(Via Milinet)
> Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 08:38:23 -0700
>
> From: Veterans News & Information Service
> <webmaster@vnis.com>
>
> A Run To Remember...
>
> By Sgt. Abigail B. LaBin
>
>
> MCAGCC TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. (June 16) -- Tom Schepers,
former Marine
> and
> Vietnam veteran, shows his colors aboard the Combat Center.
Scheper is
> running across the U.S., carrying the American flag and the
Prisoner of
> War/Missing In Action flag to raise awareness for the World
War II
> Memorial
> project in Washington, D.C. Schepers visited the Marine Corps
Advanced
> Ground
> Combat Center this week and will depart early Saturday
morning.
>
>
> Mission of the run
>
> The purpose of this run is to honor the 16 million Americans
who served in
>
> World War II. 672,000 suffered wounds and 406,000 gave their
lives to
> protect our freedom. The run will also raise awareness and
funds for the
> National World War II Veterans Memorial. The Memorial is
scheduled to be
> built this fall in Washington, DC in honor of World War II
Veterans.
>
> The Memorial
>
> "The World War II Memorial will be the first national memorial
dedicated
> to
> all who served in the armed forces and Merchant Marine of the
United
> States
> during World War II and acknowledging the commitment and
achievement of
> the
> entire nation. All military veterans of the war, the citizens
on the home
> front, the nation at large, and the high moral purpose and
idealism that
> motivated the nation's call to arms will be honored.
>
> About Tom
>
> Tom Schepers, the runner, from South St. Paul, MN is a 54 year
old Vietnam
>
> Veteran who earned the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. While
Tom was in
> action, he was shot in the leg and foot. He was expected to
never walk
> again. But, through commitment and determination began to
walk and,
> eventually, run...
>
> Tom is committed to increase the awareness of all Veterans.
He has run
> logged over 3,500 miles while running for the Vietnam Veterans
and Korean
> Veterans. Now, Tom will be running for more than 5 months,
and over 3,300
>
> miles for the World War II Veterans!
>
> To learn more about the World War II Veterans Run, visit:
>
>
http://www.wwiiveteransrun.com/
