In an effort to find emotional healing from the time he spent in Vietnam in the U.S. Navy, George Day, 59, has been on the highway for over a week with a group of veterans traveling across the country on motorcycles to Washington, D.C., to visit the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial, known as "The Wall."
The veterans, who are predominately men, along with several of their wives, are searching for peace on a journey that leads to the wall engraved with the names of people who won't be forgotten. Most of the veterans served in the Vietnam War. Leather jackets, black T-shirts, sunglasses, and beards cover the veterans' skin, which is starting to show the effects of the time spent on the road since the trip began on May 18. Along the way, more veterans have joined them on their expedition, bringing the total to about 25 riders.
The motorcycle caravan stopped for lunch in Muldrow Monday, courtesy of Day's wife, Kristin, and Day hopes the stopover will become part of the routine on their yearly trip to the wall.
Day met the group, known as Rolling Thunder, a term used in Vietnam, on the road. His original intention after unloading his bike in Phoenix, Ariz., was to join another motorcycle group in Ontario, Calif., but he soon left them and joined Rolling Thunder.
"What you have to understand is this is not about a party," Day said. "It's not a motorcycle rally.
"This is about a healing," Day said. "It's about bringing veterans together...uniting us again."
Day said it's hard for him to put into words what it means for him to ride to the wall for the first time, but he hopes the war scars will begin to heal along the way.
"Not all of us have Purple Hearts," Day said. "But we all have bruised hearts."
Veterans of the Vietnam War have bruised hearts, Day says, because of the publics' attitude, the lack of support, and the lack of a homecoming.
"One lesson to be learned is to never treat our veterans the way we were treated," Day said.
The group will arrive in Washington, D.C., on Friday and attend services throughout the weekend.
Day's mission is to make the public aware of the past mistakes so they won't be repeated for future generations of veterans.
"That's going to be my mission to make that happen," Day said.
Day said the veterans find comfort amongst themselves on the road.
"My personal goal is my own healing and finding these comrads," Day said.
Richard "Big Sky" Montana of Modesto, Calif., the designated leader of the Rolling Thunder organization based in New Jersey, said the organization is about emphasis on the issue of prisoners of war (POWs) and those who were missing in action (MIA). Montana said his group wants the government to be accountable for all POWs and MIAs for all wars and protect the future of all veterans who may be POWs in future wars.
Montana said Rolling Thunder is a protest ride culminating with a protest parade on May 30 in Washington, D.C., where a half million motorcycles will be there to carry out Operation Carry the Flame, a torch for Blue Star and Gold Star Mothers. Montana explained that Blue Star Mothers are the parents of children who are currently active in the armed forces, while Gold Star Mothers represent the parents of those soldiers who were killed.
He said the flame began the trip in Modesto and the veterans light the torch at different locations on the way across the country - carrying the torch over 2,700 miles.
Montana, who is taking his fourth trip to the wall, said many people have joined them on their route, and not all are veterans. The entire trip takes 11 days.
"Not all are veterans, but they are all riding for the same reason," Montana said.
He said that reason is a need for government accountability, and the veterans want to know what happened to those MIAs and the POWs. He said Rolling Thunder supports legislation and political issues addressing MIAs and POWs.
Montana said their philosophy is "you go a mile or you go all the way."
"It can get tiring," Montana said. "But we're very vigilant and resilient also."
Emotions stir as the veterans get closer to the memorial. Montana said the veterans start breaking down emotionally.
"In our minds, this war is still going on with us," Montana said.
He said it is a healing process going to Washington Montana, 53, served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1971.
"There's a million stories here," Montana said. "I'm just one of them."
He said Memorial Day is not about a particular war, but it's a memorial for all veterans, recognizing those living and mourning the ones who are dead.
He said veterans face a lot of issues going to the wall, and the first time is always the most dramatic.
"The wall has to get the ghosts out," Montana said.
Mike and Diane Azevedo are several of the members of the group who are traveling to the wall for the first time.
The Azevedos met another couple, Thurman and Gloria Hawkins of Pauls Valley, on Sunday, and they all rode up to El Reno together to meet the rest of the group.
Diane Azevedo said this is their first time to ride to the wall. She said her husband wanted to go there for many years, but he wanted to go there on a motorcycle.
"Riding to these guys is like walking," Azevedo said. "It's like a pilgrimage."
Carrying the torch is the job of the Hawkins, who found out about the ride through a friend at the Pentagon. They will be riding the rest of the 1,300 miles left.
Thurman Hawkins said they travel about 300 to 400 miles a day.
"It's took 35 years just to get up enough willpower to go," Hawkins said.
Hawkins said the ones he served with were like family, and they trusted each other with their lives.
H said various items are being taken to place on the wall, one of which is a poem his granddaughter wrote for all the veterans.
"It helps put a closure on 'Nam," Hawkins said.
He said some veterans have been able to put closure on it sooner, but for others, they may never find closure.
"It's for yesterday, today, and tomorrow," Thurman said.
