For the second year, Wreaths Across America was celebrated by PGR and others to honor those that served.
A quote from the home web: http://www.wreaths-across-america.org/
The Wreaths Across America story began over 15 years ago when Worcester Wreath Company (a for-profit commercial business from Harrington, Maine) began a tradition of placing wreaths on the headstones of our Nation's fallen heroes at Arlington National Cemetery.
Over that period of time, Worcester Wreath has donated 75,000 wreaths which were placed by volunteers in a wreath-laying ceremony each December. This year, Worcester Wreath Company will do even more to show its respect and appreciation for those who serve, by doing the following:
* Doubling its annual donation to 10,000 wreaths destined for Arlington National Cemetery.
* In addition to the Arlington Wreath Project, Worcester Wreath will donate 2,500 wreaths to the Maine Veterans Cemetery at Togus, and over 1,800 ceremonial wreaths, representing all branches of the armed forces, will be sent to over 200 other state and national veterans cemeteries across the Country.
And that included Golden Gate National Cemetery where a group of ALR and PGR folks went on 12/15/07 to honor our fallen heroes. Wreaths were presented to all service flags to honor those that have passed.
Six of us staged at Camden and Branham park and ride in San Jose. Sweet Ruby front right, Gary's bike front left, Martin - Blue Streak on the right rear, and Jake left rear. Doug and his boy were caging it in the pickup truck in front.
Here we are staged by the flag pole, we made good time and was there by about 0820. We totaled thirteen.
We met Audie and Cheryl, Roy Adams who I met at a Walnut Creek escort to Dixon National Cemetery, Rich, Alise, Lilli, and I'm missing someone, the memory, sigh.
A great group to honor our fallen veterans! Col Leo McArtle was the spokesman and sponsor, and he promised that he would be back next year.
We also had a large group of "civilians" GBG for the ceremony! Deb from Pacifica, as always, and Ed Chapman, Jessie's dad was there, and many more!
Our group was the backdrop, as always. Sorry for the pic as it was into the sun.
Some of the folks that came to show their respect
The base of the large flag pole on the hill. The stands were to hold the wreaths.
I had to take this shot! The marines didn't show up!!! The ones that were to be part of the service, Leo asked our group if we had some marines, third from left is Doug, and Rich to the right of the wreath, standing tall!
When Rich tried to do the 180 spin, his boots did not like it, maybe he's a bit rusty!!! GBG Just kidding!
This one of the two buglers, I've not seen that before, and they both knew what they were doing and the "echo'd" the taps, quite nice! One would play then the other would play, back and forth, a rare treat!
Deb from Pacifica on the right, she carried the MIA wreath.
The final arrangement with the flags in the rear and honor guard upper right, three volleys fired.
Alise and Martin had wreaths to lay at one of their families graves. Alise's dad was just around the flag pole right on top, and Martin led us to where his father in law was buried, back in '64. We as a group escorted them in honor of their fallen.
Martin played the taps on a flute for him, very nice! And then it was on to Bakers Square for brunch / lunch, your call...
Here we are getting ready to "invade"!
This was the ALR / PGR table, sorry for the pic, my camera was off a notch on the settings and with my eyes.. sigh.
After we were into our meal, Bill Roller called, he, and two more ALR Dist 10 had attended the Presidio service in San Francisco. I asked Rich Biddlecome why he wasn’t at Santa Nella, then it hit me that I confused him with Rich 99.
And here is a lot of the others that came to show their respects. I don't know who reserved that room but it saved us a lot of time, as the place became quite full!
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