Indianapolis International AirportPOW*MIA Chair of Honor
On
May 25, 2017 Rolling Thunder® Indiana Chapter One dedicated the above POW*MIA
Chair of Honor in the Indianapolis International Airport as part of our Ride to the Wall departing ceremony. In
attendance was State Representative Jim Baird, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, Mayor
of Lawrence Indiana Steve Collier, Brigadier General, (RET) Stewart Goodwin, former
Vietnam War POW Mr. Joe Kernan, family members of MIA Specialist Michael Lautzenheiser,
LTC John F. Stuart, SFC Ronald Eugene Smith, Specialist Dean Arnold Duvall and
PFC James Reed Johnson.
Dedication Pictures
State Representative
Jim Baird | 
Governor Eric Holcomb | 
Mayor Steve Collier
Lawrence Mayor
|
Brigadier General, (RET) Stewart Goodwin | 
Former
POW
Mr. Joe Kernan
| 
Jim Smith and Linda Cope
Brother
and Sister of
SFC Ronald Eugene Smith
MIA November, 1970
|
Joe
Stuart, Son of
LTC John F. Stuart
MIA December, 1972
| 
Joy
Brinduse, Sister of
SPC Michael Lautzenheiser
MIA
October, 1971
| 
Jack
Duvall, Brother of
SPC Dean Arnold Duvall
MIA March, 1966 |
National Anthem Singer
Blake Schaefer |  |  |
 |  |
The
dedication of this special Chair of Honor was done as part of our
sendoff ceremony for the Ride to the Wall. Rolling Thunder® Indiana
Chapter One performs some special ceremonies as part of our Ride to the
Wall sendoff ceremony.
These special ceremonies include
the Missing Man Table ceremony performed by Mike Clark and Linda Cope,
and the Role Call ceremony performed by Chapter members. The Roll Call
ceremony includes reading the names for the Indiana War-Fighters from
the Vietnam War that are still listed as unaccounted for and reporting
their whereabouts.
Linda Cope
Performs the Missing Man Table Ceremony | 
Chapter Members
Perform the Roll Call Ceremony |
Prepare for Departure to Washington D.CAfter
the sendoff ceremony concluded, Rolling Thunder® Indiana Chapter 1
Squad Leaders and Sweeps got their squads together and prepared for our
departure to Washington D.C escorted by the Indiana State Police.
The
Indiana State Police (ISP) Escort poses for a picture at our New Point
Indiana fuel stop. ISP escorted the group to the Indiana/Ohio state
line. They always do a great job and we appreciate their support. |
The POW*MIA Chair of Honor
| The
seat used for the Airport POW*MIA Chair of Honor was a pilot seat from
a Boing 727 donated by FedEx Express. The building of this special
display would have not be possible without the hard work and support
from the following supporters. Embroidery Plus for embroidering the POW/MIA logo on the fabric, Smitty’s Indy Marine for their outstanding job reupholstering the seat, Pro-Kote Indy for their outstanding job powder coating this special chair, Essential Architectural Signs for making the plaque, Dick Harrington
for his outstanding job building the platform that the chair sits on,
and all of the Chapter members that helped to make this display
possible.
The placement of the POW*MIA Chair of Honor in the
Indianapolis International Airport is a great honor to our POWs, MIAs,
and their family members. It will be a beacon to all that see it 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. The chair
will honor those who have answered the call to duty and have yet to
return to family and home.
Special thanks to Mike
Medvescek, his staff, and the Airport Authority Board for their
outstanding support and permission to install this special chair in the
Indianapolis Airport. Without your support, this dedication would have
never been possible. Special thanks to Tina Adams and the FedEx Express
Employees for donating this special seat in honor of our Nation’s POWs
and MIAs.
The POW*MIA Chair of Honor is currently on display
in the baggage claim area next to the USO. Please go by and see this
special display on your next trip to the Indianapolis Airport.
|
OUR NATION POWs and MIAs MUST NEVER BE FORGOTTEN
|
