Posted on 04/06/2003 4:29:16 AM PDT by SLB
Carla Jackson had a hard time fighting back her tears.
Wearing the sweatshirt she had made while her husband was in Operation Desert Storm, she was taken back by the emotion of Saturday's Support the Troops Rally at the Pritchard Community Center in Elizabethtown.
"At first, it didn't seem like the community out in town or at Fort Knox was doing anything," she said, "but everyone came out in full force today."
Jackson, whose husband, Tracy is a platoon sergeant deployed to Kuwait with Fort Knox's 233rd Transportation Company, was one hundreds of people who flooded the center with red, white and blue flags and yellow ribbons to show their support for America's men and women in Iraq. With more than 300 seats on the floor, attendance was standing room only.
Knox's commander, Maj. Gen. Terry Tucker addressed the crowd, along with U.S. Rep. Ron Lewis, R-Cecilia, and a handful of locals who have family in the Middle East.
A myriad of musical tributes also brought many others to the verge of tears.
"All I can say is thank you," said Glendale resident Betty Jo Dahlhauser, who was joined by her husband, John, and 9-year-old daughter, Chessie.
The Dahlhauser's other daughter, Senior Airman Cassie Jo Kurtz, is now serving with the Air Force in Saudi Arabia.
"This kind of support today has helped us as a family," John said. "You can't image the pride we feel seeing everybody come out like they have."
"I loved it," added LaRue County resident Jodi Brooks, whose husband Jeff was deployed Jan. 2 with the Louisville-based 223rd Military Police National Guard unit. "I got so pumped up, you couldn't imagine how it made me feel.
"I was afraid not too many people were going to show up, but when I saw how crowded it was, it was a big weight lifted off my soldiers seeing so many people together for such a positive cause."
Those who have already died in battle were also honored toward the end of the rally. For those with family still threatened by a similar fate, Tucker offered his reassurances.
"We didn't ask for this," he said, "but we'll finish it, and we'll bring them home safe."
This article does not do the rally justice. One mother who could hardly speak due to emotion had a poster board with the pictures of her three sons on it. One, in the Army and in Iraq, one in the Navy and on a sub, and one just finished Air Force basic training. Another has a husband in Afghanistan and a son in Iraq. There was a mother and her mother with signs proudly proclaiming that "My son is a Marine" and My grandson is a Marine" and wearing sweathirts with the same. Another couple is red t-shirts proudly proclaiming their son is in the Marines. A group of bikers who had just completed a run to raise money for homeless vets in L'ville were there. The hats on vets ranged from WWII to Desert Storm to Korea and Vietnam, Panama to Haiti.
One of the most uplifting experiences I have had. The final crowd estimate was about 650 to 700. Not bad. The only part that was out of context was an elderly politician. She was not booed, but the applause was lacking. The context on her speech were some sppeches by Dr Martin Luther King. I do not take from him, but this was neither the time nor the place.
Sharon Hornback of Sonora joins others in prayer for military personnel during the Support the Troops Rally Saturday at Pritchard Community Center. Hornback's son, Scott, a graduate of LaRue County High School, is serving in the Navy aboard the USS Iwo Jima. Scott Hornback also served aboard the USS Wisconsin during Desert Shield/Storm.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.