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Subject: SSG. Matthew J. Taylor, 25, Charleston, SC, 27, 28 SEP 08

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EdistoRider User is Offline

Posts: 1

29 Sep 2008 6:59 AM	Alert
Thoughts and prayers for SSG Taylor's wife and three daughters, his parents and grand-parents. A strong family supporting the man who truly believed in the mission. Col Charles Tupper 439 AES (AFRC) Westover ARB MA

chunter61

Posts: 167
Columbia, SC

29 Sep 2008 9:12 AM	Alert
My most sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of SSG. Taylor. Thank you, SSG. Taylor, for protecting my freedom and the freedom of my family. Your sacrifice will not be forgotten. May you rest in peace.

Chris Hunter

wvhusker

Posts: 5755
Ashland, KY
Sr. KY R/C

29 Sep 2008 11:52 AM	Alert
SSG Taylor, Thank you for your willingness to defend the United States of America and her freedoms and interests. Your untimely death brings much sorrow and sadness to the hearts and lives of your family, friends, military brothers and sisters, each and every member of the Patriot Guard Riders, and all who truly appreciate their freedom. We are proud of your service and dedication in that which you believed in and fought for. Your mission is complete. You are truly an American hero and the world in which we live is a safer place because of your commitment to freedom. We will now proudly stand for you with honor, dignity, and respect. We pray that you will now rest peacefully in the arms of God. May He provide peace, comfort, and understanding to each life you touched. WVHusker Tom & Kelly Ashland, KY Sr. NE KY R/C SSG, US Army, 1988 - 1998 Operations Desert Shield/Storm

"Heaven Was Needing A Hero" (Jo Dee Messina) My personal thanks to HUDPatriotGuard for posting this on YouTube. May this touch your heart as it did mine. ~WVHusker

balloub

Posts: 431
Charleston, SC

06 Oct 2008 7:43 AM	Alert
Ride Report SSG Taylor On Saturday afternoon 6 motorcycles gathered at the Carolina Memorial Park Funeral home. This was impromptu gathering as the PGR was requested to provide an escort for SSG Taylor to the church where the visitation was to take place. At about 1600 we rolled out of the funeral home with the hearse secured by large American and PGR flags. Upon arrival at the church, SSG Taylor was brought into the sanctuary and the PGR then returned to Carolina Park to provide an escort for the family. At about 1700 we left the funeral home and escorted the family to the church so they could have some personal time with SSG Taylor. The flag line stood up at 1745 and remained in place until 2100. During the visitation period the funeral director made a statement about how they did not have an escort back to the funeral home for SSG Taylor. I made my way down the flag line and asked each member if they would be interested in riding escort back to the funeral home when the visitation ended and every member there volunteered to do so. At 2100 the flag line moved to the hearse where we stood in honor as SSG Taylor was placed back into the hearse. We then secured the flag line and rode escort back to the funeral home. We had 20 bikes, 5 cages and 31 PGR members there to honor SSG Taylor during his visitation. On Sunday we staged in the parking lot behind the Exxon gas station on Ashley Phosphate. Due to the amount of traffic and the great turn out of members, safety of our riders became paramount. After multiple discussions with the PGR leadership and some of our experienced riders, we agreed on and executed our egress from the staging area. I would like to thank Ron, Tommy, Chris, Bob, Josh and all the others that made this a safe mission. We departed the staging area at 1415 and arrived at the church shortly thereafter where Bob and Josh were waiting for us and staged the group in an orderly fashion. We had 54 bikes, 5 cages and 78 members there to honor SSG Taylor at his funeral. We stood up our flag line at 1430 and broke it down at 1500 when the funeral began. The funeral director and family expressed their concern over the media taking pictures so in order to provide some measure of privacy and comfort to the family, 12 members re-initiated a flag line at the conclusion of the funeral to SSG Taylor to pass by as he was brought to the hearse. Prior to the end of the funeral service half of our members departed for the funeral home with Ron to set up a flag line at the military honors ceremony. Once SSG Taylor was in the hearse and the family was seated in the cars, the PGR led by Tommy and Mandi, provided an escort back to the funeral home. Once they arrived at the funeral home/cemetery, the bikes staged up next to the grave site and we waited for the military honors ceremony to end. At the conclusion of the military honors ceremony, the other half of our group was transported to the grave site in the back of two pick up trucks (thank you Sonny and to the new member, sorry I do not remember your name). We stood up a flag line in a box formation making an opening for SSG Taylor and the family to enter and then closing once they were within the boundaries of our flags. This provided the family with the privacy they desired during the graveside ceremony. At the conclusion of the short graveside service and once the family was back in their cars, we stood down the flag line. We had a great turn out for SSG Taylor. I appreciate everyone’s assistance, patience and support during this mission. Things got very hectic during the funeral service and last moment adjustments had to be made. R/Bruce Ballou Assistant State Captain SC PGR

Bruce "Cat" Ballou Assistant State Captain South Carolina PGR 843-327-2030 USN Ret('76-'96) "We can't all be Washington's but we can all be patriots." Browne, Charles F.

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Forums > Mission Information > PGR - Archives > SSG. Matthew J. Taylor, 25, Charleston, SC, 27, 28 SEP 08

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