More than one way to serve

One of the highlights of the Hot Springs Homesteader Days Car Show was a giant truck—a 1986 American General Model 923 A-1 to be exact. Formerly a crew carrier for the U.S. Army, the truck is now owned by Nick Laverl of Thompson Falls, who has outfitted the truck with flags and other memorials honoring our veterans. Due to physical disabilities, Nick was not able to serve in our armed forces, but has made it his life’s purpose to pay tribute to our veterans.

A little over a year ago Nick was driving from Thompson Falls to Kalispell and spotted the giant truck along the road. He stopped in to talk with the owner and a little “horse trading” later, he became the owner of the ‘American General’. Once he got the truck home he recalled a flag that had been given to him by a neighbor in thanks for him helping her out and when he opened the flag he noted that it was an ‘American Veterans Disabled for Life’ memorial flag. That was the inspiration for what was to follow. First, the truck was painted black to honor the sacrifices of the permanently disabled veterans and some graphics were added. Next, a friend of Nick’s from ‘One Off’ graphics used patriotic photographs found on-line to create several panels, which were placed around the bed of the truck. The original memorial flag was then hung on the inside roof of the cab and the truck was ready to journey to memorial services and parades to honor fallen heroes.

The first service that Laverl attended with his memorial truck was for Army Cpl. George G. Simmons, a WWII soldier from the Bitterroot Valley who died as a prisoner of war in the Philippines in November of 1942. It had taken 74 years to get Simmons’ remains returned to the U.S. for proper burial and to rest peacefully in America. Nick says that when he returned to his truck, which he had quietly parked near the services to honor the vet, he found a folded flag someone had left to thank him for his tribute. Laverl was also honored to drive his truck to lead the memorial procession honoring Montana veteran Army Airforce gunner, David Thatcher, one of the last two Doolittle Raiders that bombed Japan in WWII.

In addition to taking his truck to memorial services to honor individual veterans, Laverl also has paid tribute to veterans by driving his truck in several parades, including ones in Spokane, Clark Fork, Idaho as well as several Montana towns. At the Hot Springs Homesteader Days Car show, Nick was asked to ‘bring up the rear’ in the parade of cars and then his truck was used as the platform for giving out the trophies after a moment of thanks to our veterans.

Nick says that he always felt bad that his physical disabilities had prevented him from being able to serve in the military and that he feels joy at being able to honor our veterans by using his truck to pay tribute. He is ever grateful to all of our veterans and has special, heartfelt compassion for veterans and their families who have had their lives shattered in a single moment as they served our country. Nick currently uses his Social Security disability checks to fund his patriotic missions to honor our heroes and says he is driven to continue his tributes by the ‘thumbs up’, smiles, and salutes he receives as his giant American General truck serves as a vehicle of honor and remembrance.