Black Butte Ranch rolls out the stars and stripes

Hundreds gathered at Black Butte Ranch on Independence Day to salute our country's flag, honor BBR veterans, and race their red, white, and blue decorated bicycles from the sport field to the rec barn, ending up at the Fourth of July barbecue.

More than 300 children and adults took the mad dash toward the Fourth of July picnic where they got to dangle from the heights on the climbing wall, have a tug of war, do the limbo, and try their luck in the balloon toss.

Rodger Gabrielson manned the microphone at the sport field for the annual celebration.

"We want to honor all those who have served," Gabrielson said, urging all BBR veterans onto the field to help lead the pledge of allegiance to the flag.

It was the third year honoring the veterans out at the Ranch. Each of them had their own story to tell. Bill Benson carried the flag of honor out onto the field and the veterans were called forward by branch of service.

Benson was an MD when he entered the service, and is a retired colonel. He served his country from 1965 to 1988 in U.S. Army Special Forces in Okinawa, planning for medical crews and supplies. Later he ran a residency program and was in a teaching role, teaching other MDs.

"There was a separate draft for doctors," Benson said. "I think 90 percent of all doctors went into the services in 1966."

The Korean War was nearly over when gunnery officer Dick Portwood toured the east coast of Korea, doing shore bombardment, antisubmarine patrols and pilot recovery. He was in and out of Japan off the coast of China. Their home port was Pearl

Harbor.

"The people from the USS Philip are still getting together," Portwood said. "We've met three or four times at the Ranch and you wouldn't believe all the places we've met throughout the world."

From 1960 to 1974 the Air Force aeromedical evacuation squadron was served by Captain Bill Hammersley.

"Cargo planes took supplies to the war zone and we'd configure the plane for medical use for the return trip," Hammersley said. "What was sad was I saw more mental injuries than physical. They weren't in a capacity to travel on board regular transport because they were unstable."

Sometimes those who have been away from America appreciate our freedoms most.

Renee Robertson has just returned from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates where her husband was an engineer working on a wildlife park and resort for one-and-a-half years. She came with her in-laws and daughter Raegan, who decorated her bike for the parade with her grandfather's help.

"It feels good to be back in America for the Fourth," said Robertson, smiling at her daughter on her newly decorated bike. "We had one July 4 celebration while we were in Dubai. Scotsmen, Irishmen and Englishmen were there, but we made them wear red, white and blue, and they did."