The History of Rolling Thunder®
In the fall of 1987, in a little diner in Somerville, New Jersey, two
Vietnam veterans met to discuss their personal concerns about the prisoners
of war (POW's) and military service personnel missing in action (MIA's) from
the Vietnam War. Having honorably served their country, and having taken an
oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against
all enemies..." and to "...bear true faith and allegiance to the same," they
were dismayed at how their brothers were left behind in captivity by the
very leaders who sent them into battle brothers who fought for America's
freedoms who then found themselves alone without anyone to fight for them.
These two veterans discussed the more than 10,000 reported sightings of live
Americans living in dismal captivity which intelligence reports were
generally ignored by the government and mainstream media. Those two veterans
were Artie Muller and Ray Manzo.The era of the Vietnam War was a dark time
in our nation's history. The country became divided over issues of peace and
war, and a distrust of government grew. In the years following, patriotism
continued to wane as apathy and complacency set in. It was unfathomable for
most that a civilized government such as the United States could knowingly
leave their sons behind at the mercy of their cruel captors, or erroneously
"kill on paper" those classified as MIA. Any talk of the government's
failure to positively identify the remains of those killed or missing in
action by deceptively returning misidentified bones to unsuspecting families
only sounded of paranoia to most. It seemed that everyone wanted to ignore
the facts and forget our heroes. That is, except for Artie and Ray.
The First Rolling Thunder® Demonstration
Artie and Ray were ordinary men who understood they had a right to have
their voices heard, so they proceeded to lay down the plans for a
demonstration at the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. during the 1988
Memorial Day weekend. They reached out to their families, fellow veterans
and veterans' advocates to unify and form a march and demonstration in the
nation's Capitol. They would announce their arrival with the roar of their
Harley Davidson’s, a sound not unlike the 1965 bombing campaign against
North Vietnam dubbed Operation Rolling Thunder®. So they would call
themselves "Rolling Thunder," a title that would endure time and be
trademarked in 1990. Word spread quickly and by Memorial Day weekend in
1988, approximately 2500 motorcycles from all over the country converged on
Washington, D.C. to demand from our leaders a full accounting of all
POW/MIA's. As they made their stand that day in front of the Capitol, Artie
and Ray reflected on what they had accomplished that day and the support
they received from their friends and other compatriots-in-kind who came to
support the cause. This was Rolling Thunder's first demonstration, and only
until all POW/MIA's are accounted for, it would not be their last. On that
day, the foundation was laid for the annual "Ride for Freedom" to the
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall (also referred to as the "Ride to the Wall").
Ordinary individuals created an extraordinary unity that would only gain
strength with time. The commendable efforts of Rolling Thunder have brought
them into the 21st Century. Since the first demonstration, Rolling Thunder
has been actively involved in the POW/MIA cause relating to wars and
conflicts subsequent to the Vietnam War. After the horrific September 11,
2001 terrorist attacks on America and the War in Iraq, Rolling Thunder will
continue to work to ensure that all future service personnel are accounted
for. With well over 2000 MIA/POW's from the Vietnam War, 41 from the 1991
Persian Gulf War, 14 from the Bosnia conflict, and those unaccounted for
from other military operations and the War in Iran, their mission is sadly
far from over.
Rolling Thunder® Today
Rolling Thunder's increased notoriety has not been without its consequences
and critics. Since motorcycles have become synonymous with the Rolling
Thunder® name, it has created a misconception of the organization's true
objectives and purpose, and has sometimes overshadowed their many
accomplishments and contributions to veterans and our local communities.
Non-Profit Status & Membership
Rolling Thunder® was incorporated as a class 501 C-4 non-profit organizations
in 1995. It's headquarters is in the State of New Jersey. Today, the organization has
over 8,000 members throughout the United States, with members abroad as
well. There are close to 90 chartered Rolling Thunder® inc chapters
in the continental United States and several in Chapter forming status. The
Rolling Thunder® membership is comprised of veterans from all wars and times
of peace. Veteran members have earned such distinctions as the Medal of
Honor, Medal of Valor, Bronze Star, Silver Star, Purple Heart, and others.
The membership also consists of non-veteran advocates of all ages,
generations and backgrounds. Rolling Thunder® inc. has a junior membership
program (ages 18 and under) who
actively participate in visits to the local VA hospital, food and clothing
collection for homeless veterans, and fundraising. Rolling Thunder® also
promotes and educates the public of the POW-MIA issues and values of
patriotism and community service.
