Wow, keep your friends close. treasure the time you know them

yamahonkawazuki · July 26, 2009, 12:23:33 AM

Last week a good friend and fgellow patriot guard rider friend of mine, Randy " Gunny" woods, a 4 tour vietnam vet. ( 4 purple hearts, 2 bronze stars, and 1 silver star. was killed in a moto wreck, i had mistaken the reports on my scanner that his wife mary was killed as well, BUT no she survived. people were like

when i went up to her and gave her a big hug. as bad as i was hurting, i PROMISED his memory id ride this ride for him. cause he rode in support of our troops, , our lord, and US the riders as well. i had borrowed this biek to ride

did 120 miles on it today ( followed by 90 at work lol)

and this ride. was his ( a lehmann trike. i had tunbed the engine slightly. Well, detuned it so it vibed a bit lower. ( he had same back pain issues i do)

even the marine bugler. was quite down. ( he had a hard time carrying taps ), reason im saying this is. because, well im saying. keep your friends close. because you NEVER know when hte good lord will call em home. you might not have the chance to say what youve been meaning to say. ,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCMj14CPkAc&feature=channel_page

jserio · July 26, 2009, 12:29:45 AM

a salute, a beer, a kiss to you and yours......

yamahonkawazuki · July 26, 2009, 12:41:48 AM

a lil over 100 bikes enroute. 6 cars supporting. and a cookout afterwards, then i rode back, and went to work

jserio · July 26, 2009, 12:48:42 AM

you know, my wife's grandfather's funeral was the first military style funeral i've attended. He served in WWII. (same as my grandfather). taps has always brought a tear to my eye, but the 21 gun salute, oh boy, i bawled like a baby. i don't think our vets get enough respect. hell, i feel as i've failed my forefathers cuz i couldn't serve(my hearing).

yamahonkawazuki · July 26, 2009, 12:53:51 AM

Quote from: jserio on July 26, 2009, 12:48:42 AM
you know, my wife's grandfather's funeral was the first military style funeral i've attended. He served in WWII. (same as my grandfather). taps has always brought a tear to my eye, but the 21 gun salute, oh boy, i bawled like a baby. i don't think our vets get enough respect. hell, i feel as i've failed my forefathers cuz i couldn't serve(my hearing).

ive been to 15 of them so far in 2 years. most of whom i didnt know. one of them was mentioned on senate floor ( us senate), i would have served, yet im a 4f as it were. ( diabetic and such). so i serve in spirit. and things like this ( escort rides and such

JB848 · July 26, 2009, 04:15:37 AM

Well yamahonkawazuki I take my hat off for "Gunny" and thank him for his service to our freedom. It seems lately we have been losing to many "Hero's". Being a Veteran myself I agree they don't get enough respect, especially our older generation veterans. And I recently lost my Father and he was a Navy Veteran and they did the full military ceremony for him and yes hearing "taps" and the 21 gun salute was rough. I've heard it a thousand times before but it never had the meaning that it had that day.

Caffeine · July 26, 2009, 05:17:57 AM

spc · July 26, 2009, 07:08:10 AM

Good grunts never die, but it sure sucks when they leave this earth

grayghost · July 26, 2009, 09:43:38 AM

my condolences on the loss of your friend. as you say we never know what tomorrow holds so telling the folks that we care about how we feel is a big deal at my house.

cafeboy · July 26, 2009, 09:52:41 AM

yamahonkawazuki · July 26, 2009, 10:26:12 AM

or as i said to him, " marine, at ease, your work on earth is done, youre with the lord now, BUT, always, ill be riding beside ya. semper-fi, sir"

"

Porkchop · July 26, 2009, 06:21:59 PM

I'll remember the Gunny in my prayers tonite. BTW, thanks for riding with the patriot guard. I'm glad there are organizations out there that go the extra mile so that our fallen heroes can be laid to rest with full honors and unmolested by demonstrators.

-Porkchop

yamahonkawazuki · July 26, 2009, 08:25:12 PM

i was behind teh marine on the left, in the green shirt

Toogoofy317 · July 28, 2009, 08:58:56 PM

It saddens me you lost a friend. But you know he is in a better place now

Will pray for ya!

I did Color and Honor Gaurd in NJROTC and it was a sad sad experience. But, I was proud to do it. The other day before the TNA taping (I do security) they had the new recruits take their oath in the ring. All of the wrestlers came out on stage and started an "that was awesome chant" My they looked so young, the slopiest color gaurd I ever saw, and long hair. I was thinking man in ten weeks how different they are going to be.

I wish I could have served my country but it was not in God's plans.

to all who have and are serving! THANKS!

Mary

yamahonkawazuki · July 29, 2009, 01:57:52 AM

Quote from: Toogoofy317 on July 28, 2009, 08:58:56 PM
It saddens me you lost a friend. But you know he is in a better place now Will pray for ya!

I did Color and Honor Gaurd in NJROTC and it was a sad sad experience. But, I was proud to do it. The other day before the TNA taping (I do security) they had the new recruits take their oath in the ring. All of the wrestlers came out on stage and started an "that was awesome chant" My they looked so young, the slopiest color gaurd I ever saw, and long hair. I was thinking man in ten weeks how different they are going to be.

I wish I could have served my country but it was not in God's plans. to all who have and are serving! THANKS!

Mary

everyone that wants to can serve their country in their own way. for seom its wiht military service. others that are not qualled to do so. ( health or otherwise. ) one can serve stateside. things like USO, like patriot guard etc. there are many ways. even tellign a soldier " thank you sir/ ma'am"

i wore this shirt to most of my PG rides

cause the gunny kinda gave it a sideways look and chuckled, said Awww oh my goodness i like that, that marine i was behind. ( beign straight faced like they all do at events like this. was tryign to chuckle yet keep a straight face.) out of all the missions. besides the hovater service. this one was one of hte hardest ive ever done. and my body is still trying to heal up after it. but by god. i was GOING to do it. one way shape or form. will have a road trip up to dayton maine. when mary ( his wife/widow), gets everythign set up to spread his ashes

yamahonkawazuki · July 31, 2009, 03:49:39 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p-0bQdEX1E

yamahonkawazuki · August 03, 2009, 10:55:10 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lZZETHCSi0

bill14224 · August 04, 2009, 03:39:23 PM

It's hard to lose a friend. My prayers go to him and all those who knew him. He fought hard in Vietnam. They were winning until Jane Fonda, John Kerry, and others started flapping their mouths. They didn't lose. We gave up on them. Vietnam vets had it hard due to that. I hope we learned our lesson as a society concerning that. When you get involved in a war, win and come home, or don't get involved at all. If that lesson is learned, those who died in Vietnam or Korea for that matter, didn't die in vain.

Honor our vets. Many of them went through things most of us can barely imagine to protect us and our freedoms. There are bad people out there and we need selfless men and women to protect us, and I appreciate and salute them.

yamahonkawazuki · August 04, 2009, 06:51:49 PM

i agree. but ask that we dont argue. if we must argue, THEN make a thread for that purpose

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Wow, keep your friends close. treasure the time you know them