Third Annual KIA Thunder Run, Military-Vehicle Show, and Swap Meet in California’s North Monterey Bay Area, Labor Day Weekend

Free event in northern California will have a two-hour midday ceremony to honor our nation's killed in action and others who died while serving. The Saturday, September 1, 2007, event from 9AM to 6PM will also have a military-vehicle show and swap meet.

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Patriotic Bikers
The military-vehicle show complemented motorcycles with patriotic themes from Rolling Thunder, American Legion Riders, and other groups.

San Jose, CA (YOUR SHIELD) August 21, 2007 -- The USA KIA/DOW Family Foundation (USAKIA), in conjunction with J&S Surplus & Outdoor Store, a division of Eagle Emblems, and America Remembers KIA, will hold its Third Annual KIA Thunder Run, Military-Vehicle Show, and Swap Meet on Saturday, September 1. The Labor Day Weekend event in northern California's Monterey Bay Area will again be next to J&S Surplus & Outdoor Store. Major participants include Rolling Thunder and the American Legion Family. The event will be free and open to the public.

Red KIA Flag on Motorcycle, 2006 KIA Thunder Run, Military Vehicle Show, and Swap Meet
A motorcycle flies a large KIA flag at the Second Annual KIA Thunder Run, Military-Vehicle Show, and Swap Meet.

The store and site are located at the intersection of N. Struve Road and Highway 1 in Moss Landing. For 2007, the group plans food and merchandise sales, as well as music. Jim Gilbertson, a J&S Surplus & Outdoor owner, says, "Just look for the flags" to find the landmark surplus, paint-ball, and outdoor-supply store.

MVCC Tank from 30s
An old tank was at the event in 2006.

Swap Meet at the Event in 2006
2006 was the first year with a military-vehicle show and swap meet.

USAKIA benefits families of those in the U.S. military who are killed in combat. Sponsors again want to honor U.S. killed in action (KIA), died of wounds (DOW), and any member of the U.S. military, civilians, or public safety who die in the line of duty or by a terrorist act.

Ms. Gabby Cribland sings the National Anthem.

The event will take place on a Saturday on Labor Day Weekend for the third straight year, and the California Military Vehicle Collectors Association (MVCC) will put on a military-vehicle show for the second year in a row. Vendors will also put on a swap meet like last year besides, as well as sell food. There will be music all day and a two-hour ceremony beginning at noon. For the third straight year, Ms. Gabby Cribland will sing the National Anthem, and for the second straight year, Big Rain will provide live music.

Big Rain Plays in 2006

California National Guard Color Guard
2006's event also had a color guard from the California National Guard.

Last year the California National Guard had a color guard, and about 300 people attended the ceremony. They will again provide a color guard for 2007, and motorcycle groups such as Rolling Thunder and the American Legion Riders will also participate, with the California National Guard raising the U.S. and KIA flags with the Gold Star Mother, and Rolling Thunder Raising the POW*MIA flag. California chapter president of Rolling Thunder, Chaplain Joy Jeannette, will also speak. Other American Legion Family representatives will include Paul Rodriguez, past California detachment commander of the Sons of the American Legion. He is also the current chaplain for the detachment.

USAKIA and Rolling Thunder Presidents

California chapter president of Rolling Thunder, Chaplain Joy Jeannette, receives a Certificate of Appreciation from USAKIA for their participation in 2006. Joy also spoke about a family member KIA in Vietnam.

Gold Star Mother in 2005

Keynote speaker for 2005 was Amalia Gonzalez, Gold Star Mother of Victor Gonzalez, KIA in 2004.

Keynote speaker for the Third Annual KIA Thunder Run will be Gold Star Mother Nadia McCaffrey. Her son, Sergeant Patrick Ryan McCaffrey, was KIA in Iraq in June of 2004. Patrick was a member of the California National Guard. She also founded the Sergeant Patrick Ryan McCaffrey Foundation in his honor to benefit fellow veterans. It has a project called Veterans Village at www.veteransvillage.org.

Participants for 2006
Participants show their Certificates of Appreciation from USAKIA: L-R, Joe Wiscowiche, father of William "Willie" Wiscowiche, Alec Arago of Congressman Sam Farr's office, Jim Gilbertson, owner of J&S Surplus & Outdoor Store, and Gold Star Mother Pat Wiscowiche, keynote speaker for 2006. Vincent Bartning (your far right) presents cetificates for USAKIA.

Last year, USAKIA had Pat Wiscowiche, Gold Star Mother of William "Willie" Wiscowiche, as the keynote speaker. For 2005, the first KIA Thunder Run, Amalia Gonzalez, Gold Star Mother of Victor Gonzalez, "honored the event as our first keynote speaker" according to Vincent Bartning, president and assistant Webmaster of USAKIA.

Raised U.S. Flag
The midday ceremony had a flag-raising ceremony with the National Anthem. Here we see the U.S. flag raised.

Other organizations and government agencies will also participate. The Marine Corp League plans to provide a table, and Congressman Farr's office has also been invited again. Organizers expect more event-goers this year.

Alec Arago - Congressman Farr's Office
Alec Arago speaks at the event for California's 17th Congressional District. Congressman Farr's office also presented USAKIA and J&S Surplus & Outdoor Store with Certificates of Special Congressional Recognition.

USAKIA plans a raffle to raise funds, and tax-deductible donations can also be made at the nonprofit's Website, www.usakia.org. Its activities include events, a free flag program, and a project for children of those who die in combat the nonprofit began with a donation of tickets to Paramount's Great America from the PGA. It also plans other activities to benefit KIA and DOW families.

Military Jeep
Here's another military vehicle on display in 2006.

About the USA KIA/DOW Family Foundation:
The USA KIA/DOW Family Foundation (USAKIA), based in San Jose, California, is an IRS-approved, tax-deductible and tax-exempt nonprofit. KIA families incorporated the 501(c)(3) organization in the fall of 2003 to benefit families of those killed in action and died of wounds while in the U.S. armed forces. Current services include memorial events, membership, and a free-flag program for KIA and DOW families.

The public-benefit corporation has had a group approach it for a California Medal of Honor Project (CAMOHP) and another one for a free tutoring program for K-12. New programs will include: 1) an active-duty U.S. Marine helping kids write thank-you letters to families of KIA, and 2) providing free tickets to children of combat dead to San Francisco and Monterey Bay Area attractions such as Paramount's Great America.

USAKIA also has products honoring U.S. KIA. America Remembers KIA allows USAKIA the use of its trademarked KIA flag and symbol. See the organization's Web site at http://usakia.org for further information or to make a tax-deductible donation.

USAKIA opened two blogs in early 2006, Your Shield on Blogger at http://usakia.blogspot.com and USAKIA's Blog on Yahoo at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/usakiadowff. The not-for-profit corporation also began an eBay blog in late 2006, Fallen Heroes' Remembrance, at http://blogs.ebay.com/usakia, and a Newsvine column in April at http://usakia.newsvine.com.

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Contact Information:

Dennis Malloy
USA KIA/DOW FAMILY FOUNDATION
http://www.usakia.org
408 954-8280
CR @ usakia.org

Links (Open in New Window):

USA KIA/DOW Family Foundation (USAKIA)
Press Release on PRWeb
Press Release on PRWeb in PDF Format

Check out Our New Group: Remember Fallen Vines

Icon for New Remember Fallen Vines Newsvine Group
USAKIA, which benefits kin of U.S. armed forces who die from combat, will use this graphic for its new group.
It's used with permission, and generally the nonprofit allows the non-commercial use of the KIA flag.

USAKIA began a new group on Newsvine today, Remember Fallen Vines. Its description goes:

To be killed in action (KIA) or to have died of wounds (DOW), to die as a result of armed combat while in the armed forces of the USA, "brings on many changes," like one song goes. It means broken branches in the family tree, fallen vines. Honor combat dead here; benefit their families, those left behind.

One popular World War I (Great War before 1939) memorial went:

Safe in the homeland singing today,
Waiting for dear ones still on the way,
Trials are ended, hardships are past.
Johnny's safe in Heaven at last!

Another poem with an unknown author goes:

We thought of you with love today
But that is nothing new.
We thought about you yesterday
And days before that too.

We think of you in silence
We often speak your name.

Now all we have are memories
And your picture in a frame.

Your memory is our keepsake
With which we'll never part

God has you in His keeping
We have you in our Heart.

Come join, check out the articles, or post one yourself.

Families with Combat Deaths Plan Memorial Day 2007 Display in Northern California

A nonprofit for families of U.S. combat dead plans a display to honor killed in action on Memorial Day for the second straight year at Moss Landing in California's Northern Monterey Bay, Monday, May 28.


U.S. and KIA Flags Flying in Virginia
Picture used with permission. Here are the U.S. and KIA flags flying at the Virginia home of a Founding Member of USAKIA, Mickey Beard.

San Jose, CA (PRWEB) May 26, 2007 -- The USA KIA/DOW Family Foundation (USAKIA) plans to celebrate Memorial Day with an event like last year at Moss Landing on May 28. It holds a larger Labor Day Weekend event the Saturday before Labor Day. The nonprofit also has two programs, one for free flags for killed in action (KIA) and died of wounds (DOW) families, the other for free tickets to Paramount's Great America. Families with KIA and DOW began the nonprofit and remain involved. It also held elections this month during its annual meeting.

The Memorial Day event on Monday, May 28, will be the second year in a row the nonprofit sets up at the site near J&S Surplus & Outdoor Store in California's Northern Monterey Bay. The store and site are located at the intersection of N. Struve Road and Highway 1 in Moss Landing. This year, the group plans food and merchandise sales, as well as music. The food will be from a barbecue, a symbol in itself for Memorial Day Weekend. They will also again play taps at 3PM, local time, for the National Moment of Remembrance in honor of American war dead.

The Labor Day Weekend event this year will take place on Saturday, September 1, and will have much more participation. It will be the third year in a row for the ceremony. Last year included a military-vehicle show and swap meet, and about 300 people participated in the event, including families and motorcycle groups such as Rolling Thunder and the American Legion Riders. Congressman Farr's office sent a representative, and the California National Guard also participated. Organizers expect even more turnout this year. The nonprofit also plans to hold raffles at both events.

KIA Flag Flies Right of U.S. Flag on House Flagpole
Picture used with permission. Mickey Beard, sister of SSgt George L. Winkler, a World War II Army Air Corps man killed in action in the Philippines, displays the KIA flag in Virginia. She also took part in the Free KIA Flag Program USAKIA offers.

USAKIA also has an auction featured on eBay again this year, the third year in a row. It also has a store there as well. Proceeds from sales on eBay benefit families of U.S. combat dead.

Programs include the events, and the nonprofit has kept its free flag program going, sending packages with meaningful items to families of those who get killed by hostile action while serving in the U.S. military. Items include things such as a 3 foot by 5 foot KIA flag, one it also sells on eBay. The packages include other items besides and get sent by Priority Mail with personalized labels.

The nonprofit has now begun another program with a donation from the PGA. The PGA provides free tickets to Paramount's Great America to 501(c)(3) organizations that benefit children. USAKIA plans to use the two tickets it has so far and add to them, providing a day at the Santa Clara County amusement park for up to 2 local children or grandchildren of those killed in combat and an adult parent/guardian for each.

Dennis (L) and Janice Malloy
Dennis Malloy and Janice Malloy sit at an event the nonprofit had at Moss Landing, the site of J&S Surplus & Outdoor Store. Both already officers, Dennis was also elected as a director of USAKIA's board during its annual meeting in May.

The organization also has an annual meeting with elections in May. Its Bylaws require a certain percentage of those related to combat dead on its board of directors. Directors elected one new member to USAKIA's board, Dennis Malloy, a supporter and Coast Guard veteran from the Vietnam era. Dennis also handles the nonprofit's community relations. Current directors include relatives of those with combat deaths from at least World War II to the present-day conflict in Iraq.

Patriotic Bikers
Here we see some of the decked-out motorcycles at USAKIA's Labor Day 2006 Event in Moss Landing. They complemented the military-vehicle show and swap meet.


Appreciation Certificates Presented
L - R, Joe Wiscowiche, Alec Arago for Congressman Sam Farr's Office, Jim Gilbertson for J&S Surplus & Outdoor Store, Pat Wiscowiche, and Vincent Bartning; Pat and Alec receive certificates of appreciation from USAKIA.

About the USA KIA/DOW Family Foundation:

The USA KIA/DOW Family Foundation (USAKIA), based in San Jose, California, is an IRS-approved, tax-deductible and tax-exempt nonprofit. KIA families incorporated the 501(c)(3) organization in the fall of 2003 to benefit families of those killed in action and died of wounds while in the U.S. armed forces. Current services include memorial events, membership, and a free-flag program for KIA and DOW families.

The public-benefit corporation has had a group approach it for a California Medal of Honor Project (CAMOHP) and another one for a free tutoring program for K-12. New programs will include: 1) an active-duty U.S. Marine helping kids write thank-you letters to families of KIA, and 2) providing free tickets to children of combat dead to San Francisco and Monterey Bay Area attractions such as Paramount's Great America.

USAKIA also has products honoring U.S. KIA. America Remembers KIA allows USAKIA the use of its trademarked KIA flag and symbol. See the organization's Web site at http://usakia.org/ for further information or to make a tax-deductible donation.

USAKIA opened two blogs in early 2006, Your Shield on Blogger at http://usakia.blogspot.com/ and USAKIA's Blog on Yahoo at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/usakiadowff. The not-for-profit corporation also began an eBay blog in late 2006, Fallen Heroes' Remembrance, at http://blogs.ebay.com/usakia, and a Newsvine page in April at http://usakia.newsvine.com/.

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Contact Information:

USA KIA/DOW Family Foundation (USAKIA)
Dennis Malloy, VP Community Relations
408-954-8280
CR@usakia.org
http://usakia.org