PGRNY Completed Missions

HOTH Mission

Leonard S. Gaj
Soaring Valor Send Off & Welcome Home

US Army
WWII Veteran

Buffalo, NY - 04/25/2023

Mission applies to the following Region(s):

Region 1, Region 2

About the Mission:

Patriot Guard Riders has been given the opportunity to honor and thank a WWII Hero for his service to our Nation. Leonard S. Gaj - affectionly nicknamed "Airborne Lenny" - will be flying to New Orleans with his daughter Kathy and Kathy's husband, fellow PGR member Chris Misztal. This is a Soaring Valor flight, hosted by the Gary Sinese Foundation, the National WWII Museum, and American Airlines. At the Museum, Mr. Gaj will be honored and interviewed, and Mr. Gaj's extensive POW journal will be donated to the Museum.

As a member of the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division, Mr. Gaj participated in the D-Day invasion on 6 June 1944. He had a rough landing behind enemy lines, and suffered a leg injury. 3 days later he was captured by the Germans, and remained a Prisoner of War in 6 different locations until liberated in May 1945. Amazingly, Mr. Gaj was able to secretly maintain a daily journal of his experiences as a POW.

Mr. Gaj served from April 1943 to 6 December 1946, including 18 months in the European Theater of Operations. For his service to our nation, Mr. Gaj earned the following awards: Bronze Star Medal; Combat Infantryman Badge; Prisoner of War Medal; Army Good Conduct Medal; American Campaign Medal; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal w/4 Bronze Campaign Stars; WWII Victory Medal; Army Parachutist Badge; and M-1 Rifle Sharpshooter Qualification Badge.

Primary Staging Date and Staging Time:

04/25/2023 at 10:00am

Staging Location:

Buffalo Niagara International Airport
4200 Genesee Street (Route 33)
Buffalo, NY 1422

Lead Ride Captain and Contact Info:

Don Becker - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Special Covid-19 Mission Guidelines:

Updated 8 March 2022

Based on the most current COVID-19 Prevention Guidelines: Protect Yourself and Your Family from COVID-19, and CDC Guidelines of 3 March 2022, going forward, the Lead Ride Captain for any mission will be responsible for determining whether PGR members will have to mask up or not. Please ensure that you have a mask with you, should the need arise, and respect the LRC’s decision in these matters.

Special Information:

Please park in the short-term lot, or at the top of the garage.
Please proceed with your clean 3x5 American or US Army flag to the lower level of the airport near the baggage claim area to meet with the Ride Captain.
PGR will provide a flag line for the arrival and send-off of Mr. Gaj, Kathy and Chris.
Thank you for devoting your time to honor and thank this WWII Hero for his extraordinary military service to our Nation.

Is there a Second Stage to this Mission?

yes

Second Staging Date and Staging Time:

04/27/2023 at 05:30pm

Second Location:

Buffalo Niagara International Airport
4200 Genesee Street (Route 33)
Buffalo, NY 1422

Second Lead Ride Captain and Contact Info:

Don Becker

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Second Stage - Special Information:

Please park in the short-term lot, or at the top of the garage.  Please proceed with your clean 3x5 American or US Army flag to the lower level of the airport near the baggage claim area to meet with the Ride Captain.  PGR will provide a flag line for the welcome home of Mr. Gaj, Kathy and Chris, and we'll present a special PGR plaque to our Hero.
Thank you for devoting your time to honor and thank this WW-II Hero for his extraordinary military service to our Nation.

Is there a Third Stage to this Mission?

no

Submitted by:

Don Higgins, SRC, Region-1

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.