Photo By Sgt. Adam Simmler | Staff Sgt. Michael Darling crosses the finish line of the Maine Marathon at the head...... read more read more
PORTLAND, Maine - In the dark early hours of Sunday, Oct. 5, the quiet morning sunrise of Portland’s Back Bay was broken with the boom of a cannon, signaling the early start of the 2014 Maine Marathon, and the start of the Maine Marathon Tribute March.
More than 30 soldiers and airmen of the Maine National Guard took part in the annual march to remember each of the ninety-two Maine service members killed in action since the beginning of the war on terror in 2001.
In cooperation with The Summit Project, a Maine non-profit organization that honors Maine’s soldiers by carrying stones engraved with the name of a Maine’s fallen service members. Most soldiers who took part in the Tribute March carried, one, or more, stones all 26.2 miles through Portland, Cumberland and Yarmouth. Other soldiers attached picture-buttons to their ruck sacks adorned with photos of fallen soldiers.
Six miles in, at the first of three rest breaks, morale was high and the soldiers were in good spirits. “Everyone is all pumped up and ready to continue on,” said Spc. Paul Turner, a tracked vehicle repairer from Detachment 1, 152nd Component Repair Company. “We care about our fallen soldiers and their families, and we’re glad to get out in the community and show that.”
After a few more minutes of rest, filled with changing socks, adjusting packs and stretching muscles, the marchers continued on, ready to face the next leg of the trip.
Before the finish line, families of fallen soldiers met the marchers at Payson Park in Portland and walked side by side together for the last two miles of the marathon to the end of the journey.
“Their support by marching like this is awesome,” said Peggy Dostie, mother of Sgt. Thomas Dostie, who was killed in Mosul, Iraq, on December 21, 2004. “You just can’t describe how it feels. It’s nice to see the people from the town of Portland come out all along the last mile to support us. To know that there is support from the community means so much.”
“This is really important,” said Pfc. Julian Smedberg-LeBlanc, an infantryman in B Company, 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment. “It sends a good message, that we have people supporting the families of the fallen troops, it shows our dedication. We always push forward, we always honor the fallen, we never forget.”
| Date Taken: | 10.05.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 10.06.2014 14:36 |
| Story ID: | 144400 |
| Location: | PORTLAND, ME, US |
| Web Views: | 218 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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