FORT GIBSON, Okla. — Hundreds of motorcycles, emergency vehicles, veterans, and community members gathered on Memorial Day for the 17th annual Honor Ride to the Fort Gibson National Cemetery.
The annual event, hosted by the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association and the American Legion, began in Wagoner before riders traveled together with a full police escort to Fort Gibson.
WATCH: Veterans and riders gather for annual Fort Gibson Memorial Day Ride:
Motorcycles lined the road as American flags waved throughout the procession honoring fallen service members.
“We went because that’s what our country wanted and we did it with pride and we’re glad we did it,” veteran Alex Cruz said.
Cruz was one of hundreds of riders participating in the event.
“This is to honor all the men that didn’t come home and all the men that have died before us,” Cruz said.
Organizer Kyle Vance said he was happy to help make the event possible.
“It’s just a great honor to be a part of this and to help bring people together,” Vance said.
The ride ended at the Fort Gibson National Cemetery, one of Oklahoma’s oldest national cemeteries and the final resting place for thousands of veterans.
Organizers said the event was not meant to raise money or recruit members, but instead focuses entirely on remembrance and honoring those who served.
“We’re just here to remember those and pass this on for generations to come,” Vance said.
For many veterans, organizers said the event carried deep emotional meaning each year.
“It brings a tear to my eye every time I ride this thing every time I hear taps played,” Cruz said.
