PANAMA CITY — Two events this week — Warrior Beach Retreat and the Wall of Remembrance — will celebrate veterans who were wounded or killed in action.
The Warrior Beach Retreat is in its fifth year. The event was organized by Linda Cope, whose son Joshua was wounded in 2006 in Baghdad when the Humvee he was in struck an improvised explosive device. The two soldiers next to him were killed. Joshua Cope suffered extreme blood loss but never lost consciousness.
“At one point he raised his hand to God because he thought he was going to die,” Linda Cope said.
Under fire, two soldiers put tourniquets on Joshua Cope’s legs, saving his life. However, he lost both of his legs and suffered injuries to one of his hands.
Linda Cope was inspired to organize the Warrior Beach retreat after seeing Joshua and his wife, Erica, struggle with their “new normal.” The retreat is meant to reconnect married couples.
“It’s to bring hope and health to combat veterans and spouses and caregivers,” Linda Cope said.
Fifty wounded combat veterans are coming to the event this year, from as far away as California. A motorcade starts at 4:15 p.m. Thursday at Laketown Wharf in Panama City Beach and crosses the Hathaway Bridge, where local residents traditionally line the roadside with flags and signs of support for the veterans. The motorcade ends at First Baptist Church in Panama City, with a program at the church beginning at 5:45 p.m.
Lt. Patrick Cleburne McClary will speak at the church. McClary was awarded silver and bronze stars and three purple hearts. He lost an eye and an arm in combat in Vietnam.
Laketown Wharf is hosting the veterans and Panama City Toyota is providing them brand new vehicles during their seven-day stay.
Wall of Remembrance
Vietnam veterans also will be involved when the Wall of Remembrance is escorted to Oaks by the Bay Park on Thursday.
Dan Marvin, who helped organize the motorcycle escort for the wall, spent 30 years in the U.S. Air Force and fought in Vietnam.
“I lost a brother-in-law in Vietnam and several friends,” he said.
The Wall of Remembrance honors all service members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as all the victims of the 9/11 attacks, 11,000 names in total.
“I’ve been involved with the Vietnam Memorial moving wall and I know what it meant to me,” Marvin said. “All the Vietnam vets I know say ‘never again.’ They’re not going to be treated the way we were.”
Visitation hours for the wall run through Sunday. There will be an opening ceremony at 6 p.m. Friday, an event honoring the fallen at 2 p.m. Saturday and a closing ceremony at 2 p.m. Sunday.
Major Gen. Mark McQueen will speak Friday; former combat nurse Jennifer Clark will speak Saturday. Attending the event Saturday will be 11 families from Bay County that lost loved ones in the global war on terror.
Want to go
- What: Warrior Beach Retreat parade and program
- When: Thursday; parade begins 4:15 p.m., program begins 5:45 p.m.
- Where: Parade route starts at Laketown Wharf, crosses Hathaway Bridge and ends at First Baptist Church in downtown Panama City (640 Grace Ave.) for program.
- More info: warriorbeachretreat.org
- What: Wall of Remembrance
- When: Motorcycle escort arrives, 10:30 a.m., Thursday; visitation hours through Sunday, with opening ceremony, 6 p.m. Friday; event honoring the fallen, 2 p.m. Saturday; closing ceremony, 2 p.m. Sunday.
- Where: Oaks By the Bay Park, St. Andrews (south end Beck Avenue)
- Volunteers: Volunteers for motorcycle escort, call Bruce Tortorella, 850-624-3364; for reading of the names, call Debbie Longe, 850-866-2346; all others call Louie Davis, 850-866-2346 or visit www.vtnwf.com.
- More info: www.vtnwf.com