Patriot Guard Riders were already on the job early Friday morning in Worthington as escort riders arrived
Ken Peterson and Dale Saxton stand at entrance to staging area
Eric, from the Worthington Police Department, visits with the Patriot Guard
Fire Department members relax and wait
Thumbs UP from Law Enforcement !
Our chase vehicle idea was invaluable during our escort
Jim Tubbs drove the chase vehicle, his wife, Debbie called ahead via cell phone
Jim and Debbie's grandchildren were along for the ride !
Worthington Fire Department was very visible from I-90
The rear escort starts lining up
Escort riders anxiously await the call: "Where are the buses?"
Future PGR member and escort rider !
Marshall RC Alan Peterson leads front escort riders to staging area along Hwy 59
Travis Erickson had several friends coming home
Brian Erickson was our third lead escort rider
With everything lined up, all we have to do is wait....
Meanwhile, back in Marshall, PGR volunteers at 7:00 am assembed our PGR flag field
Back in Worthington, PGR members line Hwy 59 in Worthington when buses are 15 minutes out on I-90
The Marshall Fire Department was given the honor of being the lead vehicle behind Law Enforcement, with escort bikes behind
The Troop Buses turn off I-90 for the final 60 miles home
This huge flag awaited the troops in Slayton
Patriot Guard members start to arrive
The Marshall Utility Department arches the street
The wind creates a sail of the American Flag
Kids take shelter from the wind next to the Boy Scout Building
A new Mustang awaits one of the returning soldiers!
People line West College Drive in Marshall
The Schwan's Employees stand in front of their home office to welcome home the troops
The Honor Guards arrive and pick a spot
Day care kids await on the curb
The crowd now fills the grass infield across from the armory
The PGR is intermingled with the crowd
Here they come !
Escort bikes bring in the troops !
Rear escort bikes lead in the long processon of emergency vehicles from several area towns
Worthington Sector Ride Captain Paul Ramsbey leads the rear escort
Worthington Sector ARC Dale Claussen rides his Victory as final escort bike
The Flag bikes joined the escort at the edge of town
The crowd is wowed by the sheer number of emergency vehicles
It was kind of noisy....
The wind created more than a few problems in Marshall
Escort rider Glen Hamann's jacket was very retro !
Flag bikes driven by Justin McKinney and Doug Verhelst Both had direct ties to the Marshall National Guard
Doug Verhelst's cycle flew the Battery A "Mustang" flag. His son, Jerry, was on a bus !
Justin McKinney was previously deployed with this unit.
Final Formation
The PGR breaks down the flag field
Escort riders shake off the chill
The escort riders enjoy watching the troops greet their families
Family Assitance Officer Jeff Gay's Flag display was checked out by many !
Dale was an escort rider, Shirley stood the flag line
The PGRiders who escorted the buses
Vietnam Vet Jim Tubbs, center, drove the rear chase vehicle
All of these emergency vehicles were part of the parade through Marshall
Meet 'n Greet at the Wooden Nickel Saloon in downtown Marshall after the Welcome Home mission
Doug Verhelst, smiling on the right, drove the flag bike with the Mustang Battery Flag
ALL FOLLOWING PHOTOS COURTESY OF WORTHINGTON DAILY GLOBE THANK YOU !!
We found a couple "extra" troops in Slayton, looking to hitch a ride. Sgt Tim Green was ecstatic on the side of the road!
Look at the size of that flag !
Brian Douty, National Guard Commander from Pipestone/Luverne, was on his first Patriot Guard Mission as escort rider.
Thanks again to the Worthington Daily Globe for the last set of pictures!
On May 20th, the Marshall Sector was presented a plaque and a Minnesota Flag that flew over the 151st' base in Kuwait, thanking us for our support during their deployment.
