Gonna be a long, emotional day today with two Austin-area Patriot Guard Rider missions to attend. Since they both start at the same time, I’m going to stand the flag line for the beginning of the first funeral service, and then ride over in time to ride in the escort mission from Austin t0 the Central Texas State Veteran’s Cemetery in Killeen for the second mission of the day.
The first mission is for 23-year old US Army Spc. Bobby Pagan, who was killed in action in Afghanistan when his patrol was hit by a suicide bomber riding a motorcycle. Spc. Pagan’s funeral services and burial are here in Austin:
The US Army Honor Guard prepares to carry Spc. Bobby Pagan into the church
Honor Guard carrying the casket of Spc. Bobby Pagan
Also killed in the attack were 24-year old Staff Sgt. John A. Reiners of Lakeland, Fla. and 26-year-old Sgt. Jeremiah T. Wittman of Darby, Mont.
The second mission is for Vernon Hunter, a 20-year US Army and Vietnam War Veteran who was killed when Joe Stack flew his airplane into the IRS building where Hunter worked. The funeral services for Mr. Hunter are here in Austin, then we’ll help escort his funeral procession to the cemetery in Killeen — about a 58-mile escort mission.
Remarkable motorcycle trailer sculpture honoring fallen Soldiers that joined the escort mission for Vernon Hunter
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Thank you for escorting these soldiers on their last journey. It means a lot to us veterans.
Ride with pride, Robbie.
God Bless our troops, and the families of Spc. Pagan and Vernon Hunter.
I was walking my dog this morning when the the funeral procession escort began passing for Bobby Pagan. I stood silent and thought about the young man and his family. It occurred to me that other people might have liked to have done the same and maybe even placed flags in their yard or businesses. Would it be possible to publish in advance the funeral procession route in the newspaper of a vet and especially a war casuality? Would it be possible to place American flags on all funeral procession vehicles? God Bless Bobby Pagan and Vernon Hunter and their families keep them safe until they are reunited.