'Thank You Troops!'

KOMO 4 News ^ | November 15, 2003 | Kevin Reece

[grimalkin]

PIERCE COUNTY - As many troops reported for duty in Pierce County Saturday, they ran a gauntlet that even caught some of them off guard.

It was a massive display of support.

"Thank you troops for freedom! We love you!" said one supporter.

Troops driving to Camp Murray or Fort Lewis Saturday had not doubt of that love.

Supporters packed four different overpasses on I-5, waving American flags and carrying sings of support.

"This is what patriotism is all about man, " said one man

The biggest crowds gathered at the Berkely street entrance to Camp Murray.

Claudia Gaska handed each soldier a flower as they drove past.

"It lifts my heart. It makes me feel like I'm giving them a little bit of peace and hope and faith," said Gaska.

National Guardsman Justin Lee from Algona got two of those flowers.

"Thank god they're here to support us," said Lee. It surprises me how many are actually out here. I wasn't expecting this kind of a surprise!"

Anti-war protesters might not have been expecting this surprise either.

The ranks of the pro-troop forces swelled even larger when they learned war protesters might rally on the overpass too.

Misty Robinson is married to a soldier. "They need to know that this war has to go on for a reason and that we as a people need to stick together," she said. "This anti war stuff is just not gonna happen around here."

Actually it did happen, but very briefly. Maybe a dozen anti-war protesters showed up. They were quickly surrounded and although they tried to shout their message, they were shouted down.

All of the shouted and chanting went on as Chris Hilstad quietly held up a sign for her nephew PFC Duane Longstreth of the 82nd airborne. He was killed in a non-combat incident in Iraq in August. She lost a soldier in her family. She supported Longstreth's cause and she wanted the ones leaving Saturday to know, despite her loss, she supports them too.

"We're here we're here for all of them," she said. "This is what I can do for my country is support the troops that are over there (in the Middle East)."

[dighton]

*

[chainsaw]

This is what patriotism is all about man, " said one man.

This is like putting alum on a democrat. LOL
Eat your heart out Hillary.

[Angelwood]

Thanks to all who lined up to show our troops that we support their efforts. Prayers for all those who have lost a loved one while he/she was defending our freedoms.

[Samwise]

[SandRat]

Way to go!

[MarMema]

Related threads are here and here.

[God luvs America]

This is fantastic! You'll never see this on CNN, Dan Rather or those other leftist networks...no, they'd rather highlight the commie bastards in our nation who side with the terorists. This is absoultely fantastic, especially the way they "surrounded the anti-war protestors and shouted them down!"

GOOD JOB!!

[Chad Fairbanks]

Ping...

[Free_at_last_-2001]

Excellent!

[MarMema]

ping

[MarMema]

Should be video at this link, at least it was there yesterday.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

It was a massive display of support.

"Thank you troops for freedom! We love you!" said one supporter.

Troops driving to Camp Murray or Fort Lewis Saturday had not doubt of that love.

~~~~~~
Beautiful post. Americans will continue to love and honor our troops (or else *g*).

Thanks to KOMO 4 News for loving 'em, too.
~~~~~~~~~~

If you want on or off my Pro-Coalition ping list, please Freepmail me. Warning: it is a high volume ping list on good days. (Most days are good days).

[blackie]

Beautiful post. Americans will continue to love and honor our troops (or else *g*).

Big Bump!

[blackie]

FYI ~ Ping!

[ChadGore]

Will this be featured the next time in a "very special 48 hours" ? ? ?

[VOA]

grimalkin, I apologize in advance to you and Jim Robinson for this temporary diversion of your thread


Dear Fellow Freepers...I'm hi-jacking this thread for a short side-bar in hopes to inform you to motivate y'all just a bit.....
the deadline (November 13th) for mailing military care-packages via the APO/FPO route to
our best and brightest has passed.

BUT...you can still mail military care packages!
I know, I DID IT YESTERDAY! (Saturday 11-15-03)

TIME to:
SHOP
BOX
and
MAIL

for shipping advice, see threads at these URLs:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1003802/posts
(please not that the USPS website URL are missing a ".com"),
and remember to mark the "Redirect" box and write in "Commander/Chaplain"
on the Customs form...that way your box will definitely be used
AND
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/997310/posts


Further info. on VOA's mailing of two packages on 11-15-03, Saturday

I'll admit that it's costly. I loaded up one of the free "Priority Mail" cardboard boxes from the
local United States Post Office.
I loaded up each of two boxes with all sorts of "comfort food" and "personal hygiene" items that
should be useful, no matter if the recipient gets them or they are redirected by a "commander/chaplain".

I loaded each boxes with food items like...
flavored coffeed (e.g, hazelnut flavored that had sugar in the blend),
artificially-sweetened Tropical-Punch-flavored Kool-Aid (so sugar isn't required),
Spam-brand "Oven-roasted Turkey" (no pork products; metal-sealed for long-term preservation)...something
that a hungry Iraqi might really appreciate as a gift),
Lipton soup-packets in the flavors of "chicken noodle", "ranch", and "beef onion" (humble, but a change of pace!)
Oreo Cookies ("America's Favorite Cookie"...so I bet US soliders like 'em),
M&Ms -- holiday-colors...bet those will be well received around the tent!,
disposable razors (and a bar of "Burma-Shave" brand shaving soap!),
new toothbrushes (heck, might just be useful in cleaning an M-16!) and toothpaste,
solid-form under-arm deoderant....

I'm sure that folks who've actually served in a long-term deployment far from home, especially when separated
from beloved family and friends DURING THE HOLIDAYS can come up with even much more meaningful
and significant items to send to those who are abroad...protecting us, their fellow band of brothers and sisters,
and, at a long reach.....you and me.

[radu]

What a wonderful post! It brought tears to my eyes. This awesome display of support had to absolutely make the day for those troops. My thanks to all who participated.

Thanks so much for the ping, RC!

[areafiftyone]

What a wonderful post! It brought tears to my eyes

Mine too. I checked the other posts and the pictures are just beautiful. The sea of Red White and Blue is just AWSOME!!!

[sleavelessinseattle]

Yo RC...Requesting Ping List addition Many Thanks... and I wrote a note to Komo4 thanking them for a generally neutral coverage of the event...a BLUE MOON likelihood event. Maybe if enough people do so it will help get some news about heartland AMERICAN VALUES for a Change!!!;-D

mailto:Tips@KOMO4NEWS.com