Welcome to
Rolling Thunder®, Inc. Indiana Chapter One
On
September 15th and 16th, Rolling Thunder Indiana and the
Indianapolis POW/MIA Council will celebrate National POW/MIA Recognition Day by
honoring our Service Members that were former POWs, those that are still
Missing in Action (MIA), and their family members. Both events are open to the public.
WATCHFIRE
CEREMONY THURSDAY
SEPTEMBER 15, 2022 The
Watchfire is centuries old and had its origins in our country during the American
Revolutionary War for independence. It is symbolic as a beacon, a guiding light
for those service members who did not return home. It burns brightly so their
spirits may see this light and know the love and respect we carry in our hearts
for their sacrifice. The flame is an eternal symbol of our collective memory as
a nation, born from ideals of freedom and honor. Our
Nation still have over 81,000 Service Members that remain unaccounted for since
WWII, with over 1,700 from Indiana. The Watchfire ceremony is to honor those
that remain missing and to comfort and support the families whose beloved
family member is still Missing In Action.
The program will be at the Indiana War Memorial located at 431 N
Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46204. The program will start at approximately
7:30PM.
POW/MIA
RECOGNITION DAY ESCORT FRIDAY
SEPTEMBER 16, 2022
Rolling Thunder® Indiana will escort
our Former Prisoner of War and Family Members of those that are still
Missing in Action from the Fort Harrison Veterans Center to the Indiana War
Memorial. Following the escort, we will participate in the POW/MIA
Recognition Day Ceremony sponsored by the Indianapolis POW/MIA Recognition
Day Council at the Indiana War Memorial downtown Indianapolis.
The staging
area will be at the IVY Tech parking lot across the street from the Fort
Harrison Veterans Center. Please follow the directions of the parking
attendants when you enter the parking lot. After you park your motorcycle, walk
over to the Veterans Center to register and sign a waiver form.The
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) will escort the group from
the Veterans Center to the Indiana War Memorial downtown Indianapolis and end
on Michigan Street. Upon completion of
the ride, riders are welcome to attend the POW/MIA Recognition Day Ceremony or
depart the area. Cost: Free, but donations are welcomed. Primary POC: Mike Clark, Email: mike.clark@indianarollingthunder.com or 317-991-3085 Secondary
POC: Greg Thompson, Email: wgthome@aol.com or 317-691-5109
Staging
Information
Staging Location: Fort Harrison Veterans Center, 9450 East 59th Street Indianapolis, IN
46216. Staging and Registration: 08:00 - 10:00 Opening Ceremony: 10:00 - 10:45 Departure Time:
11:00 Opening
Ceremony Program Information 10:00 - 10:05
Presentation of Colors, National Anthem, and Pledge of Allegiance. 10:05 - 10:10
Invocation, and Opening Remarks. 10:10 - 10:45
Introduction of Special Guest. 10:45 - 11:00
Benediction, and Prepare for Departure. 11:00
Depart to the Indiana War Memorial escorted by
IMPD. Please Preregister for the event. Copy of Flyer and Registration form can be downloaded by clicking on the below links. Flyer: POW-MIA Recognition Day Escort Flyer Registration Form: POW-MIA Recognition Day Escort Registration Form
Linda J. Smith-Cope Scholarship
Linda
Joette Smith-Cope was the sister of SFC Ronald E. Smith, who served in Vietnam and
become missing and unaccounted for on November 28, 1970 while on a mission near
the tri-border area of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Linda was passionate and
dedicated her entire life to finding out the details surrounding the mission,
and the whereabouts of her beloved brother. Unfortunately,
Linda suddenly passed away in June 2019 due to medical complications. This
scholarship is to honor Linda’s spirit, and not only to remember her brother Ronald
E. Smith, but all those that have yet to come home to family and friends from
all past wars.
A $1,000
scholarship is to be awarded to a Covington Community High School
graduating senior seeking a higher education at an accredited College,
University, or Trade School. The essay subject for 2022 was on The History of United States
Prisoner of War (POW) and Missing in Action (MIA).
This year recipient of the Linda Smith-Cope
scholarship was Vivian Jacobs. Vivian will continue her education at Hanover
College in Hanover Indiana.
Vivian receiving her award from the Rolling Thunder®
Indiana Chapter One Scholarship Committee at the Covington High School graduation
ceremony. Congratulations to Vivian for a job well done.
Rolling Thunder® Mission Statement
“The
major function of Rolling Thunder®, Inc. is to
publicize POW-MIA issues. To educate the public that many American
Prisoners of War were left behind after all past 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.”
Indiana
has
over 1,731 Warfighters still listed as unaccounted-for since WWII. The
Rolling Thunder®, Inc. Indiana Chapter 1 mission
is not over until all of our missing are accounted for.
Rolling Thunder®, Inc Indiana Chapter OnePOW*MIA Chairs of Honor
The
placement of these special chairs are in honor of those who answered the call
to duty and have yet to return to family and home, who are listed among the
Prisoners of War (POW) and those Missing in Action (MIA).
They
will be a beacon to all that see them to remind them that freedom isn’t free
and to never forget the sacrifices, and hardships that our POWs and MIAs have
endured in the defense of our freedom, and the sacrifices, and hardships that
our Military Service Members endure every day in defense of this great Nation.
These
special Chairs of Honor are physical symbols of the 82,000 American Service
Members who are listed as Unaccounted-For Nationwide since WWII.
Indiana alone
has 1,505 MIAs from WWII, 172 from the Korean War, and 51 from the Vietnam War.
These
Chairs of Honor are reserved as a seat of honor that THEY ARE NOT FORGOTTEN”.
Click on the picture for more details on the specific Chair of Honor.
 POW*MIA Chair of Honor Dedicated November 2, 2014
Lucas Oil Stadium
500
S Capitol Ave
Indianapolis,
IN 46225
Chair is located in section 423
|  POW*MIA Chair of Honor Dedicated January 11, 2016 Indiana State House 200
W Washington Street
Indianapolis,
IN 46204 |
 POW*MIA Chair of Honor Dedicated May 26, 2016
Indiana War Memorial
431
N Meridian Street
Indianapolis,
IN 46204 | POW*MIA Chair of Honor Dedicated November 19, 2016
Indiana Farmers Coliseum
1202
E 38th Street
Indianapolis,
IN 46205 |
 POW*MIA Chair of Honor Dedicated April 1, 2017
Coachman Restaurant 6112 Cambridge Way Plainfield, IN 46168 | 
POW*MIA Chair of Honor Dedicated May 25, 2017
Indianapolis International Airport
7800
Col H Weir Cook Mem Drive
Indianapolis,
IN 46241
Chair is located in Baggage Claim Next to the USO |

POW*MIA Chair of Honor Dedicated November 12, 2017
Bankers Life Field House
125
S Pennsylvania St, Indianapolis, IN 46204 | 
POW*MIA Chair of Honor Dedicated July 1, 2018
Covington Court House 301 4th Street COURTHOUSE
Covington
IN 47932
|
 POW*MIA Chair of Honor Dedicated November 9, 2018
Indiana Military Veterans Hall of Fame East 56th Street and Herbert Lord Road Lawrence,
IN | POW*MIA Chair of HonorDedicated September 7, 2019
Grissom Air Museum 1000
West Hoosier Boulevard
Peru, IN 46970
|
 POW*MIA Chair of Honor Dedicated September 15, 2019
Indiana Veterans Memorial Cemetery
1415
Msh North Gate Road
Madison,
IN 47250
|  POW*MIA Chair of Honor Dedicated September 19, 2019
Plainfield High School
1
Red Pride Drive
Plainfield,
IN 46168
|
POW*MIA Chair of Honor Dedicated December 22, 2021
Disabled American Veterans Headquarters 170 Airport Pkwy Ste A Greenwood, IN 46143 |
Rolling
Thunder® Indiana Chapter One considers the dedication of these special
Chairs of Honor as part of our mission in bringing awareness to the
public about our Nation’s POWs and MIAs and to remind the family
members of these Heroes that their loved one will not be forgotten.
Rolling Thunder® Indiana Chapter One is
a nonprofit organization and relies on donations from Sponsors and
Individuals to have the necessary funds to carry on with our POW/MIA
mission and special projects like the POW*MIA Chairs of Honor.
If
you feel that are mission is important, and needs to carry on, please
consider being a sponsor or make an in-kind donation. Please click on
the below URL to get the details on our sponsorship program.
 Message
from the President
Thank
you for taking the time to visit our web site. The above mission
statement tells you what Rolling Thunder®, Inc. Indiana Chapter 1 is
all about. Rolling Thunder®, Inc. Indiana Chapter 1 is a
group of
American Citizens - Veterans and non-Veterans - that have a strong
belief that there are still several unresolved Prisoner of War (POW)
and Missing In Action (MIA) cases from all past wars that need to be
fully investigated, especially Vietnam.
Some people are under the impression that Rolling Thunder®, Inc. is a
Motorcycle Club. Rolling
Thunder®, Inc. is not a motorcycle club,
but a group of Veterans and non-Veterans that help bring awareness to
the public that we still have War-Fighters that have not come home and
they must NOT be
Forgotten.
Some of us ride Motorcycles because they make noise and get people’s
attention. Once we get their attention, we can tell them about our
POW/MIA mission and what the Chapter is doing to help our Indiana
War-Fighters and Veterans.
Rolling Thunder®, Inc. has four
Chapters within Indiana. All four Chapters are involved in bringing
awareness to the public about POWs, MIAs, and helping our Indiana
Veterans in need.
Rolling Thunder® Indiana uses several
tools to help bring awareness to the public. Some of these tools
include, the Missing Man Table ceremony, the Roll Call ceremony, the
Indiana POW/MIA License Plate, POW/MIA Flag Raising Ceremonies, and the
POW*MIA Chair of Honor displays.
Rolling Thunder® Indiana
Chapter 1 has installed POW*MIA Chairs of Honor in multiple venues
throughout Indiana. The purpose of these special Chairs of Honor is remind the public that
not all of our War-Fighters have come home and they MUST NOT be FORGOTTEN.
They also send a message to the love ones of our POWs and MIAs that
their love one will not be forgotten. We hope to install many more of
these special Chairs of Honor throughout Indiana. Listed above are the
POW*MIA Chairs of Honor that the Chapter has dedicated to date. If you would like to have a POW*MIA Chair of Honor in your venue, please contact me at the below email address.
The
Indiana POW/MIA License Plate is another important tool that Rolling
Thunder® Indiana has to help bring awareness to the public about our
POWs and MIAs. 100% of the proceeds collected from the sale of the
POW/MIA License Plate is deposited into the Indiana Military Family
Relief Fund (MFRF), which is used to provide our Indiana War-Fighters,
Veterans, and their families a helping hand when needed. The Indiana
POW/MIA License Plate is available through the Bureau of Motor Vehicle
(BMV). Please ask for the POW/MIA License Plate the next time you visit
the BMV.
The Chapter is very active with our POW/MIA mission
and I hope that you will consider attending one of our Chapter meetings
to see what we are all about. Please take a few minutes and scroll down
the menu bar to the left of the webpage for more information
on
our Chapter. Our Chapter Calendar of Events is located under the Chapter Activities
menu, or you can click on the below Link.
Again, thank you for visiting our web site and I hope to see you at our
next Chapter meeting.
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