2010 Rallies & Events
Rolling Thunder XXIII Part 2
Story by Sedrick C. Mitchell
Photos by Rupert Ellis, Joe Springfield, & Sedrick C. Mitchell
The Demonstration Ride is one of those occurrences that you will never understand, unless you are there, and I personally feel that every American should attend at least one Rolling Thunder event. You have to be there to feel the pride, to feel the patriotism, to feel the camaraderie amongst the veterans and their supporters, and to feel the emotions as the names on The Wall are viewed and sketched. You have to talk to Vietnam veterans like brothers Johnnie and Robert Woods, and Donald Ackerman, Sr. It’s an overall unbelievable emotional feeling that you can only experience if you are there.
During the Vietnam War, more than 2.7 million uniformed Americans deployed in support of this conflict. More than 58,000 gave all for this War, and their names can be found on the Vietnam Memorial, “The Wall.” For those who returned, there were mixed emotions. Some felt that our government wanted them to keep quiet and just fade away. Veterans like Artie Muller, Ray Manzo, John Holland, and others are not the type who fade away, or keep quiet. They were determined to keep the pressure on and focus attention on our government, so they would not forget about our Prisoners of War (POW), or those Missing in Action (MIA).
In 1987, they kicked off the first Rolling Thunder event, which attracted approximately 2,500 people. The event sure has grown since its inception. Today, the event has national and international support and recognition, and is directly responsible for our government supporting and resolving many issues affecting our veterans.
We’ve all heard the term, “War is hell,” and most of us would prefer that our country avoid getting involved in any type of conflict, except maybe a heated verbal discussion; but we can be assured that as long as mankind walks this earth there will be conflicts. As an American, I would like to believe that our government will do everything possible within their powers to avoid wars, but sometime war is the only option. When the only option is war, our American military, many DOD civilians, and contractors go off to foreign lands and put their lives at risk for our country. When these brave Americans return home, it’s extremely important that they be well treated and cared for by their government. It’s important that our government continue working with other governments around the world to identify and bring closure for the families of those missing in action. It’s important to those who are currently serving in uniform and to those who have served in that past, that they are sure that our government is doing everything humanly possible to bring our Prisoners of War home.
We’ll see you in D.C for the 2011Rolling Thunder event. For more information on the Rolling Thunder Inc., log on www.rollingthunder1.com