[markwells]

Many, Many thanks to Gerry for picking up the ball and running with it…

[markwells]

Final Itinerary:

Austin Staging for: Jessie R. Berron, PVT, US Army, WW II Veteran

Jessie R. Berron passed away on June 25th. 2009. Mr. Berron's family has requested the Patriot Guard Riders attend his funeral to honor him for his military service to our country. He served his country with distinction during WWII and was a member of VFW post 8925 in Austin.

Date: Monday, 29 June 2009

Staging Location:
Angel Funeral Home
1600 South 1st Street & West Monroe Street, Austin, TX
Directions: Funeral home is located on South 1st Street approx. midway between Riverside and Oltorf. Map link: tinyurl.com/l3vn7y

Timeline:
0845- 0915 hrs: Staging
0915 hrs: Flag line briefing. Form flag line no later than 0930
Service begins at 1000 hrs.
Procession to Assumption Cemetery following the conclusion of the funeral service. Safety briefing for ride to cemetery after the route has been determined.

Weather forecast: 0900 hrs. 85 degrees. 1200 hrs. 96 degrees. Dress accordingly. Sun screen highly recommended. Bring a sufficient amount of drinking water.

Notes: Ride to cemetery approx. 2-3 miles. Come fed, fueled and hydrated. As always, Semper Gumby.

Ride Captain: Terry Ayers mototerry@texreb.com hm (512) 251-5366 cell (512) 925-6101
Flag Wrangler: Gerry Lowrey

http://www.auspgr.org

[markwells]

I will not be able to stand tall for this Great
American Veteran, please send condolences to the family and stand For me to honor him…

[markwells]

Confirmed Mission

Jessie R Berron, Pvt, U.S. Army and WWII veteran, passed away on June 25th, 2009. His family has requested the PGR to attend his service to honor him for his contributions to our country.
The service will be held on Monday, June 29th, 2009, 10am at Angel Funeral Home located at 1606 S. 1st St, Austin Tx. Interment will follow immediately afterwards at Assumption Cemetery, 3650 S. IH35, Austin.

Please Monitor this thread and emails for staging and other information necessary to attend the service for this veteran.

Sam Warren
Austin Area Lead Ride Captain
Patriot Guard Riders
Riding with Respect

[markwells]

Wow, what a wonderful family SGT Thomas has! So sad he lost his life so young and so tragically. I've posted the pictures and clips now.

[markwells]

**Update**

Austin Staging for: Sgt. Matthew Thomas, US Army

Sgt. Matthew Thomas, US Army active duty, 23 yrs old, was killed in an automobile accident on 12 June 2009 in North Carolina. Sgt Thomas is from Lockhart, TX and was part of the 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg. Sgt. Thomas previously served a tour of duty in Afghanistan and was preparing to embark on his second tour. His family has requested the Patriot Guard Riders attend the funeral service in Lockhart, TX and accompany them to Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio for interment.

Date: Monday, 22 June 2009

Staging Location: Signature Shell Convenience Store # 26, 6500 S Hwy 183. Located SW corner of Hwy 183 & FM 812.
Directions: Travel 4 miles south on Hwy 183 from the Hwy 183/Hwy 71 intersection near ABIA. Map link: tinyurl.com/nfw3ej

Timeline:
0830 – 0900 hrs staging
0900 hrs safety briefing
0915 KSU for Lockhart

Funeral Service: McCurdy Funeral Home, 105 E. Pecan Street, Lockhart, TX 78644

Time: 1030 hrs

Weather forecast: Lockhart and San Antonio a high of 98 with less than a 10% chance of rain. Dress accordingly. Sun screen highly recommended. Bring a sufficient amount of drinking water. A small non-perishable food ration is also highly recommended.

Notes: PGR will proceed south on US 183 approx. 20 miles to McCurdy Funeral Home in Lockhart. PGR will form a flag line at approx. 1000 hrs. Immediately following the funeral service the PGR will join the procession to Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio. Route to be determined but plan on a minimum of 60 miles. The San Antonio PGR will participate and provide flags at Fort Sam Houston.

Come fed, fueled and hydrated. There will be no stops between Austin staging and Lockhart. There will be no stops between Lockhart and Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. As always, Semper Gumby.

Ride Captain: Terry Ayers, mototerry@texreb.com
hm 512-251-5366; cell 512-925-6101

Please make every effort to honor the service and sacrifice of Sgt Thomas and his family.

[markwells]

Extremely short notice – Austin Airport Recovery mission, Wednesday, 17 June

Sgt Matthew Thomas, USArmy active duty, 23 yrs old, was killed in an automobile accident on 12 June in North Carolina. Sgt Thomas is from Lockhart, TX and was part of the 82nd Airborne Division. He has been awarded the Army Commendation Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and a National Defense Service Ribbon. He will be returned home via Austin Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA) on Wednesday. His family has requested the Patriot Guard Riders join in the recovery and escort.

Austin Staging for Sgt. Matthew Thomas, USA, airport recovery portion

Date: Wednesday, 17 June 2009, flight arrival time 1212 hrs.

PGR will stage at the US Postal Facility at Austin airport (ABIA.)

Directions: From TX 71, take the ABIA CARGO exit and turn south onto Spirit of Texas Dr. At the first stop sign, turn right onto Freight Lane. Stay left at the fork and continue to USPS facility parking lot, which is on the right at the end of the road.

Timeline:
1100 – 1130 hrs staging
1130 hrs safety briefing
1212 hrs scheduled arrival.

PGR will accompany Sgt. Thomas and family to McCurdy Funeral Home in Lockhart. Anticipated departure time from ABIA 1230 hrs. The route is unknown at this time and will be determined by law enforcement officer escort. IF the route takes us onto toll roads, each rider will be responsible for toll charges incurred.

Weather forecast: high of 99. Dress accordingly. Sun screen highly recommended. Bring two bottles of drinking water.

Notes: Come fed, fueled and hydrated. There will be no stops between ABIA and Lockhart, approx. 28 mi. Planeside recovery is at this time undetermined. As always, Semper Gumby.

Sgt Thomas's funeral is scheduled for Monday, 22 June, at 1030 hrs in Lockhart, with interment to follow at Ft Sam Houston National Cemetary in San Antonio. Standby for staging information for the funeral portion of the mission.

Ride Captain: Robert Stancil, 512-217-4740, austinplastering@sbcglobal.net

Please make plans to honor the service and sacrifice of Sgt Thomas and his family.

[markwells]

This is a letter of appreciation from the wife of Joe Duncum. Linda was also in the military.
Subj: My thanks to the Patriot Guard

I hope that you can pass on my gratitude to the members of the patriot guard who escorted me and my family, as well as standing out in the Central Texas heat during my husbands memorial at Camp Mabry on 5 June 09. My husband dedicated his life to the Guard, he spent nearly 42 years in service of his State and Nation. CW4 Joe Duncum, will always be remembered as a very humble and dedicated soldier, and he would have been very proud of your soldiers in their appearance and professionalism. He was very proud in your mission, and I know he spoke to Sam Warren about it many times. Please again forward my thanks and appreciation to your soldiers for me.
As he would say…."Carry On" – Linda Duncum (Alpine, Tx)

[markwells]

Hey Andy, just saw the KVUE report on the great job you and the other riders did to honor one of our heros.
Thanks to all the members who made it to one or more of the many missions this last week and weekend. Mark and the other RC's who organized these missions……..your work is very much appreciated!

Sam

[markwells]

Here's a report filed by KVUE on this airport recovery mission. Thanks to Andy and to all the riders who made it to this one.

http://www.kvue.com/news/top/stories/060509kvue_austin_marine-tg.50b0512b.html

[markwells]

If any one is interested, Tripod and I are meeting at the HEB in Georgetown at 35/29. We plan to be KSU at 12:00.
Frank

[markwells]

UPDATE:

Final Itinerary – Funeral Service for LCpl Matthew Reza

The Family of Marine LCpl Matthew Reza has requested the presence of the Patriot Guard Riders at his funeral on Sunday in Austin.

Date: Sunday, 7 June 2009

Location: Cook Walden Funeral Home, 6300 W. William Cannon Drive, located at William Cannon/Hwy 290. Services scheduled to begin at 1400 (2:00 pm)

Timeline: Staging 1300 (1:00 pm) at the Funeral Home, briefing 1315

1st flag line in place at 1320

2nd flag line in place at conclusion of the service for the interment ceremony

Directions: Westbound on Hwy 290/71 from Austin, turn left at William Cannon. Funeral Home is immediately on the left. Park on the south side of the building. Map link: tinyurl.com/obgxgp

Wx: Forecast is for partly cloudy skies…..Hot.

Notes: This is a flag line mission only, there is no procession. Be hydrated and bring at least two bottles of water.

Ride Captain: Keith Longacre, keithlongacre@att.net, 512-751-8955

Please make plans to honor this Marine's service and sacrifice for our nation.

[markwells]

Elbert Reed, a WWII veteran of the US Navy, passed away on Tuesday, June 2nd.. His family has invited the Patriot Guard to stand tall at his funeral service. Mr. Reed is the uncle of PGR member Larry Sprague.

The service is set for Saturday, June 6th, 10 am at Cook Walden Funeral Home, 6100 N. Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX. Interment will immediately follow at Cook Walden Memorial Hills Cemetary just north of Howard Lane on IH35 North.

UPDATE:

Austin Staging: Elbert Reed, a WWII veteran of the US Navy, passed away on Tuesday, June 2nd. His family has invited the Patriot Guard to stand tall at his funeral service.

Date: Saturday, 6 June 2009

Timeline: 9:00 am Staging. 9:15 Briefing. Flag line to be assembled at 9:20. Family is scheduled to arrive at 9:30. Service at Cook-Walden to start at 10:00. Service will last 1/2 to 1 hour. We will then accompany the family to the cemetery.

Location: Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 North Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX

Directions: From I35 take the 290 West/2222 exit, travel west approx. 1.4 mi to Lamar St. Turn north, the funeral home is approx. 1 block on the west side. map link: tinyurl.com/qmt2sh

Wx: Mostly Sunny, high of 96 degrees.

Notes: We will establish a flag line at Cook-Walden prior to arrival of family. Arrive fueled and hydrated. Bring water for you and one other. Sunscreen advised. We will have LEO escort to Cook-Walden Memorial Hills Cemetery in Pflugerville.

An interesting note, Seaman Elbert Reed served on the Battleship Texas and was the LAST sailor to walk off the ship when it was decommissioned. In fact, the Navy asked him to walk off a second time in order to capture that moment on film.

RC: Chuck Murphy, cell 512-417-2744, w9ctm@hotmail.com

Note we have a mission in Georgetown on Saturday afternoon. There should be plenty of time between them to attend both missions.

Please remember that our Mission is to honor this fallen WWII veteran and pay respects to his family. Stand tall and silent as we salute this American Sailor.

[markwells]

My plans are to Honor Mr. Elbert Reed in Austin, then hopefully be able to Stand for Mr. Stearly.
My prayers and thoughts go out to both families.
Hope to see you all there.
Frank

[markwells]

Way to go Andy and thanx again for getting us on the tarmac……….Gerry

[Author]

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