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The young couple walked to the front table at the VFW 670 meeting room and received their black vests.
James Long, 24, and his wife, Nicole, 21, slid the vests over their shoulders last Thursday after the others clapped from the symbolic presentation.
Staff photo by Ethan HymanDarryl Schraeder and other members of Rolling Thunder get ready to ride to the Hope Mills United Methodist Church in December to deliver Christmas gifts to the Alms House |
The patch tells the purpose of this group of 63 people. It is a group that raises money for toys and food for families in need, cleans gravestones and graveyards, volunteers at veteran’s homes and hospitals and has taken it upon themselves to raise money for the Cumberland County Vietnam Veterans Memorial planned across from the new Airborne & Special Operations Museum.
It’s a volunteer gathering of people others might see as a little rough around the edges.
Most have pony tails and beards, wear black leather, drive motorcycles and chain smoke. They call each other brother and sister. Their official name is Rolling Thunder.
Many of them served their country in the armed forces, especially in Vietnam.
Although being a veteran and serving in the armed forces is not a requirement of the group, their message is the same:
Never stop fighting for a full accounting of all prisoners of war and those missing in action. Make sure future soldiers are not forgotten.
It is important for James and Nicole Long because James said he has a relative still missing in action from Vietnam.
"I just feel like it’s a very important cause to bring some closure, too," he said after the group’s regular monthly business meeting.
Proper burial
One of their most memorable events came on Oct. 28 when they escorted a family to the official burial of a 16-year-old soldier killed in Vietnam.
The members said he was the youngest American soldier killed in the war. But because he had forged his birth records to get into the military at 14, they said, he never received a proper burial.
Pfc. Dan Bullock of Goldsboro was killed on June 7, 1969, just 21 days after arriving in Vietnam.
The national organization of Rolling Thunder had called the chapter to ask for an escort from the Virginia state line. Chapters from each state from the family’s home in New York helped to escort the family to North Carolina.
The Cumberland County chapter drove north and escorted the family to the burial site.
The Sally Jessy Raphael Show paid for the gravestone that featured a colored etching of Bullock, an American flag and the symbol of the Marines. Two American flags were placed beside it as the color guard and other groups saluted.
Many of the Rolling Thunder wore black sunglasses to mask their tears. They called it a proper burial. They have the photos in their scrap book.
"It finally gave his family some closure," said Darryl Schraeder, president of the Cumberland County chapter.
The group also helped transport the remains of James "Jimmy" Butler to a burial near his home outside Lillington in April. Butler had been killed in action when his plane went down on March 20, 1970.
A new Christmas tradition
In December, the Rolling Thunder started a new goal of helping the Alms House every year for Christmas.
Even though they had worked in Toys for Tots programs before, the group decided to collect for families aided by Alms and the keep their focus local.
More than 80 children waited inside.
By asking local merchants for donations, the group was able to provide three presents per child and had enough left over to take to the Alms House for other families. Since the party, seven families came in with nothing and found the supplies waiting for them.
The Alms House usually has a budget of only $600 for the annual party, food and presents. They were able to save that money to use for electric bills and supplies for other families.
"The Alms House has traditionally done this by themselves," Schraeder said. "We touched a lot of little hearts."
Member Joseph Pena collected 290 items himself in just three months.
"It was the way I was brought up," he said on Dec. 16.
While his large frame and leather looks imposing as he rides his Harley Davidson, he is by day a soil technician and a chaplain. He retired six months ago from the Army as a master sergeant.
Nearby, A.G. Martin pulled up on his Honda bike.
"I’m glad to see them doing something like this for the kids," he said.
The monument
The group’s next goal is to raise enough money for the Vietnam veteran’s memorial of the new Cumberland County Veterans’ Park.
Cumberland County beat out Mecklenburg County to build North Carolina’s veterans’ park. The city and county worked together to develop the site and secure state and federal support.
The park is planned for the corner where the old “Stop and Save” stood across from the new Airborne and Special Operations Museum.
Rolling Thunder set a goal of Memorial Day to collect all of the $55,000 they agreed to fund the Vietnam portion of the memorial. They will most likely not meet that goal, but look at their fundraising record so far.
They have already raised $20,350. About $13,500 of that has been raised since October.
They have won grants, held fund-raisers and even raised $4,800 at a recent oyster roast at Legends Pub on Nov. 5.
Members say they are working the Veterans’ Council to see the project through.
That’s the kind of effort that impressed Linda Shelander to join with her husband, John.
"I just liked what they do and what they stand for," she said. "Everything they do is valuable."
John, who served in Vietnam, Korea and the Dominican Republic, agreed. He joined on top of serving as the District 8 commander for the VFW.
He said he was impressed by their work at the veterans’ nursing home and hospital, and the Sandhills Cemetery. He said just getting together to build a sidewalk at the nursing home went a long way with him.
"These people do some great work," he said.
It took 90 days for the Longs to earn their vests.
As perhaps the youngest adult couple of the group, the eagle patches now stretches across their backs.
Donations for the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial can be made in care of the memorial to: Cumberland Community Foundation, P.O. box 2171, Fayetteville, N.C. 28302.
Staff writer Stacy Peterson can be reached at 486-3512 or petersons@fayettevillenc.com
On Dec. 16 the group strapped hundreds of presents to their bikes and drove from the VFW 670 building on Doc Bennett Road to Hope Mills United Methodist Church to deliver the clothes, toys and food.
Staff photo by Ethan Hyman
Larry Edwards gives his 2-year-old granddaughter Brittany Benjamin a kiss during the Alms House Christmas Party
SOURCE: Fayetteville Observer - 4 January 2001 - Features Section
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