This was my first mission and boy was it something!!  I am also from the area and proud of the support that we received from both the family and other local people.  My wife went up to some of the family after the ceremony and was asked if the protestors showed up.  They said that they didn't see them.  Which was exactly what we wanted.  So we did our job and apparently we did it very well!!! 

May you rest in peace, Chris Donaldson.  Thank you for serving our country and giving us the freedom we have!!!

Goodbye to a hero

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christopher B. Donaldson was laid to rest with full military honors, including a 3-aircraft CH-47 flyby, on Friday 19 May 2006 in a peaceful little cemetery just outside the quiet little town of Shumway, Illinois. May he rest in peace.

The slime showed up as promised but left before the funeral began. Looking toward its allocated location from the church entrance nothing was to be seen but a sea of American flags and American patriots. Nothing was to be heard except the engine and rotor noise of an Illinois State Police helicopter, there, apparently, to protect the slime from big bad scary bikers. The helicopter left almost immediately after the slime did, possibly to guarantee its safe passage out of the area. After the slime left, the Patriot Guard Riders in attendance held their stations till nearly the end of the funeral, then regrouped to provide an alley of flags along the short drive from the church to the adjoining cemetery, then regrouped again to help provide an appropriate backdrop for the graveside services.

In my entire life (I turned 56 today) I cannot recall ever being associated with a finer group of people than the ones I spent my morning with. Click here to learn more about Patriot Guard Riders, then please give serious thought to joining this fine organization. You don't have to be a biker, or a veteran, or anything else in particular to join. You just have to care. You do care, don't you?

I'll try to get some pictures from the Chief Donaldson mission up soon, assuming they came out OK. Right now a big day is beginning to catch up with me.

        

Hundreds gather to pay final respects

Hundreds of mourners gathered Friday in and outside Faith Lutheran Church in Shumway to pay their final respects to Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christopher Brian Donaldson.

Donaldson, an Army helicopter pilot, was killed May 5 in a helicopter crash in eastern Afghanistan. His funeral and burial were held two days after what would have been his 29th birthday.

"Chris Donaldson was a hero in the truest sense of the word," said the Rev. Jason Rensner in his funeral message — a message that was relayed via speaker to hundreds of mourners unable to gain access to the church sanctuary.

"He served his country with pride," Rensner said. "He served his country because he wanted to and again — he served with pride."

The 50-minute service inside the church was followed by a procession of several hundred feet to the church's cemetery. Burial was conducted with full military rites.

More than 100 members of the Patriot Guard Riders, a group of motorcycle enthusiasts who offer support at military funerals, more than offset a handful of protesters from Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan. Westboro members regularly protest America's military effort at soldier funerals nationwide.

Despite the fear of confrontation, there was none Friday. A stiff police presence — and Illinois 33 — separated protesters from other mourners. No incidents were reported.

A new law signed by the governor earlier this week requires protesters stay 200 feet away from funeral services and that they are not disruptive 30 minutes prior to, during or following the service.

See Saturday's edition of the Effingham Daily News for a more complete story on the funeral.

http://www.effinghamdailynews.com/homepage/local_story_139161243.html?keyword=leadpicturestory

Media Link:

http://wjbdradio.com/news_view.asp?WEBID=5597

http://www.wthitv.com/newsdet.asp?id=11324

http://www.jg-tc.com/articles/2006/05/20/news/news004.txt

 “We Rode With Respect and Walked With Respect”

Today the Patriot Guard honored Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christopher B. Donaldson who died serving his country in Afghanistan in a tragic helicopter accident.  The homecoming escort from Altamont to Effingham on Tuesday was more moving than words with by-standers, flags, yellow and black ribbons, candles, and signs honoring Chris.  After a week or so of threatening weather, pleasant skies appeared for the day of the funeral by some miracle.

I wish I could bring Chris back but all I can do for him is show him my love through the organization of this mission and the careful use of time off from work.  He belongs to America, I am an American, and so that makes part of him mine and yours.

The bond shared on this mission among the guard was stronger than words. All things aside, our newly signed Rest In Peace Law had been tested today.  It was a quiet and solemn occasion.
 

I know that if the police or I had asked for a blockade in the middle of a pond, that a dozen PGR members would scramble with flags into pond scum to shield the mourners from any disruption that may occur.  This was exemplified by the fact that we had to walk a good distance from our designated parking area to the funeral (about 1/3 mile I estimate).

I invite you to share your thoughts on this ride.  There must have been 200 of us there and that must mean 200 thoughts at least.

I must thank my local area coordinators that helped me overcome my distance from Effingham: Dave and Becky, Dan, Sean and many others who know who you are.

Rose Connolly
Ride Captain

A relative of the late Chris Donaldson has proposed naming the Illinois 32/33 overpass over Interstate 57/70 for the fallen soldier killed early last month.
http://www.effinghamdailynews.com/local/local_story_171123633.html