One of the toughest things I've done
Jules and I are just back from our cross-country odyssey and heading straight into another fun and vigorous adventure tomorrow - the Tough Ruck Marathon.
We did this for the first time last year. It was one of the coolest (and hardest) experiences I’ve ever done.
Tough Ruck is not just any marathon. It's an official 26.2-mile race and part of the Boston Marathon, but primarily, its purpose is to honor our fallen service members and first responders.
For security reasons, it’s held on a different course. Appropriately, we start and finish at the site of the first battles of the Revolutionary War in Concord and Lexington.
The funds we raise directly support Gold Star families and other veterans' causes.
Our most sincere thanks to all who have donated and supported us this year! If you’d be interested in contributing, here are links where you can make donations:
Julie: https://runsignup.com/midstrong
Paul: https://runsignup.com/oldgradstrong
As participants, we get to carry yellow ribbons to honor heroes who have fallen in service to our glorious republic or our communities.
This year, I’ll be carrying ribbons to honor these soldiers and sailors who sacrificed everything:
Reed and Roy Parker, US Navy. The Parker brothers were determined Lost at Sea on February 28, 1942, when their ship, the destroyer USS Jacob Jones, was torpedoed off the coast of NJ. Reed was 21 years old and a ship’s musician (trumpeter). His little brother, Roy, had been in the Navy for about a year and was a Seaman First Class. They grew up on Warren St. The “Jakie” was on submarine patrol out of NY harbor. Only 11 sailors survived the sinking. This was the second USS Jacob Jones to be sunk by German U-boats. In WWI a previous Jakie was torpedoed in the English Channel while escorting a convoy in Dec 1917.
Sergeant Leonidas Raisis grew up on our street, Mount Pleasant. He died of his wounds on Christmas Eve, 1965. His family was notified on Christmas day. He had been wounded 20 days earlier in a savage fight against entrenched Viet Cong in a place known as the Michelin Rubber Plantation. His unit, Bravo Co., 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, of the Big Red One (1st Infantry Div) was nearly wiped out - 22 KIA. “Leo” had been a Marine prior to enlisting in the Army in 1960. He had a young Italian wife and a two-year-old daughter. Maria was expecting their second child, due in February 1966. He’d met and married Maria when he was stationed in Vicenza, Italy.
Lt. Melvin “Spence” Dry, USN, was the last Navy SEAL to die in Vietnam. In 1972, he broke his neck jumping from a helicopter into rough seas while on a highly classified mission to rescue POW’s from the Hanoi Hilton. Spence was a second-generation Naval Academy grad, class of 1968. From his yearbook citation and what his classmate, Commander (ret) Rick Ferenchick, a MidStrong member and friend, has told me about him, Spence was an incredible young man and an all-around great guy. Sadly, because of the classified mission, his death was listed as a training accident, and it was almost 30 years later that he was recognized by the Navy as a combat fatality and honored at the Academy’s Memorial Hall.
I’ll also be carrying ribbons for the warriors I was honored to remember and represent on last year’s Tough Ruck:
My West Point Classmates:
My brother Hawks from Bishop Hendricken:
You can track us live on the course tomorrow and send us supportive cheers using this cool app, RaceJoy for Tough Ruck Boston 26.2 For The Fallen!
App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/racejoy/id596132953?mt=8
GooglePlay: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.racejoy.racejoy
It was a huge boost and great fun to get little electronic “cheers” out on the course last year. Thanks so much to all who sent those!
I am particularly grateful to my friend Tony Vaver, Westborough Public Library’s invaluable History Librarian, and my assistant, Haley Pruett for their priceless research assistance.
OK, wish us luck!
As always, we are deeply grateful for your support!
Together, we are stronger than our excuses.
Paul & Julie
Paul Reilly
Founder/President - MidStrong
paul@midstrong.com
