thedrifter
07-28-08, 08:59 AM
John Clayton: Every mile, a flag for the fallen
By JOHN CLAYTON
New Hampshire Union Leader Staff
9 hours, 28 minutes ago
LAST WEEK, after ruminating on the happy life and times of Arthur "Red" Ullrich, I noted that, while every passing has its sad moments, there is something good to be said for a long, full life -- a life well-lived -- and certainly Red Ullrich enjoyed such a life.
It's harder to accept when a life of great promise is cut short, and that is one of the many reasons behind the event known as "Run for the Fallen."
It's a national program that started on Flag Day -- June 14 -- and it will reach its zenith on Aug. 24. That's when a small group of runners will complete a 4,100-mile relay run from Fort Irwin, Calif., to Arlington National Cemetery.
At every mile-marker along that journey, an American flag will be planted, along with a photo and a brief biography in honor of every single soldier, sailor, airman and Marine who has died in Iraq and Afghanistan under Operation Enduring Freedom.
I found out about it from Erin (Cleary) Flanagan.
Back in December of '05, Erin's younger brother, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Michael J. Cleary, was killed by a roadside bomb near Taji in Iraq. Even though Michael lived in Pennsylvania and attended college in New York, the report of his death resonated in the Manchester area.
It resonated because of the respect and affection people have for Erin, and for her husband, Jim Flanagan -- who is the vice president for college advancement at St. Anselm College -- and for their three kids, Jack, Delaney and Matthew.
"Basically, the whole idea behind 'Run for the Fallen' was conceived by my little brother's best friend and college roommate," Erin said. "His name is John Bellona, and when they were students at Hamilton College in New York, they were together in their dorm when they watched the twin towers fall.
"My brother went home and told my parents he was going to drop out of college and enlist in the Marines," she added, "but my parents convinced him to finish his education. He did, but right away, he started driving from Hamilton to Syracuse twice a week for ROTC training.
"Hamilton is kind of a swanky school," she explained. "There aren't a lot of kids there who enter the military, so what my brother was doing had a profound impact on the kids at the school."
And upon his graduation, when the Marines wanted to push back his enlistment date by six months, Michael immediately enlisted with the Army.
By the time he was deployed to Iraq late in 2004, Erin's little brother was a platoon leader in the 3rd Infantry Division. His friends and family members endured the unbearable anguish while Michael was in country, but as his deployment neared its end, they dared to let themselves look ahead.
"He had eight days left before he was coming home," Erin said, "so we finally had a bridal shower for his fiancee, Erin Kavanagh. Michael spoke to Erin on the phone that day."
It was the last time they would ever speak.
Michael was killed the next day.
When confronted with such unspeakable grief, different people react in different ways. Michael Cleary's friends and family responded in ways they feel he would have appreciated.
First, scholarships were established in Michael's name in his hometown of Dallas, Penn., and at Hamilton College. Then, his family established the 1st Lt. Michael J. Cleary Memorial Fund to aid wounded veterans, to help other Gold Star families, and to support organizations that support veterans.
Then, his college roommate came up with "Run for the Fallen."
"John was working at a recording studio in New Jersey," Erin said, "and he went out for a run one night and he just thought 'This would be a wonderful way to honor those who -- and I hate this phrase -- made the ultimate sacrifice.'"
John Bellona's project is generating a lot of national media attention.
"It's one thing to drive a mile," he told USA Today, "it's another to bike it and one more to actually put one foot in front of the other ... to have that space and really reflect on another individual."
Runners have been doing that for more than six weeks now, and they have nearly four more weeks to go before they reach Arlington National Cemetery.
Things are also happening closer to home.
"They're asking runners around the country to organize runs in each state for Aug. 24," said Erin's husband, Jim Flanagan, who has 21 marathons to his credit. "To date, 29 states have signed up to hold a run on Aug. 24, and my goal is to have one in New Hampshire."
Jim's looking to stage a border-to-border run from the New Hampshire-Maine line in Portsmouth down to the Massachusetts line in Seabrook, but he's not looking for everyone to cover that distance.
"It's about 24 miles," he said, "and we just want to have people come out -- even if they only run a mile -- so we can put up a flag and a picture and a bio at every mile. We'll have 25 markers to place, since there are three from New Hampshire who died in Afghanistan and 22 more who were killed in Iraq."
"There is no political agenda whatsoever," Erin added. "It's just a way to honor those who have given so much, and for their families to know there are people who appreciate the sacrifice their loved ones have made."
Since Erin will be at Arlington on Aug. 24, it is her marathon-running husband -- pending hip-replacement surgery will preclude him doing much more than a ceremonial four or five miles -- who will serve as point man for New Hampshire's "Run for the Fallen."
"Our neighbor, Lisa Riso, is also organizing a one-mile walk and run in Bedford at the Joppa Hill Fields for anyone who wants to run together that day," Jim added, "and people who want to know more can contact me via e-mail at jflanaga@anselm.edu or go to www.runforthefallen.org."
John Clayton is the author of several books on Manchester and New Hampshire, including the recently released "You Know You're in New Hampshire When..." His e-mail is jclayton@unionleader.com.
Ellie
By JOHN CLAYTON
New Hampshire Union Leader Staff
9 hours, 28 minutes ago
LAST WEEK, after ruminating on the happy life and times of Arthur "Red" Ullrich, I noted that, while every passing has its sad moments, there is something good to be said for a long, full life -- a life well-lived -- and certainly Red Ullrich enjoyed such a life.
It's harder to accept when a life of great promise is cut short, and that is one of the many reasons behind the event known as "Run for the Fallen."
It's a national program that started on Flag Day -- June 14 -- and it will reach its zenith on Aug. 24. That's when a small group of runners will complete a 4,100-mile relay run from Fort Irwin, Calif., to Arlington National Cemetery.
At every mile-marker along that journey, an American flag will be planted, along with a photo and a brief biography in honor of every single soldier, sailor, airman and Marine who has died in Iraq and Afghanistan under Operation Enduring Freedom.
I found out about it from Erin (Cleary) Flanagan.
Back in December of '05, Erin's younger brother, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Michael J. Cleary, was killed by a roadside bomb near Taji in Iraq. Even though Michael lived in Pennsylvania and attended college in New York, the report of his death resonated in the Manchester area.
It resonated because of the respect and affection people have for Erin, and for her husband, Jim Flanagan -- who is the vice president for college advancement at St. Anselm College -- and for their three kids, Jack, Delaney and Matthew.
"Basically, the whole idea behind 'Run for the Fallen' was conceived by my little brother's best friend and college roommate," Erin said. "His name is John Bellona, and when they were students at Hamilton College in New York, they were together in their dorm when they watched the twin towers fall.
"My brother went home and told my parents he was going to drop out of college and enlist in the Marines," she added, "but my parents convinced him to finish his education. He did, but right away, he started driving from Hamilton to Syracuse twice a week for ROTC training.
"Hamilton is kind of a swanky school," she explained. "There aren't a lot of kids there who enter the military, so what my brother was doing had a profound impact on the kids at the school."
And upon his graduation, when the Marines wanted to push back his enlistment date by six months, Michael immediately enlisted with the Army.
By the time he was deployed to Iraq late in 2004, Erin's little brother was a platoon leader in the 3rd Infantry Division. His friends and family members endured the unbearable anguish while Michael was in country, but as his deployment neared its end, they dared to let themselves look ahead.
"He had eight days left before he was coming home," Erin said, "so we finally had a bridal shower for his fiancee, Erin Kavanagh. Michael spoke to Erin on the phone that day."
It was the last time they would ever speak.
Michael was killed the next day.
When confronted with such unspeakable grief, different people react in different ways. Michael Cleary's friends and family responded in ways they feel he would have appreciated.
First, scholarships were established in Michael's name in his hometown of Dallas, Penn., and at Hamilton College. Then, his family established the 1st Lt. Michael J. Cleary Memorial Fund to aid wounded veterans, to help other Gold Star families, and to support organizations that support veterans.
Then, his college roommate came up with "Run for the Fallen."
"John was working at a recording studio in New Jersey," Erin said, "and he went out for a run one night and he just thought 'This would be a wonderful way to honor those who -- and I hate this phrase -- made the ultimate sacrifice.'"
John Bellona's project is generating a lot of national media attention.
"It's one thing to drive a mile," he told USA Today, "it's another to bike it and one more to actually put one foot in front of the other ... to have that space and really reflect on another individual."
Runners have been doing that for more than six weeks now, and they have nearly four more weeks to go before they reach Arlington National Cemetery.
Things are also happening closer to home.
"They're asking runners around the country to organize runs in each state for Aug. 24," said Erin's husband, Jim Flanagan, who has 21 marathons to his credit. "To date, 29 states have signed up to hold a run on Aug. 24, and my goal is to have one in New Hampshire."
Jim's looking to stage a border-to-border run from the New Hampshire-Maine line in Portsmouth down to the Massachusetts line in Seabrook, but he's not looking for everyone to cover that distance.
"It's about 24 miles," he said, "and we just want to have people come out -- even if they only run a mile -- so we can put up a flag and a picture and a bio at every mile. We'll have 25 markers to place, since there are three from New Hampshire who died in Afghanistan and 22 more who were killed in Iraq."
"There is no political agenda whatsoever," Erin added. "It's just a way to honor those who have given so much, and for their families to know there are people who appreciate the sacrifice their loved ones have made."
Since Erin will be at Arlington on Aug. 24, it is her marathon-running husband -- pending hip-replacement surgery will preclude him doing much more than a ceremonial four or five miles -- who will serve as point man for New Hampshire's "Run for the Fallen."
"Our neighbor, Lisa Riso, is also organizing a one-mile walk and run in Bedford at the Joppa Hill Fields for anyone who wants to run together that day," Jim added, "and people who want to know more can contact me via e-mail at jflanaga@anselm.edu or go to www.runforthefallen.org."
John Clayton is the author of several books on Manchester and New Hampshire, including the recently released "You Know You're in New Hampshire When..." His e-mail is jclayton@unionleader.com.
Ellie