| On Saturday July 17 2010 a few members from the Red Knights Pa Chapter 2 made the trip to Gap Pa for the Corporal Brandon M. Hardy Memorial Ride.
Brandon was stationed in the Haditha Dam area of Al Anbar. While on patrol in the early morning hours of April 28, 2006, the vehicle in which Brandon was a passenger hit an IED. Brandon was killed in action along with Sgt. Edward G. Davis III, Antioch, IL and Sgt. Lea R. Mills, Brooksville, FL. Cpl. Brandon M. Hardy died fulfilling his greatest passion – serving his country.
After receiving the news of his death, his family established a scholarship in his memory. The young men and women who will be entering the military will be given a few standard supplies on their first day of boot camp and a debit card to get the required haircut –the cost of these items will be garnished from their first pay. Over their years of service there will be many things required but not issued by their military branch – this scholarship will help provide funds for those non-issued items.
Today's ride covered 110 miles with stops at Smaltz HD and Herr's Potato Chips Factory before make a pass by Brandon's grave site on the way back to the Gap Fire Company where a very nice lunch was provided to all riders. After lunch Brandon's mom made a short speech thanking everyone for coming out in the extreme heat, she said this was the 5th annual ride in Brandon's memory and each year gets bigger, this year attendance was 235 bikes.
To conclude the day Brandon's mom presented a scholarship to a young lady that was heading to Navy boot camp in October ironically with the Red Knights present this young lady is a Firefighter and is going to boot camp to be a Naval Firefighter, the Red Knights wish her the best.
Today's ride was not only in Brandon's memory it was to honor all past, present solders that served and to remember the one that made the extreme sacrifice for their country so you and I can enjoy the wonderful things in life like riding motorcycle.
Corporal Brandon M. Hardy, USMC
3-8-81 ~ 4-28-06
K.I.A. Al Anbar, Iraq
Operation Iraqi Freedom |
