Page 42 - LaconiaMCWeek2021

28th Annual POW/MIA Freedom Ride, the Ride to the Rock”
JUNE 17, 2020 ~ THURSDAY at 7:00pm
HESKY PARK, MEREDITH
33rd Anniversary of the Vigil • 28th Anniversary of the Freedom Ride
“As an American asked to serve, I was prepared to fight, to be wounded, to be captured and even prepared to die, but I was not prepared to be abandoned.” – Former POW Eugene “Red” McDaniel
This year will be the 33rd year of the Meredith POW/MIA Awareness Vigil in Hesky Park
and the 28th year of the
Freedom Ride. As “Doc” stat- ed all those years ago, “The Vigil
was to simply bring awareness to this American issue, not just a veteran
issue. Were live Americans left behind knowingly? All evi- dence stated and continue to states . . . Yes! But in time “all would forget”...But, Not here in New Hampshire, the
HUB of POW/MIA activi- ty and awareness standing Vigils in Hesky Park, Manchester Veterans Park, and in Portsmouth! When we stop, we guarantee the Government stops look- ing.
For those who have yet to participate in the Free- dom Ride, the real focus
of the ride is to bring into light an issue that affects hun- dreds of Americans and their families, those men and women missing in action or held prisoner during times of war and/or conflict.
For the past 27 years bikers, attending Laconia Motorcycle Week, have joined forces on Thursday evening and made history in the Northeast. Over the past several years, over 20,000 motorcyclists have ridden their motorcycles in the Northeast POW/MIA Network® Freedom Ride. This year join us for the ride from all points in Country to “The Rock” Hesky Park, Meredith “The States Original POW/MIA Memorial”.
The Northeast POW/MIA Network Vigil in Meredith gained nationwide attention some 32 years ago when a small group of veterans began holding weekly Thursday night vigils to bring to light the nation’s lack of effort to account for all service men and women missing from Vietnam. Through times of basking heat, frigid rain storms and mid-winter snows, this small group of people held vigils to gain people’s attention to the fact that members of
our armed forces were unaccounted for and forgot- ten.
The Freedom
Ride is slated
to begin at
6:00 pm on
Thursday,
June 17, 2021,
with line up
beginning at 5:00 pm at the Route 11 ~ 1407 Lakeshore Road, Gilford, NH 03249 (Lowe’s parking). This year looks to break all years in participation as the Northeast POW/MIA Network has joined forces with Blue and Gold Star families of NH, all veterans and veteran organizations, together with all bikers and biker organizations, followed with the Northeast POW/MIA Network Vigil.
Three issues the Network has been working on this year and is asking for your active support.
1. Captain Ike Camacho, was given the Bronze Star, upgraded to the Silver Star for his actions, and a few years ago, that was upgraded to the Distinguished Service Cross by George W. Bush. This sounds fine. However, Ike was put up for the Medal of Honor, so why not? Could it have been because they were held by not only North Vietna- mese Army but “Cubans”. After Ike’s escape and his return to the US, he was debriefed for weeks, in Hawaii.
Would that fact, along with the fact that Ike was Mexican, have anything to do with him not receiving the Medal of Honor as he was put in for?
The Network, along with Senator Hassan’s offices, contin- ues working on this matter. With the effort of Senator Hassan and her staff we are pleased to announce that Ike’s progress has been sent to the Honor Board which made up of three 1 Star Generals and 1 Ex-POW. From there it goes to the Secretary of Defense and then onto the President of the United States. This has been a three-year effort by the advocate of the Northeast POW/MIA Network and all of those who stand the vigils.
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Photo Courtesy: POW/MIA
Photo Courtesy:POW/MIA
Artie Atkinson