Race Car Tribute
Jane, a Stryker mom, sent the following photos and description of her boyfriend's race car that she decorated to honor her son and his fellow soldiers deployed to Iraq. Thanks!
Here are a couple pictures of the race car - it is a 360 Sprint Car. My boyfriend is the car owner and each year I do the decals on it. This year it only took a moment for me to know what I wanted to do with the car. My son is stationed in Mosul Iraq he is with the 1/24 B. Company. I wanted to find a way to show my support to all armed forces fighting overseas - especially my son and his brothers in arms - most of which I know or have become acquainted with thru pictures, letters and instant messages.
The outside of the wings which is very hard to see in a picture has stars on it - those are not hard to see, but each star has the name of my son and his buddies - the inside of the wing has a support our troops yellow ribbon and the names of fallen heroes whom my son knows.
When i told my son what i was doing it brought alot of excitement from his buddies - the first night the car was brought out to race - it did four laps around the track by itself - while the announcer spoke about the car - the crowd started cheering, and several wiped away tears as it made it's final lap. The next night we raced it in Michael’s home town Billings Montana - it drew the same response from the crowd.
I also started a support group with some parents of soldiers from fort lewis all stationed in Iraq – the names of their soldiers are also on the car. It is funny a whole world away some of our boys have met each other. This group has been a GOD SEND to me - without them I don't think I could have made it through this time of my life.
I am proud to honor all our soldiers this way.
Jane
Comments For "Race Car Tribute":
That is such an inspiring story! Not that it makes a difference, but I'm also from Montana, and I have a cousin over there who is from Billings. It touched me to hear what you did. I'm sure your son was thrilled! All the men over there, including my cousin and fiance, are in my thoughts and prayers.
Posted by: strykerfiance | June 24, 2005 11:29 AM
This is awesome. Thanks, Jane.
Stryker Mom,
Ellen
Posted by: Ellen | June 24, 2005 12:23 PM
Jane, thanks for a great way to support our Stryker troops. If each person who sees this car will say a prayer for our troops it will be a blessing for all. Thanks for your great show of support.
Posted by: mathmom | June 24, 2005 12:30 PM
Jane...What a wonderful idea to show your support...wish I was able to see the car in person...please let us know if you ever bring the car to the East coast...
Proud Mom of SSG Rosado
1/24 B Company
Posted by: Cathy | June 24, 2005 3:41 PM
Jane if there's any way to purchase copies of these pictures from you please let me know..
Proud Mom of a 1/24 B Company Soldier
Posted by: Cathy | June 24, 2005 3:51 PM
Jane,
How honored your son and his buddies must feel. What a beautiful way to show your support and to honor some of our fallen heroes. Its an awesome sight!!!!!
Posted by: Patti Kaszuba | June 24, 2005 5:31 PM
Thank you....there should be minireplicas we could buy to honor our soldiers! Thanks for inspiring us and caring so much for our soldiers!
God bless all our soldiers and their families!
Posted by: strykerfollower | June 24, 2005 7:11 PM
Great idea and great way to support the guys, my son is also with 1-24 B Company.
Father of PFC Lawson
Posted by: Larry | June 24, 2005 8:16 PM
I am honored to have the name of my son on this very special car. What a wonderful way to honor our soldiers...way to go, Jane. I am also a member of the support group that Jane is the founder of and do not know what I would do without these wonderful, caring people to share my thoughts and concerns with. This group is truly a blessing.
Stryker Mom Linda in PA
Posted by: Linda May | June 24, 2005 8:37 PM
What a nice tribute to the heroes that are there to keep us free. Thank you for sharing and may they all come home soon. God bless.
Posted by: Florence | June 24, 2005 9:06 PM
THESE PICS OF THE RACE CAR IS AWSOME!!!! MY NEPHEW JUST GOT BACK FROM HIS TOUR OVER THERE IN IRAQ, THEM GUYS ARE FIGHTING HARD THERE AND HAVE GAVE UP SO MUCH, I'M SO PROUD OF OUR TROOPS, THANKS LADIES AND GUYS,
Posted by: PROUD AUNT | June 24, 2005 11:34 PM
As my son would say,"Kool",
Proud Mom of SPC Scott
Posted by: Scott's Mom | June 25, 2005 12:50 AM
Jane: Thanks for posting this. Our son, SSG Lonnie Thornton is with the 1-24 B Company in Mosul. What a wonderful tribute to our children in harms way. If you come to California, please let me know.
Posted by: Theresa Thornton | June 25, 2005 5:54 AM
I have a son in Iraq also that is stationed out of Ft. Lewis. You really did a wonderful thing for your son and all of ours.
Posted by: 1/5 Stryker Mom Gail | June 25, 2005 9:07 AM
Hi
I wanted to say thank you for all your wonderful comments on the race car. It helps me to know that it has touched so many people. If any of you are interested in pictures please email me at ladybug105us@yahoo.com - I am so proud of all our soldiers. Just to pass on a bit of info the car is to be raced at the July 2nd race here in my hometown. The track has contacted me and it will be pushed out on to the track while the national anthem is played and a special prayer will go out to all the troops.
Thanks again Jane
Posted by: Jane | June 25, 2005 4:33 PM
Jane,
The pics are awesome and Mike is honored to be on a star. He is a medic with Co. C in Mosul. Thank you and Cal for honoring all our troops.
BF another stryker mom
Posted by: Lynn | June 25, 2005 7:14 PM
Dear Jane,
I am the Mom to Sgt. Adam Plumondore from the 1/24th killed in February of this year. What a wonderful and heartwarming act on your part to not only honor and show support for our guys by painting your car the way you did, but to also offer photo's to the rest of us who would like to get a closer look. It helps a broken heart to see such a tribute paid to those who have given all they have to give; and to those still in harms way... all of whom we will never forget.
Thank you for your gift to all our guys.
Sincerely,
Sgt. Adam Plumondore's Dad, Mom & Brother
Posted by: Adam's Mom | June 25, 2005 8:07 PM
Thank You, Thank You, A special tribute!!
I know the support is appreciated in every
way. It reminds them that we are thinking
about them, praying for them and love them.
My son is in the 1/25 from Ft. Lewis. Is
there anyway you could bring the car out
for homecoming? Would love to see it in
person. Benjudahmom
Posted by: Benjudahmom | June 26, 2005 6:09 AM
Thank you Thank you. I too am a Stryker Mom from the Midwest and my son is with 3-21 I can't thank you enough for thinking of something like this to do for our boys. I'm sure all the guys will just love it and it shows them how much we care and support them. My prayers are with all of our soldiers daily. Thank you Jane you are great
Mom of PFC Watson
Posted by: Jill | June 26, 2005 8:10 PM
How wonderful to hear such warm comments! We are proud of you Jane and Calvin - great idea with so much of your heart poured into it! It's great to hear from so many stryker parents! I too am part of the stryker support group and our son David is very honored and thankful to be one of the stars representing all the soldiers in Iraq. Do any of you parents want to talk? It's always like water to a dry sponge when we find another parent of a stryker! Our hearts are connected. Kaye
Posted by: Kaye | June 27, 2005 4:21 AM
Thank you does not seem adequate when someone goes above and beyond the call of duty to honor and support our Soldiers. But it's from the heart .... THANK YOU! I know that a tribute such as this race car will do so much for the morale of those who continue the mission and is truly a tribute for those who have fallen. Thank you for sharing the car with us and for displaying it proudly for the world to see how much we love, support and miss our Soldiers. For those who have lost a Hero it truly touches our hearts to know that others remember. From the bottom of my heart, Thank You.
The Very Proud Aunt of
SGT Adam J. Plumondore
KIA, 16 February 2005, Mosul Iraq
Posted by: Aunt Lisa | June 28, 2005 7:52 PM