4th of July 2008

Everett Washington

AND the Winner is!

Gary Smith and Alan Stephens at the Awards ceremony --- Well Done!

Alan sure knows how to display the Award --- Temporary of course

 

This year the Award looks VERY NICE

GOOD WORK to everyone at the parade

Our boat at the staging area in Everett

  

The crowds were bigger than last year

The after 50 Cal trained on the Clones and the noisy big wheeled truck

Our Boat Crew

A. Billy Ratt leader of the pack

Our Bow crew L to R Michael, Roxanne, A. Billy Ratt, Nicole Wilber and Steve Wilber

 

Our after gun crew Gary Smith on the Left and Alan Stephens on the right

The amidship twins Heinz Hickethier and on the right Don Dennis

Forward Gunner Tom Restemayer

Joe Lavoie

Wayne Palmer

Several views of our boat from the crowd

 

 

We included Boat Division 92 in our parade announcement and with a banner on our boat to honor them for their support of our group

Our Gamewarden members after the parade

L to R Tome Restemayer, Larry Bissonnette, Don Denis, Heinz Hickethier, Wayne Palmer and Alan Stephens

 

4th of July in Everett  2007

Our 4th started at 8:00 in the morning getting the boat ready for the parade

After putting red, white and blue bows on the boat, mounting guns and last minute clean up, the boat was ready for the parade.

Above is a shot of the boat and the early morning working party L to R Larry Bissonnette, Rich Starks, Heinz Hickethier, Dave Perry, Don Dennis, Dennis Wheeler, Steve Wilber, Tom Moffatt, Tom Restemayer and Bob Brower.

IBU Eleven supported our efforts this 4th of July with their truck and driver  EN2 Joiner. He got to the base and hooked our boat to the IBU truck at 7:00 in the morning on our arrival we put magnetic placards with River section/division patches on them for color. Then it was off to the parade to wait for underway time. We were joined by additional NWC sailors IN whites left  Allan Stephens and Joe Lavoie right

As you look at our boat you will see various boat numbers For Navy Cross winner who have some connection to us. 750 Starboard bow Patrick Ford's PBR --- the USS Ford home ported here in Everett. 755 Port Bow Dave Larsen's PBR ---- this boat was used in the Combat Zone PBR TV show as PBR 750 --- Larry's Division. 770 on the stern BMC Truette's boat from River Section/Division 551 --- my Division

This years parade was bigger than last year and everyone was given a heads up that gamewardens was in the Parade when EN2 Joiner would give a big blast on the IBU's truck horn

Our group was lead by Rich Starks black mustang with the 458th Army PBR contingent and A Billy Ratt onboard.

Naval Station Everett Open House

Visible support of the IBU and the Naval Station could be seen in the Truck and the large Brow  both of which made it a safe 4th of July but we received so much more support not visible to the public to make this our biggest and best 4th to date.

The Naval station reported over 17,000 visitors  

We were busy all day working with large crowds and telling the story of PBR's and the Brown Water Navy

Special Guests Nicholas Rider and his Family

14 year old Nicholas Rider seen here with his Grandfather and Tom Restemayer before the parade. Tom had read of Nicks book about Veterans and suggested that NWC honor him for his effort to honor veterans by having him and his Grandfather a WWII marine ride with us on the PBR in the parade. All of us were honored to have them with us. After the parade Nick had a book signing at NS Everett in the shadow of our boat.

Click here to reads Nicks story

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At the end of the day we had Nicks entire family onboard the PBR so that we could have a small ceremony making Nick an Associate member of the NW Chapter.

Nick's Family L to R John Haney (grandpa), Stephanie Rider (sister), Rick Rider (dad), June Haney (grandma), Mary Rider (mom), Nicholas Rider (author)

 

The Ships Store

 At all of our major events we have the Gamewardens Ships Store this year. The sales staff  included all the usual suspects like Larry Bissonnette and a new hardcore salesman Tom Moffatt. Tom had old ladies and young kids bagging to buy our products.

L to R Gary Smith, Larry Bissonnette and Darlene Bissonnette