current year event photos:
All of the photos published here come from a variety of sources, including uploads from members, social media, or availability in the public domain. The quality of the images is determined by the source of the photos.
It's our goal to bring you current photos.
The Chapter is looking for an Historian volunteer
- someone with a good camera to take pictures at events.
If you are interested, please let us know.
Viewer videos and photo's
Rolling Thunder® Florida Ride For Freedom XXXV
Rolling Thunder® Florida Ride For Freedom XXXV
Video captures by webmaster
Video provided by Bob Ericson - US1 Rockledge/Viera
Video provided by Space Coast Daily Friday Night Locker Room
Registration area, Space Coast Harley-Davidson, and the Friday evening Candlelight Vigil
Photos by our Dutch Veteran Friends
Photos by our Dutch Veteran Friends
Special Memorial Day Ceremony hosted by Mike Erdman Automotive
Video produced by Space Coast Daily Friday Night Locker Room
Gold Star Families Dinner at the Veterans Memorial Center.
Proclamation presented by County Commissioner Rob Feltner
Proclamation presented by County Commissioner Rob Feltner
Rolling Thunder® Florida Ride for Freedom Blessing of the Bikes
at Squidlips Seafood at Port Canaveral.
at Squidlips Seafood at Port Canaveral.
Chapter 1 escorts Member Amanda Hernkind and family to Cape Canaveral National Cemetery for the inurnment of her Grandparents.
Photo's by Mike Schulze
Photo's by Mike Schulze
Chapter 1 participates in the annual Veterans Reunion
at Wickham Park in Melbourne, FL
Photos courtesy of Cindy Flowers and Amanda Hernkind
at Wickham Park in Melbourne, FL
Photos courtesy of Cindy Flowers and Amanda Hernkind
The annual Vietnam Veterans and All Veterans of Brevard
wreath presentation event 'At the Moving Memorial Wall'
Photos courtesy of Will Davis
wreath presentation event 'At the Moving Memorial Wall'
Photos courtesy of Will Davis
A tradition at Chapter 1 - escort the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall from the staging point at Eastern State College in Cocoa, to Wickham Park in Melbourne. The Wall will be on display throughout the veterans Reunion, sponsored by Vietnam and All Veterans of Brevard (VVB).
Photos courtesy of Amanda Hernkind and Allison Fields
Photos courtesy of Amanda Hernkind and Allison Fields
Webmaster note: It is an honor to have the Brevard County Property Appraiser (Dana Blickley) at nearly every event the Chapter has either hosted or attended. She is a staunch supporter of veterans and their families, and we are blessed to have her attend our events. Thank you Dana.
The Chapter set up tents around Cocoa Beach during the annual Cocoa Beach Air Show, featuring the
Air Force precision team Thunderbirds. They also assisted vendors with merchandise sales.
Air Force precision team Thunderbirds. They also assisted vendors with merchandise sales.
Florida Chapters 1 and 8 together with VFW Riders, CVA Riders, and BSCO, escort
SGT MAJ USMC (Ret), Paul Joseph Chevalier and family to Cape Canaveral National Cemetery.
SGT MAJ Chevalier served 4 tours in Vietnam.
SGT MAJ USMC (Ret), Paul Joseph Chevalier and family to Cape Canaveral National Cemetery.
SGT MAJ Chevalier served 4 tours in Vietnam.
Chapter 1 raises POW*MIA flag at the Alura Senior Living Facility in Rockledge
Promoting our Motorcycle Raffle Tickets - only $10 each
President Lance Armstrong (far right), Chairman of the Board Barbara Morris (center) and her family (left) out and about selling tickets for our very first motorcycle raffle. Contact any Chapter 1 Florida member for yours.
President Lance Armstrong (far right), Chairman of the Board Barbara Morris (center) and her family (left) out and about selling tickets for our very first motorcycle raffle. Contact any Chapter 1 Florida member for yours.
On February 9th, 2023, Rolling Thunder® members from Kentucky and Florida Chapters
escorted our beloved "JJ" Justice to Cape Canaveral National Cemetery
escorted our beloved "JJ" Justice to Cape Canaveral National Cemetery
A link to the entire funeral service, escort, and committal Chapel is available HERE
courtesy our friends at Space Coast Daily.
Please note that the video is about an hour long.
The Chapter attends Memorial Service for Col. Joe Kittinger in Orlando
Aviation legend and UF alum Joseph Kittinger died of lung cancer on December 9 at the age of 94. Kittinger grew up in Orlando and attended UF in the 1940s before enlisting in the US Air Force Aviation Cadet Program. He was an officer in the Air Force from 1950 to 1978, earning Command Pilot status and eventually retiring as a colonel.
As the test director for Project Excelsior, he made three landmark parachute jumps, the last of which, Excelsior III, set world records for the highest parachute jump (102,800 feet), fastest speed of a human traveling through the atmosphere (614 mph), and longest free fall (4 minutes, 36 seconds) in August 1960. The altitude and speed records stood for 52 years before being broken by Felix Baumgartner in October 2012 for the Red Bull Stratos project, during which Kittinger himself was Baumgartner’s mentor and served as capsule communicator during the jump.
Kittinger also served three tours of duty in the Vietnam War, flying 483 combat missions. During his third tour, he shot down a North Vietnamese MiG-21, but was later shot down himself in May 1972 and spent 11 months as a prisoner of war in Hanoi. He would receive over 40 commendations and medals throughout his military career.
Other milestones in Kittinger’s illustrious life include setting a balloon altitude record (96,800 feet) in June 1957 as part of Project Manhigh, winning a Harmon Trophy for the world’s most outstanding aeronaut in 1959, being the first person to make a solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in a gas balloon (September 1984), and being inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1997.
A self-proclaimed “proud Gator,” Kittinger returned to UF for Engineers Week in February 2013 and spoke to hundreds of students and faculty about his roles in the Excelsior and Stratos projects. He was awarded the MAE Outstanding Alumnus Award, the highest honor the department awards to alumni, that year.
As the test director for Project Excelsior, he made three landmark parachute jumps, the last of which, Excelsior III, set world records for the highest parachute jump (102,800 feet), fastest speed of a human traveling through the atmosphere (614 mph), and longest free fall (4 minutes, 36 seconds) in August 1960. The altitude and speed records stood for 52 years before being broken by Felix Baumgartner in October 2012 for the Red Bull Stratos project, during which Kittinger himself was Baumgartner’s mentor and served as capsule communicator during the jump.
Kittinger also served three tours of duty in the Vietnam War, flying 483 combat missions. During his third tour, he shot down a North Vietnamese MiG-21, but was later shot down himself in May 1972 and spent 11 months as a prisoner of war in Hanoi. He would receive over 40 commendations and medals throughout his military career.
Other milestones in Kittinger’s illustrious life include setting a balloon altitude record (96,800 feet) in June 1957 as part of Project Manhigh, winning a Harmon Trophy for the world’s most outstanding aeronaut in 1959, being the first person to make a solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in a gas balloon (September 1984), and being inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1997.
A self-proclaimed “proud Gator,” Kittinger returned to UF for Engineers Week in February 2013 and spoke to hundreds of students and faculty about his roles in the Excelsior and Stratos projects. He was awarded the MAE Outstanding Alumnus Award, the highest honor the department awards to alumni, that year.
