Hundreds of Bikers Rally to Pay Respect to Vietnam Vets

By Jacqueline Sit, NEWS 9

NORMAN, Oklahoma -- From Tulsa all the way down to Norman, hundreds of bikers drove down historic Route 66 to honor the men and women who served our country and fought for our freedom.

Cynde Collins Clark has lived in a military family her whole life. Her father served in the Korean War, her cousins served in the Vietnam War, and her son is an Iraq War veteran.

"My family has a history of serving our country from the Air Force, to the Marines, to the Army, to the Navy," Collins-Clark said.

Among the sea of bikers are the faces that fought for our freedom. No matter where they serve or what they ride, together the veterans rallied as one as a welcome home to Vietnam vets.

"It was a really emotional experience having people wave their flags, and it was really emotional. I teared up a few times," said Shane Triebel, a Desert Storm veteran from Kansas.

Triebel rode in from Kansas to join his fellow service men and women to escort the Dignity Memorial Vietnam wall, a three-quarter scale traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC, to Norman.

"It's very appreciated for the Vietnam vets to actually get the respect that they deserve. Finally get the respect they deserve. It's just really emotional and tore me up inside," Triebel said.

Many Vietnam vets like Paul Merchant never got the welcome home.

"No, but that's not the whole truth though because you do get welcomed home by your family," Merchant said.

As Merchant reminisced about his life on the front lines, it was clear to see the raw emotions he still struggles with.

"In my particular unit, we had pretty heavy casualties and there's no appreciation," Merchant said.

But the appreciation was there at last with support and praise for our heroes, for those who are still here and others who will never be forgotten.

"For the first time we started realizing that war isn't always grand. They aren't something that's made up of parades. I think for a lot of guys that are here today, we wanted to have that parade," Merchant said.

The event kicks off Operation Oklahoma, which is the state's official salute to Vietnam veterans. It will continue all week in Oklahoma City, Norman and Tulsa.

The Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall will be on display 24 hours a day from June 30 to July 4 at Norman's Reaves Park.

Learn more information about the Dignity Memorial Wall