Posted on 03/22/2003 3:08:09 PM PST by GailA
5,000+ show support for U.S. at USA Stadium in Millington
By Woody Baird The Associated Press March 22, 2003
MILLINGTON, Tenn. — Ricky Hunt held a poster with an 8-by-10 photograph of a young Marine and carried a large Marine Corps flag over his shoulder as he stood at the entrance to USA Stadium Saturday for a pro-military rally.
Hunt, who lives in nearby Bartlett, said he spent seven years coaching baseball for the soldier, Lance Cpl. Brandon Thornton, an 18-year-old reservist called to duty in the 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marine Division, which is now guarding prisoners in Iraq.
Hunt said with tears in his eyes that Thornton is a "just a great guy," but added that "we came out for all our boys.
"We're really tired of all the protesters. I don't understand them. I think they ought to remember where they got their freedom," Hunt said.
By the end of the rally, the poster was covered with signatures and it will be given to Thornton when he returns home.
The event at the baseball stadium was coordinated by American Legion Post 252 and Memphis, Tenn., radio station WREC. Organizers passed out free small American flags and collected donations for the post's "Military Family Support Network." The beginning of the program was delayed about 45 minutes because of a traffic jam on the two-lane highway leading to the stadium. The bleachers, which seat 5,000, were packed — with several hundred people standing in the grass.
(THIS IS ME) Organizer Gail Keasling of Millington told the crowd that even though many countries and people within the U.S. opposed the war, they should support the troops.
"America is not perfect, folks, but she's darned near perfect," Keasling said, adding that "freedom is not free. It's paid for by the blood of our military."
Fifteen American flags were lined up on each side of the field parallel to the first and third base lines, another flag flew from the light pole in centerfield, and there were American and Tennessee flags at second base.
A green C-130 military plane made periodic passes over the field, and the crowd broke out into several spontaneous chants of "USA, USA, USA."
Veterans of World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam and the first Gulf War spoke at the rally, where the parking lot was filling with vehicles sporting American flags on bumpers, windows and attached to the backs of pickup trucks.
On one car, a sticker read: "If you love your freedom, thank a vet." A shoe polish message on the window of a van said: "Support our troops, they keep us free."
Brian Styer, a former Navy medic who has been in a wheelchair since the nerves in his legs began deteriorating after the Gulf War, spoke on behalf of disabled veterans.
"All these folks that are out there protesting, they need to realize that if they didn't have men and women willing to sacrifice their blood, their health and their lives, they wouldn't even have that right to protest," he said.
Walter Hollyfield, a pilot during Vietnam who now lives in nearby Atoka, said the troops are in Iraq now "to try to keep war from coming here."
Millington, a town of 10,500 about 10 miles north of Memphis, is home to a military base called the Naval Support Activity Mid-South, which includes a personnel and recruiting command and a manpower analysis center.
About 1,600 military personnel and 2,200 civilian employees work on the base.
Until 1993, the base was called the Memphis Naval Air Station and housed a technical school for young sailors being trained for aircraft maintenance and air traffic control.
Millington is the only Memphis suburb with a sizable military presence and has long prided itself as a center for pro-USA attitudes.
The baseball stadium is a former training site for the U.S. Olympic team that is currently used for high school and college tournaments. Last year, the U.S. team of junior college All-Stars defeated the Chinese national team in a five-game series.
Is that RA-5 still out in front of Edson Hall?
Went to talk to another FReeper who owns a local computer repair/printing business. We kicked around some ideas. He thought maybe Mr Howard who owns the stadium would let me have the use of it. NOW Babe is a died in the wool Dem, but he is a WW2 Vet. Said to call his manager out at the stadium. Called and left a message for him. BUT GOD kept prompting call the Col. I told him what I'd accomplished so far. Told him I had the will and spirit, but not experience. That I did good GRUNT work. He said let me make some calls. He called me back Tue and said it could be done. We started hammering out details by Wed we had locked in Day and place and time. Thursday they starting promoing it on the WREC 600 and KWAM 990 and Rock 103. By Monday Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck had recorded promos for it. By Wed Ch 24 & 30 mentioned it nightly (they are part of Clear Channel's system).
GOD's handy work right down to a PERFECT day. About 65, sunny, and just enough breeze to make Old Glory flutter nicely.
Off to the left but not full in pic is our disabled Gulf War Vet, AM Legion Chaplain, Gulf War vet fixing to deploy to Iraq, me, Korean Vet, Vietnam vet, WWII vet, Anthem singer on far right. 
I am sure you will know by the time you read this that we had a rally today for you and the other men an women "over there" at the USA Stadium. Highway 51 was snarled in both directions at Babe Howard Blvd. Suddenly, I heard the "whop-whop-whop" of police sirens. Traveling north on 51 (in the southbound lane) were two Millington police cruisers escorting nearly a hundred bikers... all with American and POW/MIA flags flapping in the breeze. It was wonderful. I even got an email from my cousin in NYC stating that Millington made the news. This was the first time I was stuck in traffic and didn't try to rip the steering wheel off... Praise the Lord!!!!!
I love you brother.
John
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