L-R: Rolling Thunder chapter secretary Deane Johansen, holds the POW/MIA flag with George Brownell in front of Mr. Brownell’s business, Auto Diagnostic Services in Fairhaven. Submittted photo
The Rolling Thunder motorcycle club wants to make sure that Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action are not forgotten.
The group has been taking a POW/MIA flag to all 50 states, and was in Massachusetts in March. The flag was taken to the Fairhaven Police Department, Hastings Middle School, the business of well-known Vietnam Veteran George Brownell, and to Town Hall for a picture with the POW/MIA chair.
Grade 7 Scholar, Deane Johansen, Jr.; Assistant Director of Student Services, Robert Mota; Principal of Hastings Middle School, Dr. Nicholas Bettencourt; Assistant Principal, Andrew Davey with the flag in front of HMS. Submitted photo
At the end of May when the tour ends, the flag will be placed in the Smithsonian with the box and book that traveled with it. At each stop, people were invite to sign a book that traveled with the flag. After its 50-state tour, the flag and book will be placed in the Smithsonian. The flag will end its tour in Washington, DC, in May to coincide with the annual Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally on Memorial Day Weekend.
According to the website: “The major function of Rolling Thunder®, Inc. is to publicize the POW-MIA issue: To educate the public that many American Prisoners of War were left behind after all previous wars and to help correct the past and to protect future Veterans from being left behind should they become Prisoners of War-Missing In Action. We are also committed to helping American Veterans from all wars.
Members of the Smith family sign the book in honor of William Mark Smith of Middleboro, who has been Missing in Action since 1969 in Vietnam at the age of 20, and was probably a Prisoner of War who was killed by the North Vietnamese. His remains have never been returned. Submitted photo
The group also sponsors an annual “Ride for Freedom,” which will be held on May 27, in Washington DC. Visit http://www.rollingthunder1. com for more information.
Locally, contact Rolling Thunder, Chapter 2 MA, Pres. Michelle M. Hamilton, P.O. Box 258, Middleboro, MA 02346, 774-766-9214.
L-R: Fairhaven police Lt. Kevin Kobza, Officers Laurie Cannon and Jerome Penha; Lt. David Sobral, and Officer Jason Tavares hold the POW/MIA flag in front of the Fairhaven Police station. The flag will travel to all 50 states and then be placed in the Smithsonian. Photos submitted.
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