Airport Honor Escort Completed
For Fallen Hero SSGT David
Berry
01 March 2007
Thursday 01 March 2007 at 2115 hrs the
Patriot Guard met in the parking lot west side of Wichita
International Airport terminal to provide a motorcycle flag
honor guard to escort Kansas Army National Guard SSGT David
R. Berry to a funeral home in Conway Springs, KS.
70 plus Riders from as far a way as
Medicine Lodge, Pratt, and area cities line up with all
flags ready to ride when the flight arrived at 2155 hrs.
The flight arrived, we put the hearse with SSGT Berry, his
family, friends, military honor guard and personal friend
SSGT Lary Patrick who escorted his body all the way to
Wichita in between 2 complete flag honor guards
Before departure the Patriot Guard
circled the hearse and Ron "Doc" Herndon our
PG Chaplain provided a soldiers prayer for SSGT Berry and
all who was present. No one seem to notice the bitter cold
night air as we travel at a 35 MPH speed to Conway Springs
(30 miles).
The town was very quiet except for
the friends, city police and sheriff officers waiting for
our arrival. We parked in the front of the Mortuary and
lined up in formation around the Hearse to salute SSGT Berry
as the Military Honor Guard from his unit carried him
inside. We stood by his wife, family, and friends and then
slowly walked back to our motorcycles to head home.
We thank all the Law Enforcement
Officers and Airport Security Officers for their assistance
in keeping the escort safe.
God Bless David Barry and all of his
Family. It was an Honor to Escort SSGT Berry who died for
our freedom home.
Respectfully and from all of the
Patriot Guard,
Darkhorse, Bronco 6, and Ebay
01 March 2007
Fallen Soldier Mission
Accomplished:
In Memory of
Kansas Army National Guard
SSGT David Russell Berry
Saturday morning 03 March 2007,
approximately 180 motorcycles, plus 40 or more automobiles,
converged in Wichita, KS to pay tribute and honor SSGT Berry's
ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Patriot Guard came from
all over Kansas for the funeral and burial services. 16
Patriot Guard met at the Ebersole Mortuary in Conway Springs,
KS 0930 hrs and escorted SSGT Berry with all an flags flying.
Pigpen (Lonny) carried the American Flag which would be given
to Mrs. David Berry at the gravesite in Milton, KS at the end
of the day. The cold wind out the north cut to the bone all
day but it seem not to bother anyone because this was the
least we could do for this fallen soldier.
The Patriot Guard was escorted from the
staging area to the church by 6 Patriot Guard road
guards where we stood guard and held the American Flag
shoulder to shoulder for SSGT Berry, his wife, his family, and
friends. This was a full military honors funeral, with honor
guard provided by friends and soldiers in his unit he served
with in the 161st Field Artillery, Kansas Army National
Guard. There were 6 men in his unit wounded during this
battle in Iraq and 2 were present at the service. There were
40 or more members of Berry's battalion, several hundred
friends from his home town area, Gov Kathleen Sebelius, Rep
Todd Tiahart, Major General Tod Bunting of the TAG, State
Command Sergeant Major Stephen Rodina, and many more high
ranking military mourners. They were the best of friends and
we learned all National Guard units are family and know each
other.
The Patriot Guard provided an avenue of
flags at the church. After the service started the Patriot
Guard rolled up the big flags on ten foot poles and lined up
the motorcycles without flags, flag truck, and 4 wheel
vehicles to travel to Milton, KS to set up the avenue of flags
for the arrival of the family and motorcycle honor guard flag
escort.
Pigpen (Lonny) with the Honored
American Flag and lead motorcycle honor guard flying all
colors escorted the hearse and family vehicles and a second
motorcycle honor guard with all flags were next leading the
vehicles with the friends of family from the church to
Milton, KS. In front of the hearse SSGT Shaun flew the
161st Field Artillery unit flag on his motorcycle. The route
from Wichita to Milton went through several small towns, and
the communities showed their support everywhere. School
children and adults lined the streets, waving flags, placing
their hands over their hearts, several young boys were
standing at attention and saluting as the procession
passed. The community gratitude and love for SSGT Berry and
his family showed on the faces of hundreds. Arriving
at Milton the procession passed through the avenue of flags
provided by the Patriot Guard and citizens. The Harper Fire
Department hung a large American flag from its truck at the
turn off to the cemetery. The area school buses provided
transportation to the cemetery to meet and support the
family.
At the gravesite the full military
honors were bestowed. The 21-gun salute and Silver Taps
echoed across the country side and SSGT David Russell Berry
was laid to rest.
After the service, the United Methodist
Church in Milton provided dinner for all present.
The Patriot Guard sincerely thanks all
the law enforcement agencies involved in this mission. They
provided escort from city to city, county to county, all the
way to Milton, KS. Their efforts to ensure our safe travel
were outstanding. We also thank the generous citizens
of Milton who provided food. From Wichita to Milton, the
citizens opened their arms to the Patriot Guard in the same
manner that we opened our arms to the David Berry's family.
We extend our personal thanks to the
Patriot Guard Road Guards, Ride Captains, Co-Captains and Tail
End Charlie. You made this a safe mission for everyone
involved. I also thank each and every person who supported
the Fallen Soldier mission. Thank you for all the teamwork.
"Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much."
The Patriot Guard extends a very special
"thank you" to US Army Captain Dave Quintana the
Casualty
Assistance Officer who assisted the Berry family and was the
military liaison who kept the Patriot Guard informed.
The Patriot Guard extends our gratitude
to all the soldiers, who like SSGT David Berry,
guard America's front battle line. We, the Patriot Guard, are
guarding their "back" here in the United States. Because of
our soldiers, America remains free. God bless the Berry
family, and God bless all our soldiers.
Darkhorse, Bronco
6, Ebay
04 March 2007