Run for the Wall riders make UKV stop

May 26—On their way to hallowed ground in Washington, D.C., some of the motorcycle riders of the Central Route of the Run for the Wall made their customary stop at Valley PK-8 School in Smithers on Thursday.

Local community and school representatives, delegations from Mountaineer Challenge Academy South and Fayette Starting Points, among others, participated with Run for the Wall ambassadors in a special ceremony at the school Thursday morning.

Among the local fallen soldiers whom ride ambassador Sonia "Old Girl" Ammann recognized during her remarks Thursday were U.S. Army Sgt. Jeffrey Scott Angel II, U.S. Marine Corps Second Lieutenant Ted Howard Christian Jr. and U.S. Navy Commander Keith Royal Wilson Curry.

Scott Angel, 24, was a Black Hawk helicopter repairman who joined the Army in November 2002. The Valley High graduate received numerous awards and decorations during his military career.

Angel was one of three soldiers killed on Sept. 11, 2007, when their helicopter crashed during a training flight in northeastern Alabama. They were all assigned to Company C, 4th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 159th Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, at Fort Campbell, Ky.

Teddy Christian, a Gauley Bridge High graduate from Gauley Bridge, was a basic infantry officer with the 3rd Marine Division, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, A Company, in Vietnam.

Christian, who began his tour of duty in Vietnam in the summer of 1967, was killed in action by hostile forces on Oct. 12, 1967, in South Vietnam, Quang Tri province.

Keith Royal Wilson Curry, of Fayette County, was declared dead while missing on Jan. 8, 1971, through non-hostile action in an air crash at sea. His body was never recovered in North Vietnam.

Megan Angel, Scott Angel's wife, is among those who help coordinate the Smithers Run for the Wall stop each year. Their daughter, Sophia, a rising junior at Riverside High, took part in Thursday's ceremony.

The Run for the Wall ambassadors began visiting Smithers en route to Rainelle and, eventually, Washington, D.C., about a decade ago, said Megan Angel.

"It means a lot because there's not a lot of events around here that keep Scott's name (remembered), and they always mention him and keep his memory alive," Megan said. "I can't describe how much that means to me and Sophie."

This September will mark 16 years since her husband perished in the training crash. "It's supposed to (get easier)," she said. "Certain aspects do, but then certain aspects get harder.

"(Sophia) is going through milestones that his absence is felt, so that's starting to come with time."

However, events such as Thursday's don't create a gloomy scenario, she stressed. "It is a celebration because it celebrates his life and what he did for his country, for me and Sophie, for this town, for his school. So it's definitely a celebration and not a sad event for us, for sure."

"I'm just thankful for them (the riders), thankful that they still stop even when school's not in, because they don't have to do that," Angel added. "I am very appreciative of the community and the mayor (Anne Cavalier) that came out to make it a good event."

Sonia Ammann, of Arizona, and her husband, Eric "Cowpie" Ammann, were among the ambassadors who visited the Upper Kanawha Valley community on Thursday as they traveled the Midland Trail Scenic Highway on U.S. 60.

"I think for me, personally, it's the sacrifices of someone locally," said Sonia. "There's a lot of people who don't know; even across the country there's a lot of people who don't realize the local sacrifices.

"That's why I pick out local people to make it real for them locally. I can't imagine being a family ... not knowing what happened (to their loved one)."

The motorcyclists were slated to arrive in D.C. on Friday to culminate their cross-country excursion. A total of 462 riders took part in the Central Route, out of an overall 1,199 participants. The Central Route riders began their trek in Ontario, Calif., just outside of Los Angeles. "Some can't go all the way," Sonia Ammann said. "We need a younger generation."

"I just want to say thank you to the local community and hope that nobody ever forgets the sacrifices that they made," she said.

During the ceremony, Ammann presented donations to Valley PK-8 principal Lee Loy on behalf of the riders.

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