A walk at West Dennis will honor anniversary of Kabul airport bombing: Here's how to participate

Sarah Carlon, Cape Cod Times
·2 min read

On Aug. 26, Cape-based veterans organization Baker-Xiarhos AMVETS Post 333 will gather at West Dennis Beach to honor the one-year anniversary of the bombing of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, which claimed the lives of 13 U.S. servicemen and women and at least 170 Afghan civilians.

Tim Brosnan and Joyce Burchsted, veterans and members of AMVETS, held a similar walk last year to remember the servicemen and women in Afghanistan.

"We found out right before that they were rushing the Marine Corps back in because of the hasty withdrawal, and when we did it (the walk) that was when the bombing took place," Brosnan said. "It was originally a way for us to keep them in mind, because that situation was going south in a hurry."

In May 2021, veteran Tim Brosnan stretched out before the exercises began on the Hyannis village green for the 22 Challenge Veteran Suicide Awareness event organized by the Cape Cod Marine Corps League and AMVETS Post 333.
In May 2021, veteran Tim Brosnan stretched out before the exercises began on the Hyannis village green for the 22 Challenge Veteran Suicide Awareness event organized by the Cape Cod Marine Corps League and AMVETS Post 333.

As the one-year anniversary of the bombing approached, Brosnan and Burchsted began to think of ways to honor the sacrifices made by the servicemen and women on that day, they said.

"The anniversary was coming up and we thought, to honor our veterans who gave it all, we'd have another walk," Burchsted said.

The route will begin at West Dennis Beach snack bar at 5:30 p.m., where AMVETS members will speak and Cape musician Joe Mongelli will play taps.

The 2.2 mile route was chosen in part because of the statistic that 22 veterans take their lives each day, Brosnan said. He will be carrying a 22-pound backpack and an American flag for the walk as well.

"It's honoring the fallen, but also thinking of the burden they (active servicemen and women) go through," Brosnan said of the walk. "We don't want our heroes forgotten about."

If you go:

What: Baker-Xiarhos AMVETS Post 333 Honor Walk for Afghanistan Fallen 13

Where: West Dennis Beach, Dennis

When: Aug. 26, 5:30 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: West Dennis Beach walk honors anniversary of Kabul airport bombing