They came by the hundreds.
By noon, chrome and leather dominated the pavement at Hawgs Exxon where nearly 200 motorcycles were gathered before the service began for 23-year-old Spc. Chris Yauch who was killed June 11 in Iraq.
Many were Freedom Riders, Patriot Guards, local members of the American Legion 114 Post as well members of the community who joined to lead the funeral procession to both the church service and grave site.
They weren’t alone.
Others gathered with their posters and flags to line the highway, standing for more than an hour in the heat, waiting to show their support for the Yauch family.
At 12:30 p.m. the hearse carrying Yauch arrived at the North Heights Church of Christ where it was led by four Patriot Guard riders. As the hearse was unloaded the four riders along with two officers from the Independence County Sheriff’s Department stood at attention as members of Roller Crouch Funeral Service unloaded the coffin.
Within an hour the roar of cycles could be heard as riders led the entourage up the winding hill to the church. Bearing flags that said “All gave some, some gave all” they circled the church and emerged each carrying an American Flag.
Red, white and blue lined the building with many others holding hand-held flags in the parking lot.
As they turned out to pay their last respects many were dressed in their Sunday best, others casual, while soldiers could be seen in fatigues or full military uniform. Some sported tattoos and headbands while others wore yellow ribbons.
The service was conducted by Steve Norris who married Chis and Mallory in the same church in February of 2008.
Because of the heat, The Bronze Star, Purple Heart and the Good Conduct Medal were presented at the church service instead of the cemetery.
As the family exited the church they were once again led by bikers and along White Drive and Hwy. 167, men, women and children of all ages lined the street, waving the American Flag in honor of Yauch.
The Patriot Guard was on hand Friday when a twin-engine Falcon from Kalitta Charters glided across the sky and landed at the Batesville Regional Airport at approximately 2:22 p.m.
Family members were there as Yauch was transported from the plane to a nearby hangar and then into the waiting hearse.
Yauch and 24-year-old Sgt. Israel P. O’Brien of Newbern, Tenn., were killed by a suicide attacker in an explosives-rigged car when the bomber struck in the town of Jalula, about 80 miles northeast of Baghdad.
Yauch was buried with full military honors.
