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The LP continued
to gain momentum and dominate headlines in the final 100
miles to San Antonio. When they arrived on November 7, 1985
, the black POW flag was flying over the Alamo in honor
of the march... an intensely moving symbolic gesture that
sent chills down the spines of the marchers. In an emotionally
charged but highly dignified ceremony, The Last Patrol,
about a hundred strong, filed past and touched the historic
shrine, as hundreds more of their supporters looked on.
Then the
group set up a vigil in the Alamo Plaza through Veterans
Day. They called it "Firebase Alamo." Over the next few
days veterans and families came from all over the country.
Martin and Holiday performed several inspired concerts.
At night people joined around the fire as they had for the
three previous weeks.
Veterans
Day ceremonies began with the raising of the POW flag once
again at the Alamo. San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros
expressed his support and concern by reading the names of
the men from the San Antonio area who are still "Unaccounted
For." He was then presented a POW/MIA bracelet that bore
the name of Julian Escobedo by the man's mother,
Ofelia Garcia, a woman of exceptional grace.
Martin and
Holiday then performed , "I Am With My Friends",
which was based on a letter Davy Crockett had written his
daughter, "I Ain't Here Alone", and "Will
the Circle Be Unbroken?" As the people joined hands
and formed circles within circles, Michael and Tim and Dee
Beavers (a fellow singer ,Vietnam vet, and a primary
media spokesman on the march) addressed the crowd.
"Whereas,
Col. Travis drew the legendary line here at the Alamo a
hundred and fifty years ago and asked those to cross it
who were willing to give their lives in the cause
of freedom," explained Martin, "what we're asking today
is that you be willing to take a pledge to live your
life in the cause of freedom."
"We have
already shown that we were ready to die. When you cross
this line you pledge you will not take your own life. And
you have to mean it.", said Holiday.
"You pledge
to live your life in a way that reflects the ideals that
have guided us to this Mission," said Beavers. "This is
not the end. This is the beginning."
"Keep the
fires burning... there's one patrol still out," Martin reminded.
"Let the vigil fire burn forever in your hearts. Don't let
it die."
Using a
ceremonial Marine sword, the line was drawn in front of
the Alamo and the challenge extended. By the hundreds, they
crossed the line and spontaneously began to hug each other.
Tears rolled down their smiling faces. The hugs started
to merge into one enormous hug... one mass of humanity...
one heart... one soul... one voice... chanting, "I will
live! I will live!" After a time, the chant somehow evolved
into "POW/MIA! POW/MIA!" The Voice began growing in volume
and intensity. No one who was there will ever forget the
experience.
That afternoon
they were to march in the Veterans Day Parade. "Of course,
we also had to march to the parade," Martin explains,
"The staging area was a half mile or so from the Alamo.
By then, we were a small army... about the size of the one
that had held off Santa Anna for a couple of weeks back
in 1836. So we formed up a long column of four and started
that way.
"For some
reason, known only to God, I felt compelled to call a 'Column
Left!' the wrong way down a one-way street. Some would call
it lunacy. I prefer to think of it as a supreme act of faith.
What's really crazy is that they executed that Column Left
immaculately, without question. Probably the first time
I had given a command that none of these hard-asses wanted
to debate. It was a little chaotic. Cars were pulling out
of our way. Cops were hustling about, trying to clear a
lane for us. Bless their hearts."
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