Studes @ Indianapolis Veterans Day Parade

[BobPalma]

Once again, Indy Honor Flight had a unit in the Indianapolis Veterans Day parade.

As most of you know, Honor Flight is a nationwide program dedicated to transporting World War II Veterans to Washington DC to see "their" World War II Memorial, now that it has finally been completed. Veterans are transported free of charge to them, meals and all for the day. Recently, due to the inevitable attrition of World War II Veterans, Honor Flight has expanded its reach to include Korean War Veterans.

Indy Honor Flight's Studebaker representative is Disc Brake Guru Jim Turner. Here's Jim behind the wheel of his 1952 Commander convertible with two Honor Flight "Alumni" in the back seat, ready to step off:



Jim has always organized and supervised Indy Honor Flight's participation in the annual Indianapolis Veterans Day Parade, soliciting convertibles from SDCers and others to transport those Veterans able to attend. Unfortunately for Jim, and due to nothing that was "his fault," there was confusion this year as to "who's on first." Another Honor Flight person in the organization had commandeered five new Camaro convertibles for parade duty from a new-car dealership, unbeknownst to Jim until the last minute, and much to his chagrin. As a result, we wound up with many more seats for Veterans than we had Veterans to fill them. Agreed: That's better than the other way around.

The staging area was unusually confusing this year, too; you'd think they'd have that sorted out by now...but it has never been that mis-managed in the five years Jim and I (and others) have provided cars.

Here's the best photograph I could muster of the Indy Honor Flight Unit, ready to go. Jim's convertible is up front. If you squint real hard, you can see my Astra White 1964 Daytona convertible 'way back at the end of the middle line, last because I got some distance from home on the way down to the parade before I remembered that I had not put a license plate on the car and had to turn around and go back home get one.

After my '64 was the Honor Flight Junior Guard unit (I'm not sure of the formal name; perhaps Jim will post with an update), carrying large signs of World War II Veterans who were unable to attend.



Volunteers carry the enlarged period photo signs of each serviceman (or woman!) that is in the car beside which they are walking.

I had a pleasant surprise as a result of the undersold seats and resulting over-capacity. Even though several of the convertibles had only one or two Veterans in them where three could be accommodated, there were still no Veterans to ride with me in the '64! But right in front of me was a 1943 Jeep with only one Veteran in it. The Jeep's owner/driver, about my age, was on his cell phone talking to someone a few minutes before we were to step off. It was obvious the Jeep's conversation was with someone trying to find him in the parade area.

Under the circumstances, it wasn't nosy that I asked the Jeep driver who he had been talking to. He explained that it was his brother-in-law Evan Brister, an on the ground IN Viet Nam War Veteran, who had come to see the parade and wanted to touch bases with his brother in law. He went on to ask, "Say, if you don't have any Veterans to ride in your Studebaker, would you like a Viet Nam Veteran to ride with you?" I said, "Of course; I'd be honored to have any Veteran ride along; please bring him back when he gets here." It was good that Evan was wearing a Viet Nam Veteran Cap when he appeared:



Evan served in Viet Nam for 13 months during 1968 and 1969.

And it gets better: Evan still owns the 1956 Studebaker Pickup his grandfather bought new "down home" in Louisiana, now in great shape and powered by a 454 Chevy with TurboHydramatic. He wasn't yet an SDC member but had some old Turning Wheels at home from when his Dad and Granddad had been SDC members, so I encouraged him to join and gave him my card.

What a great day! You never know.... BP

[HAWK64]

Bob,
Great story & images. Also pleased you organised a Veteran passenger. We just had our Remembrance Day here in Australia yesterday, Nov 11th.

[Studedude]

Cool beans!

I admire the work Jim does, and it's great that the two of you can participate together!

[52 Ragtop]

Bob,
Thanks for posting, and Thanks for helping out! But, The Indy Honor Flight and Veterans day is NOT about me! It's about the Veterans, Being part of the Indy Honor Flight, has been THE most rewarding experience I have ever been involved in! I have met some GREAT Men and Women. The stories that I have heard is unbelievable, The sad part is, unless these stories are recorded or written down, once these Heroes are gone, so will their stories. One book that I know of, is "Our Service Our Stories by Ronald P May. It is a collection of stories from the Greatest Generation, compiled into a book. Ron also donates a portion of the proceeds to the Indy Honor Flight.

ANY of you Veterans, WWII, Korean, and Vietnam, please go to www.HonorFlight.org. and click on the map, check to see if their is a hub in your area. You will not regret going!

You might take a look at this short clip, it is incredible! It is not Honor Flight, but this guy is really good!

https://twitter.com/i/videos/tweet/789970623871279104

Jim

[jclary]

As a Nam vet, (USAF 1967-68), I appreciate you folks who take the time to participate in these ceremonies. I returned from Nam quietly, feeling almost invisible. Today, as a member of the Disabled American Veterans, I was invited to attend an event in our honor. Instead, I chose to spend a quiet day playing at home. I planned to plant two crape myrtle trees to replace the blue spruce that had succumbed to pine beetles, and drought earlier this year.

Living in an area with heavy, hard, red clay soil, preparing the soil for a three gallon root ball is not easy. Having several weeks of severe drought, has left the soil as hard as concrete. Today, my efforts went from a simple spade shovel, to a mattock, pick, post hole diggers, and finally, my tractor with a ripper plow, and then a tiller to break up the clumps from the tractor plow. This was another one of those little 45 minute projects that turned into a project of several hours.

Before I could complete the job, my wife reminded me that I needed to pay an insurance bill. So, I cleaned up, and much to the delight of my little poodle, gave him permission to ride along. On the way, I meet a small truck hauling an unsecured ladder. As the truck approached in a downhill curve, to my horror, the ladder was in the process of escaping the truck and heading for me. I moved onto the shoulder of the road in an attempt to avoid the ladder. WHAM!!!...The ladder hit my truck. In my rear view mirror, I saw the other driver pull over. I had a few yards to go in order to find a spot to turn around. By the time I got turned around, and with oncoming traffic, the offending truck had taken off. By this time I was angry, put on my four way flashers and chased back the other way for a couple of miles. Never saw the other truck again. I pulled into a local fire department, called and waited on the highway patrol.

So, for this Veteran's Day, I have a Hit & Run insurance claim, and made friends with a very polite professional highway patrolman. The new paint job on my Dodge Ram is ruined, the front driver side fender is bashed in, driver side door has a gash in it, and the back door is scraped. By the time I got home, it was getting dark, but I still managed to get those two trees in the ground.

In spite of it all...the poodle got a ride, the insurance got paid (gonna need it now), and it is the best Veteran's Day I will have all year!
(I shoulda stayed home)

[Mark L]

John, sorry to hear about your trouble. I'm glad you weren't hurt.

[BobPalma]

OUCH, John; what a bummer. 'Glad you weren't injured, had the ladder come through the windshield or something.

Happy Veterans Day anyway! BP

[GrumpyOne]

As a Nam vet, (USAF 1967-68), I appreciate you folks who take the time to participate in these ceremonies. I returned from Nam quietly, feeling almost invisible. Today, as a member of the Disabled American Veterans, I was invited to attend an event in our honor. Instead, I chose to spend a quiet day playing at home. I planned to plant two crape myrtle trees to replace the blue spruce that had succumbed to pine beetles, and drought earlier this year.

Living in an area with heavy, hard, red clay soil, preparing the soil for a three gallon root ball is not easy. Having several weeks of severe drought, has left the soil as hard as concrete. Today, my efforts went from a simple spade shovel, to a mattock, pick, post hole diggers, and finally, my tractor with a ripper plow, and then a tiller to break up the clumps from the tractor plow. This was another one of those little 45 minute projects that turned into a project of several hours.

Before I could complete the job, my wife reminded me that I needed to pay an insurance bill. So, I cleaned up, and much to the delight of my little poodle, gave him permission to ride along. On the way, I meet a small truck hauling an unsecured ladder. As the truck approached in a downhill curve, to my horror, the ladder was in the process of escaping the truck and heading for me. I moved onto the shoulder of the road in an attempt to avoid the ladder. WHAM!!!...The ladder hit my truck. In my rear view mirror, I saw the other driver pull over. I had a few yards to go in order to find a spot to turn around. By the time I got turned around, and with oncoming traffic, the offending truck had taken off. By this time I was angry, put on my four way flashers and chased back the other way for a couple of miles. Never saw the other truck again. I pulled into a local fire department, called and waited on the highway patrol.

So, for this Veteran's Day, I have a Hit & Run insurance claim, and made friends with a very polite professional highway patrolman. The new paint job on my Dodge Ram is ruined, the front driver side fender is bashed in, driver side door has a gash in it, and the back door is scraped. By the time I got home, it was getting dark, but I still managed to get those two trees in the ground.

In spite of it all...the poodle got a ride, the insurance got paid (gonna need it now), and it is the best Veteran's Day I will have all year!
(I shoulda stayed home)

There's nothing like irresponsible drivers and even though my daily driver is an old Honda beater, I'm very tempted to install a dash camera. I suppose that you can find some consolation that it wasn't one of your Studebakers...

[jclary]

Thanks Bob. I did all I could to avoid the mishap. If I had moved over just a few more inches, I would have been down a 15 foot drop off. My wife, the Patrolman, and myself all agree, had it hit a little higher, it very well could have come through the windshield. Today...Veterans Day...tomorrow...my birthday!!!

Ya think she might have time to find me a new truck??? Instead, I'll probably have to get dressed up, meet my daughter, her husband, and grand-kids at a local restaurant, and pretend to like food that was delivered by a truck. Rarely as good as what my wife cooks in our own kitchen. I'll collect a few more gift cards, and then, probably spend them on her. Since her birthday is less than a month away.

Truth is, I am a very lucky man. Ever since the day a rocket buried itself deep in the ground, and then exploded, just a few yards away from me, every day has been a gift.

[jclary]

... I suppose that you can find some consolation that it wasn't one of your Studebakers...

Ha...you got that right! Dodge Rams are everywhere!!!

[SScopelli]

Hope you don't mind me posting the 61 in the lead at the Tucson Vet's parade..


IMG_5849 by s blazel, on Flickr
IMG_5846 by s blazel, on Flickr

[BobPalma]

Heck no, Seb; we don't mind at all = post away!

What a great photo of your car carrying such a noteworthy Veteran...and on the middle of the front page in blazing color.

Cool beans! BP

[52 Ragtop]

THAT's what it's all about! Nice coverage, and a Pearl Harbor Survivor at that! SWEET

Jim

[clonelark]

Great pic's guys

From one Vet (101st Airborne Engineer) to all the others, Thank You for all your service.

[t walgamuth]

A few months back we were driving on a pretty narrow and very hilly road in southern Arkansas. It was State highway but pretty narrow and a pretty busy road too. All at once the semi from the other direction started drifting over the centerline. I began braking, honking and moving over onto the shoulder. He kept coming. In the next .25 second I would have been forced to drive off the paved shoulder and down the ravine.

Finally he came to and pulled back over.

Way too close for comfort.

The only damage was the mess in my undies!

My little VW wagon would not have been enough protection for this!