Sheri's Dad, Paul Erb, was on track to becoming a pitcher for the Cleveland Indians baseball team but instead was drafted into the Army. He was a Combat Veteran in the Vietnam War from 1966-1968. Primarily stationed at Cam Rahn Bay, a deep water supply port, he ran on supply chains to the forward operating bases out in the jungle. When the troops out there were short handed or the supply trucks couldn't safely get back to base, these guys became reinforcements, at times staying out in the combat zones for days or a week at a time. Dad enjoyed it and sometimes would "miss" the truck back to base. When the trucks came back next week, he'd get chewed out by the Sergeant. Dad would then give a good laugh when he'd tell that story. Dad had a great laugh and family members all know and love how genuine and kind he was.

He has spent almost all of his years since 1975 in group homes, due to his war injuries both physical and mental, and the last three years in a nursing home in his life long hometown of Canton, Ohio. He has no life insurance and has never received his VA benefits. It wasn't until his entry into the nursing home that we discovered that the VA had essentially forgotten about him and had never given him any of his deserved benefits or care. The VA in Ohio had to get his military DD214 from Washington DC because they didn't even have record of it. So we have tried to get answers from the VA for nearly 3 years now.

Dad passed away peacefully on Sunday November 2. The funeral home will not take a deposit and offer any payment plan. They will only take full payment, which we must put on a credit card. The VA may or may not offer a partial reimbursement after the bill is paid and after we jump through their hoops and forms.

It's a large amount of money for us to come up with all at once for funeral expenses and the impromptu travel expenses to Ohio and so, we would like to ask for help. As bikers, we've ridden in many charity rides and Veterans events including escorting the Vietnam Memorial Travelling Wall. But the VA has let our Veterans down in general and all of the Veterans organizations only offer services for living Veterans, no help for funeral expenses.

If you have it in your heart to help honor this Vietnam Veteran and help us to get the burial he deserves, then Thank You.

He will be laid to rest at the Western Reserve National Cemetery in Ohio where a team of volunteers will honor him.

(All expenses will be documented and placed on a single credit card for ease of accounting. Any funds left over will be donated to the Travis Mills Foundation here in Maine who help disabled Veterans directly by getting them away from rehab for experiences in the great outdoors).