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In 1971, Mrs. Michael Hoff, the wife of a US military officer listed as missing in action during the Vietnam War, developed the idea for a national flag to remind every American of the US service members whose fates were never accounted for during the war. The black and white image of a gaunt silhouette, a strand of barbed wire and an ominous watchtower was designed by Newt Heisley, a former WWII pilot. By the end of the Vietnam War, more than 2,500 service members were listed as Prisoner of War or Missing in Action. In 1979, Congress and the president proclaimed the first National POW/MIA Recognition Day. Three years later, the POW/MIA flag became the only flag other than the Stars and Stripes to fly over the White House in Washington, DC. “The symbol of our Nation's concern and commitment to resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans still prisoner, missing and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia”;.Congress designated the third Friday of September as National POW/MIA Recognition Day.

“To Correct the Past and Protect the Future”; Rolling Thunder® Inc's major function is to publicize the POW/MIA issue. To educate the public of the fact that many American prisoners of war were left behind after all past wars. To help correct the past and to protect future veterans from being left behind should they become prisoners. We are committed to helping diabled veterans from all wars

I would like to thank all who joined us on sunday July 27th 2008 for our run to support the DAV. The run was very successful and without your support it would not have been possible. Please try to support our sponsors that are listed on the back of our run shirt and check our web site from time to time to get updated info on other veteran related events.

Thank you all very much hope to see you next year..

Rolling Thunder 2 NY President Mike "Rock N Roll" Mike Gargiulo

Jesse Murphee was never a Staten Islander,but yesterday, the wounded war veteran received a hero’s welcome worthy of someone who’s lived here all his life.Murphee, a 21-yearold Colorado native who lost both legs in December 2007 while serving as a U.S. Army specialist in Afghanistan, was the guest of honor for the first “Murph Day —Buy a Soldier a Drink” held by the Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar in Richmond Valley.

From 4 p.m. until closing, any guest who chose to "buy a drink for a soldier" was actually donating the cost of his or her beverage to the Fisher House Foundation, a private-public partnership that helps wounded soldiers be close to their loved ones in times of injury or illness. "It's overwhelming, seeing this many people that care," Murphee said. The outpouring of support was the brainchild of Dan Oakes, a fellow vet and Applebee's employee, whose brother, Joseph, served with Murphee in Afghanistan. Oakes was joined in welcoming Murphee by members of the local veterans community, led by Rolling Thunder Chapter 2, who escorted Murphee to the South Shore restaurant via motorcycle from the Hampton Inn in Bulls Head. "All our vets took a vow: Anybody who is coming home will be welcomed home," said Frank Mulholland, a Vietnam veteran who still remembers the lack of fanfare attending his generation's return from the trenches.

"Once we walked out of the hotel, they all shook my hand or hugged me," Murphee said of the supportive bunch of bikers. "It was incredible." Michael Garguilo, president of Rolling Thunder, said that even though the bikers didn't know Murphee personally, they still felt connected to him. "I'm a non-vet, so I'm sympathetic to these guys who choose to do this," Garguilo said. "It's very important to make these people understand they are not alone. Anyone who is a wounded warrior, I feel a personal connection to."

As of 8:30 p.m., Garguilo said the event had raised roughly $1,700 for Fisher House.

A group of men and women stationed at Fort Wadsworth joined the festivities around 5 p.m., marching in formation through the parking lot to honor Murphee. The 25 soldiers are part of Empire Shield Bravo Company, a counterterrorism unit that patrols Penn and Grand Central stations in Manhattan. "We're here to support any endeavor that helps support the troops," said Lt. Sanford Cohen. The sight of camouflage and the cadence of heavy boots caused Murphee to think back to the battlefields he yearned to march across his entire life. "It's weird," Murphee said. "I haven't seen that since before I got hit."