After an inquiry about the next two photos I had received from Cindy Shankland, John Gana sent this information on 6/3/08 - "David Mayer did show up on Saturday afternoon around 4:30 p.m.  I don’t know the full extent of his injuries, but he recently lost his legs and parts of his left hand [after] an IED incident in March in Iraq.  He is the son of a Seawolf, and both he and his father came down to the Ballston Holiday Inn to visit us...

David also attended the dinner at the Assembly of God on Saturday evening with us.  He expressed a desire to ride in the Rolling Thunder parade, and thanks to John King “Ice Scout”, “Recon Don”, Rick M, myself and many others, we managed to coordinate a ride for him on a Central Route trike with arm rests and a good back support.  He was safe on the ride, and I believe he was up near the front of the RFTW contingent that made RT.  The trike owner, [“Trike Rider”], displaced his wife and took David, but we got another ride for his wife so she was able to participate in the parade, too.  David’s father did not ride with us. 

After the initial meeting in front of the hotel, the RFTW road guards and quite a few other folks greeted David with a resounding round of applause and many hugs when he entered the hotel.  It was a very emotional experience for all. 

6/2/08 -This came from Rick Muessner: David Mayer is the son of Glen Mayer. Glen did not ride in RFTW either route and is an Army Veteran (1st Cav).

Both Glen and David are members of the Glenn L. Wilson, Sr. SEAWOLF, American Legion Post 746 of Cottonwood, CA. There are also about 20 Seawolves who are members of that Post. Glenn Wilson died about 3 years ago of illness caused by exposure to Agent Orange. Glenn Wilson was my gunner for about the last 6 months he was in Viet Nam.

Glen Mayer called me while we were in Washington and told me that David wanted to come over and meet the Seawolves on RFTW and have his picture taken to send back to the post...David lost both legs and parts of fingers in an IED expolosion - attach in Iraq on March 18th. He was at Walter Reed for fitment of prostethics...


Glen and David came to the Hotel on Saturday afternoon to meet us. Tom Conklin, Barry Waluda and I knew both Glen and David... David came to the Hotel and had his picture taken with the Seawolves who were there...John Gana, Jack Ordner, Barry, Tom, Rod, John Andres, Sherry Bridges [for Mike Dobson] and me, plus Spider and his dad Glen. The pictures were taken outside the front entrance to the hotel.

After the outside pictures, we wheeled David into the Hotel where he was met by +/- 100 riders from RFTW. What a GREAT SURPRISE for him!!!

Later, we talked to David about riding in Rolling Thunder. He had seen Oscar Bear's "Flag Trike" and wanted to ride on it, but Oscar Bear wasn't doing RT, so we found an alternate from Central Route, (Southern & Central worked together as a team to find David his ride)..
David rode on Dick "TRIKE RIDER" Amrick's Gold Wing Trike. Rod Chelius, (our Seawolf Triker), took Dick's wife on his Ultra Trike...

Since David had to arrive early, we had him and Glen stay with us at the Holiday Inn on Saturday Night.

On Sunday Morning, David rode over to the Pentagon to ride in the big [demonstration]. Barry and I took his wheelchair over to the Pentagon Parking lot in our Seawolf Chase Truck. Hollywood helped us talk our way into the Pentagon with the pick-up truck, and we delivered David's wheel chair to him and wheeled him around for about 4-5 hours.

David had his picture taken with a lot of celebrities, and shook many hands, had lots of hugs and was inspired by several other amputees he met that were riding.

David now wants a trike that is fitted with hand controls...

Above, David Mayer's reception at the Holiday Inn-Ballston on Saturday afternoon. Right, David and Rick Muessner getting around at Rolling Thunder on Sunday (see stories above). Cindy Shankland also took the three photos immediately below these.

Rick Meussner submitted the following photos of David Mayer at Rolling Thunder; they were posted on 6/10/08. The first two photos show David with Artie Muller, founder of Rolling Thunder.

Below, left, is David with John Amos. Below, right, he is with Robert Patrick. Below those two photos are two of David with Spider and his bike.

Below, David with a Purple Feather patch

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