AFTER-RIDE REPORT POSTED FOR PA STATE COORDINATOR “GREASE”

(A note from the WWR Gazeebo: The fine ride report posted below tells the story of hero escorts and welcome home celebrations. But the acts of selfless nobility that took place that evening go deeper than riding in driving rain for a great cause – as amazing a thing as that is. There are two additional stories to be told about that night – two amazing stories of honor and brotherhood.

STORY #1

The subject of tonight’s escort was, as Grease reports, a true American hero. He is also one of those who was not thought of as such in “his own time.” In the early 1970’s, little attention was given even to soldiers and sailors and airmen who came home beaten (but never broken), even after year after year after brutal, dark year of confinment in the most horrible prison camp conditions since the Japanese death camps of the 40s. No prisoner of the Vietcong could believe he would ever make it home alive. There were no tickertape parades for Vietnam Vets, even decorated POWs.

But this belated Welcome Home celebration, this overdue “parade” for Captain Rod Knutson, was only the beginning tonight. On any given day at the Philadelphia International Airport, and in hundreds of such plane, train and bus stations across the country, thousands of America’s warriors pass through, each with his or her own story.  Some are noted, some are celebrated, most, sadly, are not.

As Grease reports below, a woman approached the WWRiders while they were waiting. Warriors’ Watch Riders tend to stand out in a crowd, and often draw questions as to who and what they are. When told, the woman proudly reported that she was there to greet her own son, an Airman, also COMING HOME.  It was suggested that our Warriors Watch Riders would wait for him to arrive, and she of course politely said that wasn’t necessary.

Warriors’ Watch Riders know better. It IS necessary. It is VITALLY necessary.

The poignant part of this story is that Captain Rod Knutson, American Hero, after he arrived and was given the Hero’s Welcome he deserved, was OF COURSE happy to wait with the Warriors’ Watch for this young Airman. This young airman was not a Silver Star recipient. He was not a Bronze Star winner. He was not a former POW. He was just a young airman. But what Cpt. Knutson and every Warriors’ Watch Rider there knew, and were about to teach him and his mother and his brother, was that in the eyes and hearts of all of us that young Airman is a brother, EVERY BIT AS DESERVING OF A HERO’S “WELCOME-HOME” AS ANY OTHER AMERICAN WARRIOR.  Captain Rod Knutson, DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, 2 SILVER STARS, & 4 BRONZE STARS, SEVEN AND ONE-HALF YEARS IN HELL/and a young Airman returning from his first tour. HEROES BOTH, BROTHERS BOTH. THE VETERAN WINNER OF THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, 2 SILVER STARS, & 4 BRONZE STARS SALUTES THE YOUNG AIRMAN AND GREETS HIM AS A HERO.

Think about that. Think about the character of the American Warrior of ALL eras.

The Warriors’ Watch present an honor coin, and a warrior’s mother weeps with pride.

STORY  #2

Towards the end of this Warriors’ Vigil an older man, just arrived with his wife and a son of maybe 30 years from some destination unknown, also noted the unusual activity and asked why and what. When told, this man quickly opened his luggage and dug out his Marine Corps cap. He put it on, explaining that he too was a Vietnam Vet, and thanked the Warriors’ Watch, the same WWR who were there to thank others, for what they were doing. A touched Warriors’ Watch Rider produced a WWR Honor Coin and presented it to this man, thanking him for his serivce, and the assembly offered him, too, a “Welcome Home!”

The Vietnam Veteran swelled with pride. The Vietnam Veteran’s adult son looked on in stunned awe – no doubt learning only now for the first time that his father is a hero. The Vietnam Veteran’s wife….cried. The Vietnam Veteran received his “welcome home, brother!” …40 years late, but all the more heartfelt for that.

My friends, NEVER underestimate the power of what you do, and NEVER doubt how vitally important it is.

– lutz

FIRST OF ALL I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE 14 WWR THAT CAME OUT. THE WEATHER WAS VERY BAD, HEAVY RAIN & 40-50MPH WIND GUSTS. YOU SHOWED THAT NO MATTER WHAT YOU WE STAND A FLAG LINE FOR OUR HEROS. I’M VERY PROUD OF EACH OF YOU.

THIS ESCORT WAS FOR CAPT. ROD KNUTSON ( USN RETIRED ). THE CAPT. FLEW 77 MISSIONS OVER VIETNAM BEFORE BEING SHOT DOWN. HE SPENT 71/2 YEARS AT THE HANOI HILTON. HE RECEIVED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, 2 SILVER STARS, & 4 BRONZE STARS.

THIS IS A LINK TO HIS BIO: http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/k/k048.htm

AS I WAS RIDING TO  FIREBASE 69 (OUR RALLY POINT FOR MOST PHILA. AIRPORT MISSIONS) I WAS THINKING OLIVE & MYSELF OUR GOING TO BE THE ONLY ONES ON A BIKE. AS I TURNED INTO THE FIREHOUSE I SPOTTED SEVERAL CAGES AND TWO BIKES. WE DISMOUNTED AND GOT OUT OF THE RAIN IN THE FIREHOUSE. AS WE WERE ALL TALKING SEVERAL OTHER CAGES AND TWO MORE BIKES PULLED UP. AS WE WERE ALL TALKING WAITING FOR THE TIME TO LEAVE FOR THE AIRPORT TO PICK UP OUR PACKAGE ONE OF THE FIREMEN AT ENGINE 69 FIREHOUSE (OUR FIREBASE) GAVE US A FLYERS ORANGE PHILADELPHIA FIRE T-SHIRT TO GIVE TO THE CAPT. AFTER SOME DONUTS & COFFEE PROVIDED BY GOLDWING & WING OF AN ANGEL, WE HAD A BRIEF RIDER MEETING. THEN WE MOUNTED UP FOR THE AIRPORT.

AFTER ARRIVING AT THE AIRPORT THE PHILADELPHIA POLICE AIRPORT COPS DIRECTED US AS TO WHERE TO PARK. THESE FINE OFFICERS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN GOOD TO US. WE DISMOUNTED AND FORMED A FLAG LINE. MANCHU WENT IN THE TERMINAL TO MEET THE CAPT. WHILE WE WAITED A WOMAN CAME UP TO US A SAID SHE WAS WAITING FOR HER SON A USAF AIRMAN TO ARRIVE. WE TOLD HER WE WOULD WAIT FOR HIM ALSO. WHEN MANCHU CAME OUT WITH THE CAPT. WE WENT TO ATTENTION ,SALUTED ,AND YELLED “WELCOME HOME”.  THE CAPT. SAID ” THANK YOU” AND THEN WENT DOWN THE FLAG LINE THANKING EACH & EVERY ONE OF US. I WAS 2ND TO LAST REDBEARD WAS LAST AND PRESENTED THE CAPT. WITH A WWR CHALLENGE COIN. THEN WE GAVE HIM THE ORANGE T-SHIRT. HE HAD A TEAR IN HIS EYE. THE CAPT. WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO HAD A CAMERA SO HE TOOK PICTURES AND WE TOOK PICTURES WITH HIS CAMERA.

THEN THE AIRMAN CAME OUT WITH HIS MOM & BROTHER. HE GOT THE SAME TREATMENT & WAS BLOWN AWAY. FUNGI PRESENTED HIM WITHE COIN. HIS MOTHER WAS CRYING, HIS BROTHER WAS SMILING, AND THE AIRMAN WAS TELLING US THAT HE WAS GOING TO TELL ALL HIS BUDDYS ABOUT US WHEN HE GOT BACK. THEN WE MOUNTED UP FOR CENTER CITY. THE POLICE STOPPED TRAFFIC SO WE COULD GET OUT INTO TRAFFIC.

WE THEN HEADED OUT OF THE AIRPORT AND TOOK I-95 TO 291 OVER THE PLATT BRIDGE TO 26TH ST. TOOK THAT TO 76 W INTO CENTER CITY TRAFFIC WAS VERY BAD AS WELL AS THE WEATHER. WE ARRIVED AT THE CAPT. DESTINATION SAFELY. AFTER SEVERAL CONGRATS AND GOODBYES, WE DEPARTED.

THIS WAS A VERY IMPORTANT MISSION FOR ME. I REMEMBER THIS MAN & OTHERS BEING RELEASED IN 1973. I SAW IT ON TV. AND THEN 35 YEARS LATER I GET TO MEET HIM. WHAT AN HONOR!

GREASE