George Day of Gans is traveling with the group, which left from Alameda, Calif., Tuesday for its annual journey across the country to honor, remember, and support prisoners of war (POWs), those missing in action (MIA), and men and women in the armed forces.
Day's wife, Kristin, said the caravan left from the deck of the USS Hornet, where participants lit a ceremonial torch honoring Blue Star and Gold Star Mothers of America and Gold Star Wives of America.
Blue Star Mothers are those who have children serving in the military, while Gold Star Mothers are those who lost children who were in the military. Gold Star Wives are those women whose husbands died while serving in the armed forces or from service-connected disabilities.
The group will be joining over 300,000 other motorcyclists in Rolling Thunder's Ride for Freedom XVIII on Memorial Day weekend.
Kristin Day said the caravan will be stopping at Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 4518 in Sallisaw, which will host a lunch for the riders Monday. A ceremony, including the lighting of the torch, will be held at noon and a barbecue lunch will follow. The public is invited to attend the event, which will benefit Blue Star Mothers of America Inc. The cost of the lunch is $5 per person.
Last year, which was George Day's first year to ride to Washington, D.C., a caravan of about 35 riders stopped in Muldrow for lunch. Kristin Day said she won't know until Sunday morning how many will be in the caravan this year. She is meeting her husband and the group in El Reno for a dinner and special program Sunday, which the Blue Star Mothers will attend. Kristin said the Blue Star Mothers are holding a national convention in Oklahoma City this week, and will then travel to El Reno for the special program.
"We're assuming they will follow us in a motorcade (to Sallisaw)," Kristin said of the Blue Star Mothers, which includes the Blue Star Mothers president, Jean Burlingame.
From El Reno, the group will head to Sallisaw for lunch. She said the Sequoyah County Sheriff will meet the group in Webbers Falls and lead the caravan into Sallisaw by way of U.S. Highway 64. Kristin Day said she expects between 50 and 100 riders to be in Sallisaw. She said the group will leave Sallisaw by 2 p.m. Monday.
Kristin Day noted that the group's itinerary is posted on the organization's Web site at www.carrytheflame.org.
She said other motorcyclists and motorcades will be joining the group along the way, some of whom might ride portions of the trip or all the way to Washington, D.C. Area motorcyclists are encouraged to meet the group and join the ride from El Reno to Conway, Ark., the group's next stopping place.
Day said her husband is the only one from Sequoyah County to make the entire trip from California to Washington, D.C.
She said about 40 people in her husband's group are making the entire ride.
"These guys are committed," Kristin said. "This is George's second year to make the ride."
Kristin said her husband is dedicating his ride to Bobby Glenn Harris of Texas, whose body was brought home a year and a half ago after being missing for 33 years. Harris was killed while serving in the Vietnam War. His helicopter was hit by enemy fire. Some of Harris' family is from Council Hill near Tahlequah.
Since Day himself is a Vietnam War veteran, the dedication to Harris has special meaning for him, Kristin Day said.
Day served with the U.S. Naval Construction Force, at one time known as the construction battalion, and still known as the Seabees.
According to Rolling Thunder's Web site, the group provides assistance to the families of veterans who are MIAs, POWs, or deceased; wounded, disabled or ill veterans and their families; and the families of in-service personnel. The group also educates the public about the contribution to society made by veterans and those currently serving; government policies that affect the status and treatment of veterans; and government policies that affect efforts to account for MIAs and POWs.
For more information about the group's stop in Sallisaw, call (918) 774-0856.
