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Welcome to Run For The WallSouthern Route - 2008Post-Run Information"We ride for those who can't" |
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For information on the 2008 RFTW "unofficial" Reunion to be held in Kerrville, TX, September 19-21, click here.
For the registration form for the 2008 RFTW "unofficial" Reunion, click here. Registration deadline is August 28 and the cost must be paid in advance. Before August 15, cost is $30 each; from August 16-August 28, cost is $45 each.
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Posted 6/30 on the President's Latest News on the www.rftw.org site: The Angel Fire Reunion will be held September 5-7, 2008. The following motels are avaliable for use. Monte is planing a ride for Friday the 5th if any one is interested please contact him at 505-454-8499, also there will be lunch served Saturday at the memorial for a small fee of which all proceeds will go to the memorial.
Eagle Nest: Econo Lodge 505-377-6813 Laguna Vista Lodge 505-377-6522
Angel Fire: Angel Fire Hotel 505-377-6401 Elk Horn Lodge 505-377-2811
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From this point on down this page, comments will be added here as they are received (latest, first).
This message was forwarded by Frank Perry from Chuck Holifield in Jackson, MS. If possible, please write a letter of support (a.s.a.p.) for Jack H. Lucas...
"As you know, the effort to have a ship named in honor of our friend and hero, Jack Lucas, has been initiated with a letter from Mississippi US Senator (and Navy Veteran) Thad Cochran to the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV), Dr. Donald Winter.
"In recent months and years, several Guided Missile Destroyers (DDG) have been named in honor of Medal of Honor recipients. Very recently, the last Arleigh Burke-class DDG was named for Navy Seal and Medal of Honor recipient, Michael Murphy USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. In honor of Jack, it should become our mission to have a ship named for him - USS Jack Lucas. I also feel that it would be equally appropriate to have a class of ship named after him.
"Can you have your fellow Marines, other veterans and friends send a letter to the Secretary of the Navy (Ray Mabus, a former Governor of Mississippi) requesting that our nation have a ship, and even a class of ship, named in honor of Jack Lucas? I am not a big believer in canned-format letters sent to public officials as they can see right through that kind of organized effort. I feel that the biggest impact from this letter-writing campaign will result from personal letters, typed or hand-written (no emails), with stories of a personal nature explaining to Secretary Winter why we think that Jack deserves this honor. Include photos of Jack with the letter if appropriate.
"The SECNAV's name and address is:
Honorable Ray Mabus
Secretary of the Navy
1000 Navy Pentagon
Washington, D.C. 20350-1000
"Even in his passing, Jack is still bigger than life and as "Indestructible" as ever.
Thanks for any help you provide in this effort. Feel free to forward this email along with my name and phone number.
Semper Fi,
Chuck Holifield, LCDR, USNR (Ret), SS/SCW [Submarines and Seabees]
(601) 454-2824
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The following information and photos were received from Jim Stone on 7/8/08 -
I have attached three photos the family may find interesting. My friend Ed Davis is an 81 year old, three war vet. He was a 17 year old Coxswain on D-day, less than six weeks out of boot camp, a UDT/SEAL in Korea and a twice wounded, two tour SEAL in Vietnam. Ed retired from the US Navy in 1968 as a Chief Boatswains Mate. The first photo is of Ed and Shrink Wrap, the second is Ed, Shrink Wrap, myself and Robert Pond...
...Robert and I were FNG's together in 2007, and you might remember him as the USAF medic who delivered another medic's ashes to the Wall last year.
Anyway, I took Ed with me to sign up in Weatherford so he could see this incredible group that I had talked about for the last year. From the beginning when Top Sarge put a dog tag around his neck, Ed was engaged with anyone and everyone. He met Bridgette, he met Cowboy, Tadpole, Boomer, Sr Chief and many more including the Weatherford Battle of the Bulge vet [Chaplain at the Post] who was 4 years older than Ed (Third pic with Ed, Shrink Wrap, the Chaplain at the Post and his bride!)...
...Listening to the old SEAL's talk you would have thought they knew each other. When we drove home that evening his eyes glistened as he announced to me 'Those are some fine people!' And Run For the Wall has another family member!
Maybe these photos will encourage others with friends like mine to at least join us for an hour or so. In my friend Ed's case, he was surrounded by other Warriors, and he felt at home!
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Cowboy wanted to share this thank you note which he received from the Freedom is Not Free organization on June 26:
"Hello Roger,
Great to hear from you! I’ve been meaning to email you—I did receive the check and was so (pleasantly) surprised! I finally had a chance to deposit it yesterday and will be going to the bank today. We just cannot thank you enough, that was such a generous contribution. I wanted to send you a few photos from our recent sports camp. I don’t know if I mentioned that Vincent Jackson of the San Diego Chargers was one of our coaches. Two of the photos show him with the kids and then another of the photos shows our Purple Heart Board member Col Jeffrey Powers speaking to the kids. (They heard from a number of speakers over the three days—that’s the mentorship aspect of the camps.)
Hope things are going well with you. Thank you again for all that you do!
Liz
Liz Wegman
Program Director
Freedom Is Not Free
11578 Sorrento Valley Road, Suite 30
San Diego, CA 92121
Phone: (858) 847-9999
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John King, Treasurer of Run For The Wall, was injured in a motorcycle accident on June 11, 2008. John asked us to posted the following information on June 22, after he returned home.
"Brothers & Sisters,
First, thanks for the prayers & kind thoughts.
Second, pardon the typing. Doing it with one hand doesn’t work well.
Here is what happened as pieced together from an eyewitness & the police report. I have very little specific memory of the event.
I was about 30 miles west of Albq. on I-40 heading home. By God’s Grace, Ela was in her vehicle in Albq. & not with me.
I was in #1 lane, cruising at 65 – 70 mph. In #2 lane was a 4-wheeler driving erratically. She went off the pavement into the dirt, regained some control, came back on the pavement & rammed me. Contact speed was 125 – 150 mph, her airbags deployed & her passenger side rear window shattered.
I am told I was ejected upwards & then slam-dunked into the dirt & rocks.
I was wearing helmet, gloves, boots, jeans & vest over a long sleeved shirt.
The 4-wheeler did a 360 in the median behind me before stopping.
The RK tumbled, rolled & stopped short of an eastbound semi.
That sequence took 1 – 5 seconds.
People stopped to help, I woke up in a black place hearing voices as they were loading me in the ambulance. Ela was waiting at the OR door in Albq. We said “Hi” & the surgeons went to work. My left forearm was almost torn off at the elbow. Road rash was minimal & I was breathing on my own after they cleaned out the airway.
I am home now, and this is going to take awhile to heal.
Thanks again for being our family. It was a great ride & I will see you in Kerrville.
John"
We encourage everyone to send John a get-well card and wishes at: P.O. Box 279, St. Michaels, AZ 86511.
The photos of John's bike which are below, provided by daughter Jessica, were sent by Michael Mendell. We are all blessed that John survived this crash.
