Updated 14 Jun 07 1416cdt Aranel

PLEASE NOTE: REVISED STAGING TIMES

We have been invited to attend the Military Funeral of Maj. Ben Danielson in Kenyon, MN on Friday, June 15, 2007. Maj. Danielson was shot down over Laos on December 5th, 1969. His subsequent search was the largest Airborne Search and Rescue in History. Major Benjamin F. Danielson’s call name was ‘Boxer 22’. His son, Lt. Commander Brian Danielson, accompanied a recovery team to Laos in March 2006, to do some excavating of a possible gravesite for his father. Prior to that there had been some purported remains that were later DNA identified as Maj. Ben Danielson. His remains where finally returned to Minnesota on May 17, 2007. Major Danielson will be repatriated on Friday, June 15, 2007, at 3:30 PM in Kenyon, MN. Craig Ugland will be the Ride Captain In Charge (RCIC) for this mission.

Preliminary Staging is as follows:

East Metro Sector – Inver Grove Heights Petrol Pumper (Hwy 52 & 117th St. - Time

11:45 AM - Staging opens at the Petrol Pumper, 11650 Courthouse Blvd, Inver Grove Heights, MN. This is just off Hwy 52 & 117th St. Sign Waivers upon arrival. Please follow this link for the Map of this location. http://maps.live.com/?v=2&sp=yp.YN446x8114471&encType=1

12:15 PM – Kickstands up

1:00 PM – Arrive in Kenyon, MN (Approx 40 miles)

West Metro Sector - Faribault H-D

12:00 PM - Staging Opens at Faribault Harley-Davidson just west of I-35 off of Highway 21 (see map link below) http://www.faribaulthd.com/map_hours.asp For those traveling any distance there is a gas station just East of I-35 on Highway 21 with high octane gas. Sign Waivers upon arrival.

12:25 PM - Form group and sign waivers. There will not do a mission briefing at this staging area.

12:35 PM - Kickstands Up

1:00 PM - Arrive in Kenyon, MN (approximately 15 miles) If any sector plans to join us please let me know so we can arrange for LEO escort through Faribault if our group is large.

Rochester / SE MN

No staging due to local sector mission. Everyone meet at the Final Staging Area in Kenyon.

Final Staging is as follows:
12:30 PM - Staging opens. We will stage at the Kenyon – Wanamingo Middle / High School (K-W HS) at 400 6th St., SW corner of the building. Please arrive fueled up. Cages, please park on 6th St., south of the K-W HS parking lot. There are two service stations available in Kenyon, a BP & Marathon. Both stations are on Hwy 60 and both have 92 octane. Sign Waivers upon arrival.

1:30 PM - Pre-Ride Briefing. Due to a tight, complicated schedule, including (2) fly-overs, please be on time and ready to roll.

2:00 PM - All cages will depart for Church, along with the Color Guard Bus. Cages, when you arrive at the church, please park at the very west end of the gravel / grass parking area. You will be asked to help with the Motorcycle Parking. Also, a selected group of riders will depart for funeral home to stage with Danielson Family.

2:05 PM – Kickstands Up. Bikes depart for Funeral Home to pick up Hearse and Danielson Family for escort to Holden Lutheran Church.

2:15 PM – Hearse & Danielson Family join motorcade. We will proceed to the church as one group, including the MN PG, Hearse, and Danielson Family.

2:25 PM - Once we turn from Hwy 56 onto County 30, the main MN PG Group will increase speed to 55 MPH to arrive at the church and set-up before the Danielson Family arrives. The selected group of riders will stay with the Hearse and Danielson Family and continue at 20 MPH. We will park on the county road and must immediately form our flag line before the Danielson Family arrives. RC’s and ARC’s will direct people were to stand. The Color Guards will form the inner circle around the family and hearse to the church entry. The MN PG will form an outer circle around the color guard and guests. Please remember when parking to keep the bikes as tight as possible. Parking will be very, very limited at the church.

2:40 PM - Family motorcade arrives at Church.

3:30 PM - Funeral service begins. We will break after the service begins. There will be an area at the very west end of the parking lot for us to congregate. Please be mindful of noise, as the church windows will be open.

4:00 PM - Re-form flag-line.

4:15 PM - Service should be complete. Casket, family and guests will come outside for a 21-gun salute & Taps. Once the 2nd fly-over is complete, the family will return to vehicles. Once the family is in their cars, we will break the flag-line and return to our bikes for the return trip to Kenyon.

5:10 PM - Arrive at the Hanson Funeral Home for the Final Honor Line. Time is tight between arrival and set-up, so there will be no Flags required for this. There will be a one-block walking procession from the VFW to the Funeral Home including the family, hearse, and honor guards. We will hold our Honor Line at the Funeral Home.

Once the casket and family has entered the funeral home, we will be dismissed. We have been invited to the Kenyon VFW for sandwiches and refreshments after the mission. The VFW is one block from the funeral home.

More information concerning the story of Maj. Danielson is available at the following link,

http://www.digimedics.com/boxer22ahomecoming/

The book "All for One" was written about the Search and Rescue of Boxer 22. This book is available at the attached link.

http://www.pjsinnam.com/Book/Info_All_for_One.htm

As of Thursday, the weather forecast for Friday will be sunny and hot, so please plan accordingly. We must be self-sufficient, so please bring plenty of water, snacks and sun-protection, as we will be out in the country with little shade and no services available. There will be Satellite services available outside the church.

Please be flexible with the itinerary and as always, please come prepared with your 3’ x 5’ Flag, Honor and Respect!

Directions to Staging Area in Kenyon. The VFW will be posting direction signs in town.

Arrival from West: From I-35, take Hwy 60 East into Kenyon, Immediately take a right onto Huseth St. Follow Huseth St. South 4 blocks and take left into K-W HS Parking Lot.

Arrival From North: From Hwy 52, take Hwy 56 South from Hampton. Just before Kenyon, Hwy 56 & Hwy 60 merge at ‘Y’. Stay right into Kenyon. At stop sign, go straight onto Red Wing Ave. Follow Red Wing Ave to 6th St., take a right and follow 6th St. 4 blocks to Huseth St. Take the next right into K-W HS Parking Lot.

From East: From Hwy 52 in Zumbrota, take Hwy 60 West through Wanamingo. Just before Kenyon, Hwy 56 & Hwy 60 merge at ‘Y’. Go straight into Kenyon. At stop sign, go straight onto Red Wing Ave. Follow Red Wing Ave to 6th St., take a right and follow 6th St. 4 blocks to Huseth St. Take the next right into K-W HS Parking Lot.

From South: From Hwy 14, take Hwy 56 North at Dodge Center. In Kenyon, at stop sign, take a left onto Red Wing Ave. Follow Red Wing Ave to 6th St., take a right and follow 6th St. 4 blocks to Huseth St. Take the next right into K-W HS Parking Lot.

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please feel free to e-mail me anytime.

Thanks for doing the right thing.

Craig Ugland

Ride Captain

Rochester / SE MN Sector

MN Patriot Guard

Patriot Guard Riders

^{rochrc@mnpatriotguard.org}