Community Corner

Patriot Guard Riders Honor Fallen Marine (VIDEO)

More than 50 Patriot Guard Riders participated in the funeral of Staff Sergeant James Malachowski Monday afternoon.

On one side of the small Hampstead street is the funeral home where the family of Staff Sergeant James Malachowski prepares to lay the fallen Marine to rest. On the other side, close to 50 motorcycles are lined up, many with large American flags flowing off the back. The riders wear black leather gear and a yellow arm band that reads "Patriot Guard." As the hearse leaves the funeral home, the bikes rumble to life and fall in behind for the nine-mile drive to the church.

Staff Sergeant James M. Malachowski, 25, was killed in action in Marjah, Afghanistan on Sunday, March 20, 2011, by an improvised exploding device. 

"We are here to pay honor and respect to Staff Sergeant Malachowski," said Brian Parnes, state captain of the Maryland Patriot Guard Riders

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"We are here to support the family and to let them know that ordinary Americans care." 

The Maryland Patriot Guard Riders is an umbrella group of the national Patriot Riders group.  

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"We are invited by the family to pay our respects," Parnes said. "We also ride for veterans, first responders, police, anyone who puts their life on the line for us." 

When the riders arrived at the church behind the hearse, they stood holding flags, lining the walkway to the entrance of the church.

"We are not a motorcycle club or a riding club," the Patriot Riders' website reads. "We do not have meetings, chapters or dues. Some of the 'riders' do not even own motorcycles. We are not a counter-protest group. We are not the anti-WBC. We are not a veterans organization either.We do not ride in community parades for other than events which meet our other mission objectives.

 "Would that we could make this better, but we cannot. An absolutely wonderful young man, son, husband, father and Marine has given the final full measure. All we can do is come out, show our respect and make sure this family knows how much they mean to us, as they have done for other fallen heroes.  We don’t stand alone, but for hundreds of thousands across this country who want them to know how much their sacrifice means to each and every rider from every state."

To learn more about the Patriot Guard, visit www.mdpatriotguard.org.  


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