Posted on Leave a comment

Southern Route 2024 SitReps – Day 8 – Run For The Wall

Day 8 – Southern Route; Chattanooga, TN to Wytheville, VA

Another nice day, everyone did well.  We started at the Chattanooga White Lightening Harley Davidson Dealer.  Of course, there was breakfast and our morning meetings.  We had about 10 FNG’s join us today so we’re getting bigger as a pack.  I decided to go on an Family Outreach which is typically a small group that goes to a place to meet a family that may have lost someone or an injured soldier.  Today was kind of special.  One of our leaders has a father-in-law that served in Vietnam and didn’t really talk about his experience in the war.  Recently, he did talk about his experience and it was learned that he was right next to a soldier that was KIA by an explosive device next to where the Dad-in-law was.  That gave his father-in-law a purple heart, yet no one in the family knew he was a recipient.  The family we visited was the family of Jason F Lamb, the man next to the Father-in-Law when the explosion occurred.  The Father-in-Law flew into the area to meet up with Leatherneck and us and he was able to meet the family.  Jason Floyd had sisters there, grandkids and lots of other family members who all met at the cemetery of this hero who was KIA on May 4, 1970.  SP4 Floyd, Jason F Lamb was born October 4, 1949 in Greeneville TN.  He grew up in Chuckey, TN and rests at the Liberty Freewill Baptist Church in Chucky, TN.  His tour of duty in Vietnam began on December 10, 1969.  Jason was KIA while participating in a search and clear operation in the Nui Yon Thon Mountains, approximately eight miles southwest of Tam Ky City, Quang Tin Province, South Vietnam on May 4, 1970.  At 08:30, Jason received a fatal fragmentation wound when an enemy explosive device was detonated.  For his actions, he received the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Commendation, National Defense, Vietnam Service and Vietnam Campaign Medals.  He is commemorated on the Vietnam Memorial Wal and was 20 years old.  We will remember Jason’s name.

After the Outreach, our group went onto the Black Wolf Harley-Davidson Dealership.  Another large dealership where we were well taken care of and fed a nice lunch.  Some presentations to our hosts and on to Wytheville, VA.  Wytheville is the favorite town on this run for many of us.  Not only do they turn out to greet us, they have been part of the run from the first run, 34 years ago.  The majority of the town will be at the morning meeting and that is where the elementary school children put on a show.  The ex-mayor has been part of the run for many years and often rides with us from here to DC.  Last night we had a great steak dinner at the Moose Lodge with baked potato, salad all very good quality.  Thank You Moose Lodge for wonderful hospitality!  The auction that occurred later on raised some good monies to help other organizations.  Gunny stood up and told some stories about the early days.  He introduced a fellow Vet where he met this fellow rider years ago on the run where they were both displaying, on their windshields, the same 3 Marines that were left behind in a lot of confusion of getting out of a bad decision (battle) in Vietnam.  That was quite a reason for a reunion dealing with the survivor guilt and sharing stories.  A lot of moving stories last night.

So, all filled up with great food, we went to the hotel and it was a long and tired day.  Thanks for reading.  I might be adding more later on.

Boots

USAF – ’72 – ‘75

The Wytheville Moose Lodge just starting to fill up.
Gunny talking to us.
The current Mayor of Wytheville.
Wytheville Moose Lodge parking lot.
Withers Park in Wytheville.  Best if you can zoom in and move around.
At the Black Wolf Harley Dealer.
Color Guard at Withers Park.
Our bikes at the Outreach.
The Black Wolf Harley Dealer.
Lamb Family Grave site with a lot of family visiting.
Self explanatory
Families getting together.
Families
The Lamb family area.

Leave a Reply