MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Motorcyclists making a ten-day cross-country ride from Ontario, California, to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall in Washington, D.C., made a stop in Marana Thursday morning.
The hundreds of motorcyclists who made the stop near I-10 and Sandario are part of a larger group of over a thousand who are making the almost 3,000-mile ride.
Each year, Run for the Wall hosts the ride to honor veterans and their families and raise awareness about Prisoners of War, those who are missing in action and those who were killed in action.
Thursday marked the second day of the ride. After starting the morning in Casa Grande, the motorcyclists made it to Marana around 7:45 A.M.
After refueling, a short ceremony was held.
For the participants, it’s much more than just a motorcycle ride.
“It’s a year-round mission to support our veterans, to keep awareness open for the many, many thousands of our veterans that are still missing – there’s families out there looking for answers,” said Run for the Wall Chairman and Vice President, Billy Dunlap.
Founder James Gregory described the camaraderie as one of his favorite parts of the event each year.
“When we get back together, it’s almost like being in the military again,” he said. “We’re stronger by being together and a lot of us miss that military camaraderie that we received and the ride is just a big family.”
The motorcyclists will make it to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall next Saturday, May 24. Along the way, they will be making stops at VA hospitals, schools and veteran organizations.
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Madison Thomas joined KGUN 9 in July of 2023 as a multimedia journalist. She graduated from Arizona State University in May of 2023 with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She has lived in Arizona her entire life and grew up in Douglas. Madison is thrilled to share the stories from the community she grew up in. Share your story ideas and important issues with Madison by emailing madison.thomas@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
