The first Patriot Guard Riders (PGR) mission that I rode was in honor of PFC Tina M. Priest (19) of Smithville, Texas.
That was on March 17, 2006. In the almost-five months since then, I have ridden to honor and pay respect to eight other fallen Soldiers and Marines.
Sometime later next week, I will ride in my tenth PGR mission — to honor and pay respect to Sgt. George M. Ulloa Jr., 23, of Austin, Texas.
So many missions have happened so quickly, and I needed to slow down and look back — to remember how and why I started doing this. So on my way home from my last mission for SFC Kenneth Pugh (39) of Houston, TX, I stopped to visit the final resting place of PFC Priest.
Just a little more than 4 months since Tina’s burial, there is not a headstone on her grave. But then again, the grass hasn’t yet even grown over the spot where they buried her. It was still easy to find, though.
I was the only visitor at the Oakhill Cemetery outside of Smithville. The temperature when I arrived at the cemetery was over 100 degrees, but I still ended up lingering for more than two hours visiting the grave of Pfc Smith, as well as the graves of the numerous other veterans buried there.
One of the things I realized that afternoon is that my emotions are so much closer to the surface since I joined the PGR and started riding on these missions. When I saw the #1 Sister necklace — a gift from her twin sister — hanging at the grave, I was brought to tears.
I hope that our brave men and women can come home soon.
Yes, very sad. I hope that the families can take some comfort from the good will of the Patriot Guard Riders and all of the other Americans that pray for them and send them their condolences.
Left by Preston on August 7th, 2006 at 3:07 pm