Rolling Thunder Set to Light ‘Flame Of Freedom’ for 1st Time in Oklahoma for Trek To DC

– Special Tribute to Native American Indian Veterans –


(CONCHO, OK) – The Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes are proudly hosting this year’s National Rolling Thunder Flame of Freedom POW/MIA Ride kick-off event on Saturday, May 14, 2011, starting at 11:00am at the Pow-Wow Grounds in Concho, Oklahoma.

This is the 24th year for Rolling Thunder to meet in Washington DC but this is the first year for a Native American Tribe to host the torch lighting in Oklahoma.

“The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes are incredibly humble and proud to honor all of America’s veterans,” said Janice Prairie Chief-Boswell, Governor of the Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes. “It’s also an opportunity to honor our Warrior Veterans who we highly admire and are grateful for their service.”

The Flame of Freedom is a torch symbolizing hope and lighting the way home for America’s silent heroes POW / MIA (Prisoners of War / Missing In Action). It is making the journey across America to Washington D.C.  The Flame will light the candles at the Vietnam Wall over Memorial Day weekend. It will also escort the Gold Star families as they walk along the monument pathway in the solemn remembrance of their loss.


Saturday, May 14th  Line-Up:


10:00am   Motorcycle riders & vehicle motorcade leave staging area at the El Reno 8 Movie Theater Parking Lot on South Country Club Road for Concho Pow- Wow Grounds


11:00am    Arrive at Concho Pow-Wow Grounds for:

-  Bike Blessing

-  Pow-Wow

-  Missing Man Ceremony

-  Dog Tag Ceremony

-  Candle lighting Ceremony

-  Native American Indian POW-WOW

-  Native American Indian Market & Artisans


The Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes welcomes other Oklahoma Native American Tribes to honor their tribal Veterans.


OKLAHOMA STATS – SOLDIERS LOST

WWII  -            2393

Korea -           601

Vietnam –      988 (the 2nd highest causality rate per capita in the country)

War on Terrorism -  93 

*source: Rolling Thunder


FLAME LIGHTING CEREMONY

For hundreds of years the light in the distance meant hope.  The light high atop the lighthouse, the front porch light, the lantern of Paul Revere.  In this Ceremony it is a symbol. It lights the way home for brothers and sisters in arms.  It crosses this great country to tell everyone that the soldier stands with pride and honor to keep us free and we keep the light burning to show the way home.  It is a message of hope for the soldiers, to let them know we will not forget.   Karen Blanton Daugherty will carry the Flame along with John McKendree and Duane Guynes, VP of Rolling Thunder Oklahoma during the "Flame Lighting ceremony".  Karen is the daughter of Clarence Finley Blanton, US Air Force from El Reno.  He has been Missing In Action since March 11, 1968.  In his honor Karen will carry the flame during the "Flame Lighting" Ceremony.

DOG TAG CEREMONY

Oklahoma still has 34 from the Vietnam war that are unaccounted for.  We Honor and Remember these 34 at the Dog Tag ceremony.  30 members of Rolling Thunder will each lay a dog tag with the Veteran’s name on it at the Soldier’s Cross.  Each individual name will be called, where he lived, branch of service, date he went missing.  Following the placing of the dog tag the Rolling Thunder member will salute while an Honor Bell tolls in honor and hope.  5 Rolling Thunder Members, one representing each of the 5 service branches, Army, Marines, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard will each lay the final four dog tags plus the one for a WWII Coast Guard MIA (none from the coast guard in Vietnam War).

MISSING MAN CEREMONY

Five Rolling Thunder Members will participate in the Missing Man ceremony.  There is a small round table with 5 places set, one for each of the 5 branches.  There are 3 roses on the table, red, white and yellow.  There is a Bible, salt, a lemon, flags and the Flame.  Each item is very symbolic. The table is set and reserved to honor our missing loved ones.  The bios of an MIA from the final 4 missing from OK, one from each branch will be read and a very formal ceremony takes place as the RT member walks the table and places the formal cover on the table at each of the place settings.  It is a beautiful and very reverent ceremony.  The table is to recognize those who are missing from our midst - they are unable to be with us so we remember them.


STATS
In America there are still thousands from all conflicts that have not come home.  Some were POW's some MIA's but we can't forget.

WWII records show that there were 29, 813 Prisoners of War (some of those will be present on Saturday)

Korea recorded 7245 prisoners of war nationwide. (some will be present on Saturday)

Vietnam had 802 prisoners of war

Iraqi Freedom has one - Army SPC Ahmed Altaie went missing in Baghdad 23 Oct. 2006

Enduring Freedom has one - Army SPC Bowe R. Bergdahl went missing in Afghanistan 30 June 2009.  Films of him in captivity were released last week.

Those still not home and unaccounted for from all conflicts:

WWI - 3349

WWII - 73,792 (35,000 are considered recoverable if the location can be identified 39,074 rest at the bottom of the sea.

The Cold War - 127

Korean War - 8,003 (156 in Oklahoma)

Vietnam - 1693

Persian Gulf War - 0, Scott Spicher was found and repatriated August 2009

Iraqi Freedom - 1

Enduring Freedom 1

In 2009 -   98 individuals were found and identified by JPAC (the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command) including 26 from the Korean War, 19 from the Vietnam War and 53 from WWII.

In 2010 -   77 unaccounted for American Soldiers were identified and returned home by JPAC.

ABOUT ROLLING THUNDER® OKLAHOMA:
Rolling Thunder® Oklahoma is a non-profit organization whose main goal is 
to support all veterans from all wars. The major function of Rolling Thunder® Oklahoma is to publicize POW-MIA issues. To educate the public that many American prisoners of war were left behind after all previous wars, to help correct the past, and to protect future veterans from being left behind should they become Prisoners of War Missing In Action.

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