SFC Matthew Ryan Kahler, 29, Granite Falls



We had an excellent three part mission honoring the life, service, and memory of SFC Matthew Kahler. We had to deal with many last minute changes due to the weather, but all went well. Here is my mission report, along with pictures.

On Feb 6, 2008, 35 PGR members gathered at the Willmar, Mn airport to bring home SFC Matthew Kahler. It was reported in area newspapers that the route to Granite Falls was lined with cars by the side of the road, and farmers on the ends of their driveways, as the procession passed, accompanied by LEO and fire and ambulance departments from several neighboring towns. When they arrived in Granite Falls, the streets were lined with patriotic Americans citizens and business poeple, school students and an atmosphere "so quiet you could hear a pin drop" as the procession passed to the funeral home, where another 21 PGRs met the procession. Alexandria RC Jeff Anderson and Willmar ARC Ron Mackedanz handled the Willmar end, and Marshall ARCs Chris Dunsmore and Roger Boettger handed the Granite Falls end.

The visitation on Friday evening, Feb 8, started in mid-afternoon. Many members of SFC Kahler's family walked the flag line, warmly thanking us all for being there, as well as other friends of the family. There were many tears shed by all. We had several foreign visitors, many from Italy, experiencing snow and below freezing temps for the first time in their lives, and openly wondered how we live here! I told them, "Just wait until tomorrow, 'cuz you ain't seen nothing yet!" PGR members came and went as they were able, but by the end of the evening 83 PGR members had signed in and had stood the flag line. At the end of visitation, the Wood Lake American Legion treated us all to a wonderful lunch at the beautiful American Legion facilities in Granite Falls, overlooking the Minnesota River. One legion member made a point of telling us that people drove by the church special just to see the wonderful site of having it completely surrounded by Red, White, and Blue. Military personel commented on "never having seeing anything like it," referring both to the procession two days before and the sheer numbers of PGRs standing watch in the cold. "Small town patriotism at its finest," was my reply. Many members then stayed over in local motels for the next day's funeral mission.

Saturday, Feb 9 met us with - 40 wind chills, white out conditions, and several car loads of PGR members having to turn back from coming to the mission due to the poor traveling conditions. Even still, we had members from as far away as Duluth, Albert Lea, Twin Cities, and South Dakota, where SD members first attended a send off mission that took place earlier that morning in Sioux Falls. We don't have an accurate count of members attending, but it certainly equaled to or exceeded that of the night before.

We had the flag line in place by 11:45 am, while the hundreds of people attending the funeral filed past. Most of the PGR were unrecognizable, bundled up against the cold, as you can see on the picture link. Even when the flag line stood down for a break, many members refused to leave for the warmth of the warming facilities provided to us in a neighboring home, and continued to stand watch in the cold.

ARC Chris Dunsmore and I presented the PGR plaque to Mrs. Vicki Kahler, along with a "Patriot Guard Teddy Bear" to her daughter, Allison, during the funeral service. I sincerely wish you all could have seen Allison hug her teddy bear, and hear the whispered "Thank you" from Mrs. Kahler. Turning to face the flag covered casket, as a veteran, Chris then offered a military salute, and as a non-veteran, I offered a "heart salute," to SFC Matthew Kahler.

50 PGR volunteers and ARC Dunsmore then loaded the bus to the trip to the small, wind swept cemetery, while the rest of the PGR members again stood the flag line while the family and friends left for the interment, preceeded by one lone PGR vehicle flying the colors, driven by Indian John. Those attending the interment were privileged to see local Granite Falls businessman Ron Fagan and his crew do a fly over in three WW II era aircraft, including a just restored P-38, with the missing man plane being a P-51. Thank you, sir, I wish we all could have seen that tribute.

We gathered again at the American Legion to stand down and relax after our mission, where I tried to greet each member as they came in, and had a short mission debriefing with those present. Thank you to manager Becky Lewison for opening up early and warming up the grill, and giving us a place to unwind and warm up, and to PGR member and Granite Falls resident Sonny Bohlmann for helping to line this up at my request.

ARC Chris Dunsmore and I had nothing but the best of help for this mission from fellow ride captains and members. We would especially like to also thank CAO 1st Sgt Pedersen, funeral director Joe Anderson and his staff from the Wing Bain Funeral Home, Granite Falls Chief of Police Russ Blue and Yellow Medicine County Sheriff Bill Flaten and their officers, Becky Lewison and Michelle Gatz who lined up the facilites at the American Legion, and the wonderful ladies at the church who kept the coffee and soup hot. The weather made this mission difficult, with many last minute changes, but as usual the unbelieveable members of the Minnesota Patriot Guard quickly adapted to anything that was asked of them. We had at least 13 members attending their first mission including several from the Marshall sector : A hearty "Welcome, and Thank You," to all.

Finally, to the family, fellow soldiers, and friends of SFC Matthew Kahler, I repeat the words I shared with Mrs. Kahler: "Never again will our soldiers come home, alive or dead, without the recognition they deserve for the job they do."

(@) Thank you plaque from 173rd Airborne

(@) Thank you note from Matthew's sister

(@) Thank you note

(@) Thank you note

(@) Thank you note

(@) Thank you note

(@) Thank you note

(@) Thank you note forwarded from Nat'l PGR

(@) Thank you note from the lady that set up the meal for us at the American Legion

(@) Pictures from mission

(@) West Central Tribune Collection of Articals

(@) Marshall Independent Newspaper Artical

(@) Marshall Independent Newspaper C.U. Pictures

(@) PGR National Thread

(@) Granite Falls News Artical 2/10/08

(@) Granite Falls News Artical 2/19/08

God bless the life, service and memory of SFC Matthew Ryan Kahler .

Respectfully submitted,

Alan Peterson
Marshall Sector Ride Captain
Mn Patriot Guard
Patriot Guard Riders