Memorial Day Run uses athleticism to address veterans' emotion
May 26—Ken Reiber is carrying the memories of 48 men on his shoulders.
It's about honoring his fellow men in uniform who died serving their country against terrorism.
A Springfield Township resident, Reiber fundraises for the local non-profit Fallen 48 Foundation. The number is meaningful. It represents the 46 Marines and two Navy corpsmen killed in Iraq who were members of the 3rd Battalion. Reiber served in the battalion.
"It was the most combat losses of any infantry unit since the Vietnam War," he said.
Included in that group was Sgt. Michael Marzano of Greenville, who was killed May 7, 2005, by a suicide attack in Haditha.
With the help of veterans and others the foundation was created in 2009 to memorialize the 48 men. But its strongest mission is to help veterans deal with the overwhelming emotions of war using athleticism.
Funds are used for veterans and their families for things like hiking, fishing, horse back riding and also therapies.
The local organization's fundraiser is this weekend with the Memorial Day 100 Run. and also a dinner event.
It means a lot to Reiber who narrowly escaped death while in Iraq.
Activated Jan. 4, 2005, the battalion was boots down in Iraq in early March 2005 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. Among their duties included fighting enemy insurgents.
In less than a month Reiber found himself in a convoy near the city of Hit, Iraq. The unit got a report there were Marine snipers guarding the road ahead.
Reiber was manning a machine gun in the turret of the lead vehicle, a Humvee, which had four other Marines.
The five men were ordered to drive ahead and retrieve the snipers who were fellow Marines.
"There were reports of the road being mined," Reiber said. "Unfortunately we hit two mines that were stacked on top of each other."
A powerful explosion ripped through the Humvee that sent Reiber sailing strait up causing him to land on the mangled vehicle. Three of the other men were blasted away from the vehicle but survived.
But the explosion killed Cpl.Bryan Richardson, of Summerville, W.Va.
It's a memory Reiber can't forget.
As his head cleared he realized he was injured. The explosion smacked the butt of the machine gun into his mouth that shattered his front teeth.
"I was spitting out pieces of my teeth," Reiber said.
His legs were swollen and bruised along with nerve damage in his shoulders and lower back which would eventually require multiple surgeries.
After a week in a field hospital Reiber finagled a way to return to his unit.
The battalion rotated out of Iraq in late September 2005 and deactivated on Jan.3, 2006.
"I wanted to give back," Reiber said of his work for the foundation.
A fundraiser dinner will be held Friday starting 6 p.m. at the Stanley Snyder VFW Post 7465 in Volant. The $10 cost covers a choice of ziti and meatballs, or a pulled pork sandwich. Also included are seasoned potatoes, salad and dessert. Takeout orders are available. Bingo and a raffle will begin at 7 p.m.
The 100-mile run will start 10 a.m. Saturday at the Greenville VFW. Groups will run 10 miles and then turn it over to others to complete the 100 miles. Among the towns runners will pass through include Mercer, Grove City College, Slippery Rock, Volant, New Castle, Neshannock Township, West Middlesex and finally 10 a.m. at the Mercer County courthouse.
Groups of runners on each leg of the journey will carry an American and Marine flags along with the foundations flag. A color guard from the Greenville VFW will be at the courthouse with a brief presentation.
MORE INFO: www.fallen48foundation.com
