.  Interesting seeing  trucks parked in the middle of a hay field with no one else close by except the Mom and Pop with their flags.  It was a pretty moving ride.
It was a good mission and I am glad we were there. It was definitely one to remember.  Having all big flag bikes was good.  It looked great.
Thanks to Soup & Ralph for adding their thoughts to this After Mission Report.
May the God who watches over all of us be with Hunter's family as they go through this time.

[Author]

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