Viewfinder: American Legion Members Head to D.C. for Rolling Thunder Rally

Members of in Berkley rolled out on their motorcycles Wednesday morning, headed toward Washington, D.C., to participate in the Rolling Thunder XXIV demonstration during the Memorial Day weekend.

Hundreds of thousands of veterans and their supporters will stream into the capital from all across the county for a rally Sunday that will begin in the Pentagon parking lot and proceed to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. There, participants will honor military members past and present and urge the United States to press governments around the world to release prisoners of war and search for those who remain missing in action.

"It's really moving to see the dedication to the veterans," Post 374 ride coordinator Kevin Quinn said. "I kinda get choked up when I talk about it."

Quinn explained that as Rolling Thunder demonstrators from across the nation head east, they begin to converge and form groups so large that they virtually shut down small towns along the way with a parade-like atmosphere.

"The community welcomes us with open arms," said  Commander John Hamilton of the response riders get when they reach D.C., adding that the American Legion post in Fairfax, VA, makes them feel at home for the weekend.

Hamilton said it is common for the Rolling Thunder event to include an Air Force flyover and visits by dignitaries. The rally is organized by Rolling Thunder, a New Jersey-based nonprofit that advocates for the release of POWs and the location of those who remain MIA.

The Post 374 group that left Berkley on Wednesday includes Hamilton, his wife Laurel Hamilton, Quinn, Darren Hunt, John Suder and Gene Dillard. They met  at the restaurant for some grub before they departed, hoping to beat the rain and, fittingly, thunder that loomed as they began their journey.

"There's a lot of pride and a lot of sadness, too," said Hamilton, who was stationed in Korea during the Vietnam War. "(Memorial Day is) honoring those who've died. Honoring them one day of the year – is that too much to ask?"