BLUFFDALE — Motorcycles and summer weekends just go together. For some, there’s nothing better than the freedom to just hit the open road and ride.

A group of nearly two dozen bikers in Salt Lake County did just that Saturday morning, but not just for fun. They wanted to recognize and honor those who gave us freedom.

“It was an honor to do that. I hope they’re up there somewhere thinking, ‘Yeah, that was their last ride,'” said Michael Gallegos, a member of the Utah Patriot Guard Riders.

We hear all the time that we should never forget the veterans, but on Saturday morning it was more than just words at the Utah Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Bluffdale as motorcycles showed up carrying the remains of veterans who had no one to pick them up.

“You are not forgotten”

“When they die alone, I feel like a certain part of them has been forgotten. And we step forward as their family to say they are not forgotten,” said Roger Graves.

For more than 15 years, Graves has coordinated the Utah chapter of the Missing in America Project, a group that visits funeral homes and mortuaries in search of unclaimed remains.

“By law, they’re only required to keep them for 60 days. Most of them keep them for years. Decades,” Graves said.

The group then works with the Department of Veterans Affairs to determine whether the names of the unclaimed remains are those of veterans who may not have had family or friends to provide them with the military service they deserve. This year, the group has found three veterans.

“A military funeral honors, recognizes and commemorates the honorable service of our veterans who have served our country,” Graves said during the service.

The names of the veterans are read out and a bell is rung after each name.

After a rifle salute and tattoo, an American flag is folded and presented to a group member if there is no family or friend to give it to.

This is the traditional form of military service.

The work is never over

“It meant so much. I’m at a loss for words,” said Edna Clingerman, who accepted the American flag. “I didn’t know it, but it’s important to be able to recognize the men and women who fought for our country.”

Even though the group has done this for these three veterans, the work is never finished.

“And that will probably never happen,” Graves said. “As long as there are people who are left alone, whether by their own will or by circumstance, we will look for them.”

The following people will be honored on Saturday:

• Roderick Melvin Boyd (1959-2023) US Army, Private First Class
• David J. Darrin (1951–2022) US Army, Specialist Four, Vietnam Veteran
• Alfred S. Griffith II (1943-2023) US Army, Private First Class