Category Archives: Legion Riders

Florida Legion Riders both honor POW/MIAs and their families while educating public on the issue

The American Legion
SEP 20, 2023 ~ Three years ago, Florida’s American Legion Riders started their Seven Bridges POW/MIA Remembrance Day Ride & Ceremony. Around 160 riders and 40 passengers took part in the ride, which starts at Adamec Harley-Davidson in Jacksonville, traverses the Seven Bridges of Jacksonville that cross the St. John’s River and finishes at the National POW/MIA Memorial & Museum for a ceremony.

A similar ride took place in 2022 on the Saturday after National POW/MIA Recognition Day, with more than 200 motorcycles taking part. And this year’s ride, which took place Sept. 16, blew those numbers out of the water: 248 motorcycles and a total of 361 participants.

But as happy as he is to see participation continue to grow, Department of Florida POW-MIA Chairman Denny Luke – a Legion Rider and member of Dewitt B. Tilden Memorial American Legion Post 316 in Atlantic Beach – it’s the impact of the ride’s mission that really hit home for Luke.

He shared a message he received following this year’s ride from one of its participants:

“Dear sir,

This is our first time to participate in this ride of remembrance for our POW and MIA servicemembers. My husband is a Vietnam veteran, and I am a Gold Star Daughter (of a Vietnam War KIA). He was MIA for a short time, and it seemed like an eternity of living hell, of not knowing and hoping. Thank you so much for honoring the POW/MIA daddies, and especially the dad of mine and my siblings.”

“It makes you very emotional,” Luke said. “There were a lot of people on the ride or at the ceremony who were POWs or are relatives of POWs/MIAs. Any of us who have worn the uniform … we’ve sat down and had a meal with a (fellow servicemember, watched them walk out the door, and the next time we’d see them would be in a flag-draped coffin.

“I can’t imagine the heartache of watching your buddy walk through the door and never return. I cannot imagine the strife that family members have when they get the message that their loved one is MIA. To me, that’s unimaginable, and I’m honored to honor their sacrifice.”

Department of Florida Commander Michael Raymond, American Legion Auxiliary Department President Dee Bell and Sons of The American Legion Detachment Commander Gerard Sambets were among the Florida Legion Family leadership who attended the event, with Raymond and Bell riding on the back of motorcycles.

During the ceremony that took place at the National POW/MIA Memorial & Museum, attendees heard from Meghan Wagoner, the daughter of former U.S. Navy pilot Scott Speicher. Shot down on the first day of Operation Desert Storm in 1991, Speicher was missing in action until his remains were found by U.S. Marines in Iraq in 2009.

“She gave a very emotional and moving rendition of everything they went through,” Luke said of Wagoner’s address. “They had about 18 years of not knowing.”

Luke said the purpose of the ride and ceremony isn’t just to honor U.S. POWs and MIAs and show support for their families. It’s about educating the general public that more than 80,000 servicemembers remain unaccounted for since World War II.

“We put out that the (Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency) needs DNA samples from any relatives of servicemembers who are MIA,” Luke said. “If we can get the word out, quite possibly the remains that have been found but not identified can be identified and brought home. We put this ride on to inform the public the hunt is not over, and they can help by either volunteering, or if they’re a relative of an MIA they can submit a DNA sample, and hopefully we can repatriate some of these souls.”

Florida Legion Riders help bring early Christmas to boy with terminal cancer

The American Legion

Gabriel Bostwick, a 12-year-old who is in home hospice care while battling terminal cancer, wanted a chance to see Santa Claus and feel the holiday spirit one more time. His community, including multiple American Legion Riders, were more than happy to accommodate his wish.

On July 21, more than 70 motorcyclists joined with more than 200 other area residents to bring Christmas to Gabriel and his parents at their home in Navarre, Fla. Legion Family members from American Legion Post 382 in Navarre and Post 378 in Gulf Breeze were among the contingent, which sang Christmas carols, delivered presents, and provided a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus, as well as some other North Pole inhabitants.

Ashley Correa, who works at the Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart and is a member of the American Legion Family at Post 378, learned about Gabriel’s wish and that an event had been planned. She contacted Post 382 Commander Jason Skobel, the past ALR director at the post, to share what was planned.

“He knows we do the ‘Ride for the Claus’ during Christmas, and she said this family was wanting to do a Christmas in July for (Gabriel),” said Skobel, who also serves as District 1 first vice commander and Department of Florida Western Area ALR chairman. “I put the word out there in our district with our Riders, and … we had overwhelming support for this kid.”

Skobel said there were around seven different motorcycle organizations involved, including at least four American Legion Riders chapters. “When we arrived there, there already were some members of the community and neighbors lined up along the street,” he said. “But when they saw 75, 100 motorcycles pull up in front of their house, just seeing the look on the parents’ faces and that kids face, just goosebumps, hair standing up all over. It was just, there were really no words to describe it.

“Just seeing that little kid smile and his dad pushing his wheelchair just to take a look at all the bikes lined up on the street – I just kind of stood in the back for awhile and was watching all the riders. It’s funny to see all these older, big gentlemen – the burly riders – flipping their sunglasses down so you can’t see the tears coming out of their eyes.”

Attention Riders: Escorts Need in Florida Area

USA Four Corners Charity Motorcycle Ride Benefitting Tunnel to Towers Foundation is looking for escorts while in Florida. For more information, please visit https://dogood.t2t.org/campaign/usa-four-corners-charity-motorcycle-ride-benefitting-tunnel-to-towers-foundation/c478144

Florida Legion Riders received the Child Welfare Foundation’s Garland Murphy Jr. Award

Florida Legion Riders received the Child Welfare Foundation’s Garland Murphy Jr. Award

Florida Legion Riders received the Child Welfare Foundation’s Garland Murphy Jr. Award

During the 103rd National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Florida Legion Riders received the Child Welfare Foundation’s Garland Murphy Jr. Award. Joe Marcheggiani received the award on behalf of the Florida Legion Riders.

The Child Welfare Foundation presents awards annually for significant contributions to the foundation. The American Legion Riders are strong supporters of the Foundation, which grants to nonprofits that contribute to the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual welfare of children.

To qualify for the Garland Murphy Jr. Award, the department must be the most active in the nation, based on actual contributions received during the year. One department from each of the Family organizations is recognized.

Congratulations and a huge “Thank You” to the American Legion Riders for their dedication and never-ending support of our programs. A special mention to Chapter 110, who pushed us over the top for the win.

‘We don’t want it to be forgotten’

Formal American Legion meeting normally include a reference to U.S. servicemembers either consider prisoners of war or missing in action, as noted in Resolution 288.

And they should, says Atlantic Beach, Fla., Post 316 Commander Denny Luke. But the American Legion Rider also believes the POW/MIA issue needs to be shared outside of The American Legion community as often as possible.

That’s why Luke helped organize the Florida American Legion Riders’ first POW/MIA Remembrance Ride on Sept. 18, one day after National POW/MIA Recognition Day. Around 160 motorcycles and more than 200 participants took part in the ride.

Referencing the POW/MIA table and flag “is kind of like preaching to the choir,” Luke said. “But a lot of the general public doesn’t even know there’s a national POW/MIA Recognition Day. So I said ‘let’s take it out into the streets and just try to get it publicized.’ So there’s what we did.”

Two years ago during a state ALR leadership meeting, it was discussed riding to Andersonville, the former site of the Camp Sumter military prison – one of the largest Confederate military prisons during the Civil War – to observe POW/MIA Recognition Day. At that time Luke pointed out that a POW/MIA memorial was being built at the former Naval Air Station Cecil Field in Jacksonville, so the decision was made to ride there instead.

“I stood up and said ‘why do we want to go out of state when we can stay in-state and promote the ride for the state of Florida,’” said Luke, who previously served as Florida’s District 5 ALR chairman. “The response was overwhelming. Everyone there said ‘absolutely.’”

The pandemic pushed the ride back to 2021; planning started around nine months ago and included promoting the ride via social media, traditional media and by reaching out to department districts throughout the state; and working with local law enforcement and staff at the National POW/MIA Memorial & Museum.

Costs were covered by the Department of Florida’s ALR, but Department ALR Chairman Jim Wineland credited Luke with making the ride the success it was. “(Luke) gets 99 percent of the credit,” he said. “He’s the one that went out and beat all the bushes. He’s the one that jumped over the political fences to get this all together.”

The ride was able to coincide with Jacksonville’s POW/MIA ceremony and started at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Wall, traveling over the city’s seven bridges and crossing the St. Johns River before ending at the National POW/MIA Memorial near the Chapel of the High Speed Pass at the former Cecil Field.

Wineland said the goal of the ride was to keep the POW/MIA issue in the minds of the nation. “We don’t want it to get lost. We don’t it to be forgotten,” he said. “The only way you can keep it going is to keep it in front of people. We figured this was the best way to do it.

“There are a lot of people out there who don’t have closure with one of their relatives. We can just never forget what this all means.”

Hundreds of photos and videos of the ride were shared on social media. Click here to watch a video of the ride and here to see more photos.

“We had a wonderful event. Everyone had a good time,” Luke said. “Next year we hope to get it publicized a little bit more and double our attendance. We want to make this a premiere Southeast USA event.”

The First Annual Project VetRelief Run was a Huge Success

The First Annual Project VetRelief Run was a huge success. Thanks to Orlando Harley Davidson, The ALR Volunteers from The American Legion Post in Clermont, The American Legion Riders, L.A.M.A., HOG, Blue Knights, Vietnam Vets MC, Metro State, Chrome Angels, The Project VetRelief Team: Dept. Adjutant Mike McDaniel, Jennifer Cooper, Jessica Solis, Carl Ferguson, ALR Dept. Adjutant Jackie Kulp, ALR Dept. Chairman George Gasparini; and all of the bikers, and partyers and families, for participating in the First Annual Project VetRelief Run and Bike Week Kick Off Party at Orlando Harley Davidson. Your support for Veterans is deeply appreciated. A heartfelt thank you goes out to each and every one of you. Thank you for all that you do for Veterans.

The morning of March 7, 2015 was cold but 73 Bikers rode the VetRelief Run. As the day warmed up, 1734 people attended the most awesome party at Orlando Harley Davidson. There was alligator wrestling, bands, food, vendors, incredible deals on Harley Davidson motorcycles and a Veterans discount on everything in all three of the Orlando Dealerships. The party went on into the night and ended at 10pm. Thank all of you for helping to make this a successful event. We look forward to making this an annual event to benefit Project VetRelief, a program of The American Legion. Harley Davidson of Orlando has generously partnered with Project VetRelief and sponsored the First Annual Veterans Relief Run.