
July 18, 2022 – Tribute to Fallen Soldiers Northwest will be holding a motorcycle torch ride through Decatur to honor the families of Jesse Tilton and Karen Clifton Wednesday.
Tribute to Fallen Soldiers Northwest is a group that began in Oregon in 2009 to pay tribute to America’s fallen service members. The group reaches out to Gold Star Families and offers to have their ride stop in the soldier’s community in tribute. Warren Williamson of the group says, “we do not ask for anything from the locals or the families. We travel from Oregon to Arlington to honor those that have provided our freedoms.” This year’s ride left Oregon on July 9 and plans to be at Arlington on August 7.
Currently, organizers say the group is scheduled to enter via Route 51 North and should be at Coziahr about 3:40pm. Local riders are encouraged to join. The ride will turn East on Route 36 and continue to 121. They will turn south on 121 and will meet the families of Jesse Tilton and Karen Clifton at Fletcher Park. Organizers believe the expected time they arrive to be around 4:15pm. Updates of the timeline will be posted on the Cruise 11 to Remember 911 Facebook page HERE.
Sgt. Jesse Richard Tilton, 23, of Long Creek, serving with the 508th Regiment, 82nd Airborne, U.S. Army in Afghanistan passed away on July 16, 2010 in the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Frankfurt, Germany from injuries sustained while heroically tending to a fellow soldier during a battle in Kandahar, Afghanistan. His Awards and Decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal and the Combat Medic Badge.
Army Crpl. Karen Nicole Clifton, 22 of Mt Zion was killed on June 21, 2007. She attended Mt. Zion schools through her junior year and was active in the Mt. Zion Police Department Explorer’s Program. She moved to Florida in her senior year and finished her high school education. She then returned to Illinois and enlisted in the U.S. Army to begin a career with the Military Police. She currently was serving her country and obtained the rank of Specialist in the 544th MP CO, Forward Platoon, 630th MP CO, 759th MP Battalion, 89th MP Brigade, U.S. Army, serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. She has been posthumous promoted to the rank of Corporal and has been awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, Combat Action Badge, and the Army Good Conduct Medal.
The community is strongly encouraged to join the ride from Coziahr’s to Fletcher Park. Citizens & businesses are also being asked to stand along the route on 121 and to the entrance of Fletcher Park.