Marine Corps News Room

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=070823_1_A1_hApai78400
Please click on above link for a slide show of photos and to listen to an interview with Katrina Graham.

By MANNY GAMALLO World Staff Writer
8/23/2007

"I believe my son's spirit is not very far from me," said Katrina Graham.

"This just firms up my belief," she said, gazing at a shiny black motorcycle bearing the painted likeness of her son, along with three other Marines killed in 2005.

The motorcycle is a rolling tribute to the sacrifices being made by America's young in Iraq, and the sacrifices made by their families.

That was what John Favorite of Cleveland, Ohio, had in mind when he decided to honor the troops and the military on his motorcycle.

A Marine veteran from the Vietnam War, Favorite is still embittered by what he says is the

lack of gratitude or even a simple thank you after his generation returned home from that war.

"I didn't want that to happen again for our fighting people in Iraq," said Favorite, saying that the Iraq war is fast becoming another Vietnam.

"So I had this idea to do something special to honor them, to honor their families."

Favorite has traveled thousands of miles on his Yamaha motorcycle since the Memorial Day weekend, going to the homes of the other three Marines painted on his bike, showing their parents how their sons have been honored.

The Graham home in the 6700 block of East Eighth Street was the last on the list, said Favorite, who left Cleveland, Ohio, on Monday morning for the cross-country trip.

Accompanying him on another motorcycle was a longtime Marine buddy from Vietnam, Carl Mitchell of Monroe, S.C.

Graham's parents, his mother and father, James Randolph Graham II, were overwhelmed by what they saw.

At one point, Katrina Graham fought back tears as she described what the tribute to her boy meant to her.

"I didn't know what to expect until I saw this," she said.

Her son's two boys -- James R. Graham IV and Thomas Graham -- also were highly approving of the homage paid to their dad. The two live in Coweta with their mother, who has remarried.

"I think it's pretty cool," said 11-year-old James, the oldest of the two, as he donned a helmet for a ride on the cycle.

In a flash, James hopped on the back of the bike and, with Favorite in the driver's seat, they whisked east along Eighth Street at a good clip.

Favorite has been to Maryland to visit the family of Marine Cpl. Norman Anderson; to Virginia for the family of Marine Lance Cpl. Karl Linn; and to Ohio, where Marine Cpl. Andrew Nowacki lived.

Together with Graham's likeness, the paintings on the motorcycle adorn the fuel tank -- two faces on each side.

Graham was killed Aug. 1, 2005, at Hit, Iraq, in an insurgent suicide attack.

His image on the motorcycle comes from a family photo taken of him in Iraq a few months before his death, his mother said. In the picture, Graham is dressed in full battle gear and his right eye is closed as a shield from the intense sunlight.

The image on the motorcycle was a good match to the family's photo of him, his parents said.

Favorite had a Vietnam veteran friend of his in Cleveland airbrush the faces on the cycle, and Favorite said he paid the $1,200 cost for having the work done.

When he got the idea to honor Iraq troops, Favorite said he approached the Gold Star Mothers organization, which asked its members if there were any families who wanted their sons honored.

Favorite said he received six responses, the Grahams included, but he only had room on the motorcycle for four images.

He expressed surprise at the widespread attention his motorcycle has received.

"I feel like I've done something really good," Favorite said.