May 03 2009
Isaiah Mays Medal of Honor – Buffalo Soldier – To Be Buried In Arlington
Through the tireless efforts of several veterans organizations Corporal Isaiah Mays will be reinterred from All Souls Cemetery in Phoenix, Arizona to the National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. Missing in America Project, the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club, American Legion Riders and VFW Riders have worked hard to bring this about. After resting in an unmarked grave in an empty lot beside the Arizona State Hospital for nearly 100 years, Corporal Mays is finally going to receive the honors he earned.
Corporal Mays was presented the Medal of Honor on February 19, 1890 for his heroic actions in the Arizona Territories. Little is known about the rest of this warrior’s life, except in 1923 he applied to Washington for a pension. He was old and indigent, living on the streets of Phoenix. He was turned down.
And this from the pentagon.
Corporal Isaiah Mays is being escorted from Phoenix, Arizona to Arlington by the members of many veteran’s organizations. The escort is meeting up with the riders from the Missing in America Project who are escorting two unclaimed Silver Star receipents from Sacramento, California in Topeka, Kansas. The remains of Boatswains Mate Johnnie Franklin Callahan, World War II veteran and Specialist James William Dunn, Vietnam veteran are being interred in Arlington the same day. These two heros from different generations will finally be honored also. Their remains languished for years, unclaimed in Sacramento funeral homes.
Anyone wishing to participate in this escort to honor Corporal Isaiah Mays, Johnnie Callahan and James William Dunn can get all the information they need at either the Missing in America Project homepage or the Old Guard Riders website. Da Frog will be joining the escort as they pass through Indiana and riding with these patriots to Arlington. These two organizations are going to be joined by riders along the way, many making the full journey, others only participating for a few hundred miles.
Da Frog is honored to stand a flag line for these fallen heroes. Veterans never forget. If you are interested in either of these organizations and their missions please contact them. If you cannot make the ride but would like to support their efforts, again, go to their websites. Donations are gratefully accepted. Tell them Da Frog sent you.
