Enduring Freedom: Convoy Of Hope
Donnie Harper and his wife Diane stood on a pier in Port Newark, N.J. on June 20 watching their now-famous Peterbilt combo, "Enduring Freedom," being loaded with a New York City firetruck destroyed in the collapse of the World Trade Center.
A crane on a merchant marine vessel docked alongside the pier hoisted the firetruck onto the Harper's aluminum Chaparral drop deck, but then quickly lifted it off when Donnie saw it pushing the trailer southward towards the macadam.
"I knew this wasn't going to be easy," Harper noted nervously.
The couple was scheduled to join the Freedom's Flame convoy in two days. A long procession would be carrying wreckage from events of 9/11 to California to become part of a planned memorial for the people of New York City.
The Somerset, Ky. couple, leased to Reliable Carriers, was taking time off to donate their equipment and time to the project.
Luckily, TEV Trucking in Port Newark had a sturdier spread axle Trailmobile in its yard and offered its use to the Harpers. Metal Management, Inc. in Port Newark was responsible for getting the fire truck released and onto the Harpers' truck.
They would later learn the fire truck weighed about 65,000 lbs. Firemen in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., the convoy's ultimate destination on July 4, agreed to pay the overweight permit fees and the permit service reduced the rate for the occasion.
The trip would become an unforgettable and emotional experience as the Harpers journeyed across the country, stopping in 18 states and 11 state capitals, hosted by fire companies wherever they went. Accompanying the couple was Micki Shelton, co-owner of Flatbed Willies, a graphics design company in Salina, Kan.
A friend of the Harpers, it was Shelton who saw a request on an Internet message board looking for a truck to be part of the Convoy. She played go-between and got the Harpers together with Chuck Williams, the convoy's coordinator.
The couple proved to be insightful observers as well as distinguished participants to this historic motorcade. They were one of two trucks participating. The other was a Consolidated Freightways flatbed, also donated, carrying twisted steel beams from the World Trade Center, pieces from the Pentagon, and parts from the demolished United Airlines Flight 93.
The Harpers provided moving vignettes of their experiences.
The night before the convoy left, they bobtailed into Manhattan and stayed at a hotel close to Ground Zero. After looking at murals on their truck, the hotel's restaurant manager shared his story of loss and terror and everyone ended up crying and hugging. Then he comped their dinner.
The next day the Harpers pulled off to the side of a road on the Pa./N.Y. line to wait for their overweight permit. The area was fairly rural, but crowds quickly appeared to pay their respects.
Donnie opened the hood so everyone could view the airbrushed mural by Wisconsin artist Jim Shively.
Local firefighters brought food. People gathered around the firetruck to solemnly gaze on the battered hulk. They cried, and left behind flowers, notes, and personalized flags.
The Harpers began what would become a daily task: picking up mementos left by visitors and putting them away for safe-keeping, to be turned over to the monument organizers in California.
In Harrisburg, Pa., later that day the Harpers joined up with the rest of convoy which had gone to Washington, D.C. to pick up the Pentagon wreckage.
"The reception was awesome," Diane recalled. "The governor came out and got up on our trailer. Later, firemen took us out to dinner in 105-year old fire house converted into a restaurant. The restaurant gave us the meal for free."
From Harrisburg, the convoy traveled to Shanksville to pick up pieces of the downed aircraft but the Harpers didn't actually travel to that site because the road was too steep and narrow. Instead, they waited along a major highway.
At all times, in every state, there was a full complement of escort vehicles, including all variety of law enforcement cars, emergency and fire trucks. Frequently there was a helicopter escort as well.
In Columbus, Ohio, Dianne was approached by a TV crew. The reporter asked Diane to describe people's reactions to seeing the wreckage.
"I told her about the people who stand by the side of the road, waiting for who knows how long for the opportunity to salute as we go by. It is a healing process for people," she said. "We have all seen what the destruction did to metal, but we can't see the destruction done to the hearts of people all over this nation. My husband and I are getting a glimpse of it."
As they rolled through Columbus, police stood on the center divider in the middle of the highway and saluted.
As they rode along truckers would give them thumbs up signs and blow their air horns. The Harpers did not monitor the CB because they were using a police radio to stay in touch with the convoy.
Diane noted, "The response across the country is patriotic, heartbreaking and, at the same time, you can see the anger. People are so angry about this."
Asked if the trip met their expectations, Diane replied without hesitation, "We are so glad we did this. Both Donnie and I grew up dirt poor in Kentucky. But we worked hard and now we have this beautiful truck and it's allowing us to touch our country in a way we never believed possible."
