UPDATE Regarding EVENTS

With thousands of like-minded followers, Patriot Connections has been dedicated to providing our veteran, military, first responder and patriot community with a comprehensive resource of events in NJ, PA and the surrounding areas for the last 10 years - including resources for veterans and first responders. Whether it's information on upcoming 5K Runs/Walks, Sporting Events, Job Fairs, Town Hall Meetings, Motorcycle Runs, Ceremonies, Dinners, Dances, Honor Missions, Welcome Homes, Golf Outings, or Resources for our Veterans, Military and 1st Responders. 

November 2021 - Over the last couple of years (including COVID), many events were cancelled/postponed and most organizations have chosen to list their events on social media platforms such as Facebook. Due to decrease in organizations listing their events directly on the Patriot Connection website, we primarily just list events on the Patriot Connections Facebook Page. Feel free to visit our Facebook Page for upcoming events and submit your events there. 

 

 

The Wall That Heals - Swoyersville, PA - Volunteers, Motorcycle Escort, etc

The Wall That Heals - Swoyersville, PA - Volunteers, Motorcycle Escort, etc

06/08/2017 - 06/11/2017    
All Day
“The Wall That Heals,” a traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial will be open for visitation 24/7 from June 8th - 11th at the Little League field behind American Legion Post 644, 259 Shoemaker St. Swoyersville, PA. Motorcycle Escort on June 7th. Welcome Home Ceremony Saturday, June 10th 12noon, Closing Ceremony on Sunday, June 11th at 3pm. More info visit website
Donald W Jones 32nd Flag Memorial

Donald W Jones 32nd Flag Memorial

06/09/2017 - 06/11/2017    
All Day
32nd Annual Donald Jones Flag Memorial. Over 65000 flags in the shape and size of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC. Each flag representing in American killed or Missing In Action during the Veitnam War. Please join us. Friday, June 9th - volunteers needed to help plant flags 9am. Saturday, June 10th - free concert and day of reflection - bands starting at 12noon. Sunday, June 11th= Motorcycle rally starting at noon at Bristol Twp Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Memorial Service and repatriation ceremony starting at 1pm. Contact Donnie Joes 267-566-2860 or edwardsabol@hotmail.com
10 Jun

23rd Annual Gala and Golf Tournament - MCLEF

06/10/2017    
All Day
Save the Date - 23rd Annual Gala and Golf Tournament - MCLEF. June 10, 2017 Tropicana Atlantic City, 2831 Boardwalk. Ticket price $175 per peson. Special hotel rates available. GOLF TOURNAMENT is June 12th at Atlantic City Country Club, Northfield, NJ 9am shotgun. BBQ Lunch to follow. $225 per golfer.More info email mclefac@aol.com . 
Honor Flight Philadelphia - Support and/or Escort

Honor Flight Philadelphia - Support and/or Escort

06/10/2017    
12:00 am
Join Warriors' Watch Riders and friends, to provide an escort for five busloads of WWII vets returning from their visit to the WWII Memorial in DC. These are the members of the greatest generation who stormed to beaches at Normandy, who fought at Anzio, and in the Battle of the Bulge, and anywhere else they were asked. These are the heroes that saved our world. We have but one answer to this request YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! Main Rally Point: Northbound I-95 Pa rest stop at the Delaware state line Rally Time: 5:00 pm (1700) Try to arrive sooner to aid in staging for the event KSU: 5:30 (1730) or when the buses arrive. See flyer for more info
10 Jun

WWII Boxer Rocky Castellani Monument

06/10/2017    
10:30 am
Through the support of the Borough Council and efforts of individuals and corporations, the LVMP plans to erect an inspirational "Go The Distance" statue of ATTILIO "ROCKY" CASTELLANI, Luzerne native, veteran hometown hero, and legendary world middleweight boxing contender.  The Rocky "Go The Distance" statue represents the true inspirational, real life story of a local Luzerne Legend.  Rocky was born to an Italian immigrant family at 816 North Street, Luzerne, Pa.  He was the son of a dedicated coal mining father and dress factory working mother. He grew up in Luzerne economically challenged and overcomes life threatening adversity fighting as a WW II Marine in both Guam and Iwo Jima.  Rocky then becomes an accomplished WWII Marine Corp. and Army Boxer, eventually goes on in life to fight for [...]
Nam Knights of America Motorcycle Club, Tri-Base Chapter Open House and Fundraiser

Nam Knights of America Motorcycle Club, Tri-Base Chapter Open House and Fundraiser

06/10/2017    
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
ALL ARE WELCOME ** THERE IS NO ADMISSION FEE! ** WHEN: Saturday, June 10, 2017 RAIN DATE: Saturday, June 17, 2017 TIME: 1:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. Music, Vendors, Native American Bike Blessing, 50/50, Basket of Cheer, Food (for purchase), and more! Visit our web site: http://www.tribasenamknights.org/ and Facebook event page for more information! ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT LOCAL MILITARY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND THEIR FAMILIES IN THEIR TIME OF NEED!
Send Off for Eric Dougherty USAF

Send Off for Eric Dougherty USAF

06/10/2017    
2:00 pm
Warriors Watch posting - We've been asked by the family of Eric Matthew Dougherty to come by and wish him luck on his recent enlistment in the USAF. They are calling it a See Ya Later Party. How could we not show this young man how much him signing on that line means to us. We'll crank it up so all his neighborhood knows his dedication to our great country!! Rally location: Tilted Kilt Pub and Eatery, 645 Cross Keys Rd., Sicklerville, NJ 08081. Rally time: 1400hr (2pm), Ksu: 1430 (2:30pm)
Thank You USAF Timothy Land - 20 yrs of Service!

Thank You USAF Timothy Land - 20 yrs of Service!

06/10/2017    
3:15 pm
Warriors Watch posting - Our hero is retiring from 20 yrs of service and we have been invted to stop at a party in his honor given by family and friends to show him how much we appreciate his service. Rally Location: WAWA, 230 New Brooklyn Rd., Williamstown, Rally Time:1515 (3:15pm), KSU:1535(3:35pm)
 


PATRIOT CONNECTIONS DOG TAG PROJECT

The Patriot Connections DOG TAG PROJECT MISSION: Return dog tags that were lost and found to the veterans they belong to or their families. If you believe we may have your dog tag please contact Director of Research/Returns Sue Quinn-Morris at squinn9807@aol.com or 856-495-7270.

THE DOG TAG COLLECTIONS

SOUTH JERSEY COLLECTION – This collection of dog tags (450) journey home began in 1993 from DaNang and China Beach area in Vietnam where they were being sold in shops. Gloucester County Time Reporter Jim Six asked the then Deptford Police Chief Ray Milligan to purchase as many as he could and bring them home, as Milligan traveled back and forth to Vietnam for Operation Smile. He brought back 450 of them and gave them to Jim Six. Over the years several people/organizations worked with Jim Six on returning some of the dog tags. In 2010, he gave the rest to us to try and locate and return the rest of them. With much effort and research, we have located many, completed returns and have more returns underway throughout the United States. 

BOUGOURD COLLECTION - This collection of dog tags began their journey home after British Army/Navy veteran, Aaron Bougourd, received them from the family of Major Thien in 2006. Bougourd had been volunteering for the Father Ray Foundation Orphanage in Thialand when he met Major Thien, and helped him find his lost family in Vietnam. Thien, a South Vietnamese officer living as a refugee. Major Ly Kim Thien was commissioned as an officer of the Republic of Vietnam Air Force in 1964 and served in several capacities throughout Vietnam up until the fall of Saigon in 1975. It was after this that he was sent to a communist reeducation camp, where he was tortured and forced to denounce his anti-communist beliefs. In 1994 he escaped Vietnam on foot through Cambodia and on to Thailand, which is where Aaron Bougourd met him. Thien’s family, as a token of appreciation, gave Bougourd some dog tags they had found at Ben Hoa Air Base. Aaron, a resident of the UK, reached out and sent some of the dog tags to Patriot Connections Dog Tag Project to help return them. Returns are underway. 

SANTAYANA COLLECTION - Touring the Ho Chi Minh trail in 1998, Wall Street trader Manny Santayana stumbled onto a Vietnamese man who made a living out of extracting bombs from the ground, grinding up the metal and selling it for profit. Sometime he would stumble upon dog tags from U.S. soldiers, which he would collect and store in an ammo bag under his bed. Santayana paid him $100 for 105 dog tags and brought them back home.Over the next several years, he was able to make some returns to dog tag owners, but he eventually became too busy to continue with the research. He then enlisted the help of Senator James Beach, who formed a committee for dog tag returns – Quinn-Morris has researched and facilitated returns from this collection. The collection is stored in the NJ State House.

HUTCHINGS COLLECTION - In December 2012, Jack Hutchings, a prominent businessman in Florida,  had been traveling on his yacht in the Solomon Islands. There, the villagers gave him some American WWII dog tags they had found. He brought them home in hopes of getting them returned to the veterans/families. . Upon returning home, he stumbled across a newspaper article in the Orlando-Sentinel about the dog tag return to USMC Vietnam veteran, James Alderman that we did. This prompted him to contact us in hopes that we could located and return the dog tags to the veterans/families they belong to.

MISC COLLECTIONS - From time to time we are contacted by people that have found dog tags and are looking for help in returning them. As long as they are looking to do so with NO CHARGE to the veteran, we do aide them in finding and returning.

Organizations helping with Dog Tag Project The following organizations have and continue to aid with the return of the dog tags nationwide; Nam Knights of America MC, American Legion Riders, VFW Riders, Warriors Watch Riders, Patriot Guard Riders, various American Legion Posts and VFW Posts. Returns have taken place in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Florida, Illinois, New York, Arizona, Tennessee, Connecticut, Oklahoma, Ohio, Maine, Kentucky, Washington DC, Oregon, Texas, California, Washington and Michigan.

It is essential to the Project that the dog tags are handled and delivered to the veterans and/or their families in a dignified manner.  From the moment the dog tag is handed off, to the moment it reaches the hand of the veteran, the dog tag is well cared for and attended to, to ensure that it arrives to the veteran/family safely. If you believe we may have your dog tag, or a dog tag that belongs to a family member or friend, please contact Director of Research/Returns Sue Quinn-Morris at squinn9807@aol.com or 856-495-7270.

* Over 100 dog tags have been reunited with the veterans/families they belonged to. Please bear with us as we update the dog tag return stories and dog tag lists *