As
a member of the Three Rivers Leatherneck Detachment
#310 of the Marine Corps League, I initiated a plan
early in 2005 to raise money to send our troops in
Iraq a care package for Christmas last year. We were
given a group of Marines serving in Iraq to be the
recipient of our care package by the mother of one
of our earlier recipients who had returned safely to
his home in Coraopolis. Our care packages consisted
of items which were considered much needed and difficult
to obtain in a combat zone and all of these items were
donated by local business owners who shared our passion
for our troops. Our gifts arrived on December 15, 2005
and we immediately received cards and letters of thanks
from our Marines. Shortly after Christmas we received
a phone call from the mother of our Marine in Coraopolis
who informed us that one of our Marines had been killed
in action on January 24, 2006 and his name was Sean
H. Miles of Midlothian Virginia. Within days, a picture
appeared in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette of a flag draped
casket and an obviously distraught widow and young
son Tyler Miles dressed in Marine Corps Dress Blues
saying goodbye to his "Daddy". The picture
was taken by a photographer by the name of Kevin Morley
of the Richmond Times Dispatch and the story was written
by staff writer Meredith Bonny. The Post Gazette picked
it up through the Associated Press and felt the need
to run the story. As I read the story, I realized that
the Marine in the casket was one of the Marines we
had sent our care package to for Christmas. I somehow
felt closer to the fallen Marine now that I realized
that we may have been the last bit of home that he
may have felt prior to his untimely death.
I
cut the picture and story out of the newspaper and
took it to work with me that night wanting to share
my sorrow with whomever might want to listen. Late
in the evening at the Monte Cello’s restaurant
in Hampton which I had assumed management duties of,
Kelly O’Connor of Kelly O’s restaurant
visited my restaurant along with a friend Jerry Vanasdale.
Jerry, who was a combat Marine from the First Gulf
War and fellow motorcycle enthusiast shared my passion
for both motorcycles and Marines. We instantly bonded
and began to share some of our common experiences as
both combat veterans and motorcycle riders. I showed
Jerry the picture I had carried with me to work that
day of our Fallen Marine Sean H. Miles and we both
felt an urge to help the grieving family in any way
we could. It has been a long standing tradition of
motorcycle riders to organize events to raise money
for charitable causes as it not only serves a much
needed purpose but also gives us a chance to ride and
enjoy each other’s company.
We
decided to organize the "Fallen Marine Memorial
Run" as we began to plan the event without even
knowing anything about the family of Sgt. Sean H. Miles.
Within weeks, we had our first meeting, which included
a handful of dedicated volunteers who were willing
to do whatever it would take to put together a group
of caring individuals who vowed to get things done
no matter what. Originally, I anticipated 500 riders
and began to plan a picnic with burgers and dogs and
a little ride to spread the word and raise some money.
Jerry informed me that 1500 riders was not out of the
question and that we could conceivably raise in excess
of $25,000 and set up a college tuition fund for the
young son of our hero. As the word spread of our endeavor,
momentum began to build and this thing we called the "Fallen
Marine Memorial Run" began to take on a life of
it’s own.
We
started getting phone calls from people who had heard
through the grapevine of our efforts and commitments
for assistance began to pour in. As a courtesy to the
family, as is now the current tradition, I went on
line and signed the guest book for Sean and noted our
intentions to raise money for Tyler. Within hours,
I had an e mail response from the widow, Genevieve
Miles thanking me and Jerry for our efforts and I was
amazed at how she would have had the presence to even
began to respond to our project. Within the next few
weeks as we proceeded with our plans, I received a
phone call from Gen Miles and we talked for a long
time as we shared tears and laughter together as if
we were old friends when in fact we had never met.
Gen told me that she felt like she had known me forever.
I think the bond had something to do with the fact
that she herself was a Marine and that is a bond which
I will not try to explain at this time. As we talked
about our efforts here in Pittsburgh, Gen was so grateful
for anything we could do but she also expressed a genuine
quality that was so obvious to me that I knew instantly
that we had chosen the best possible candidate for
our project. Weeks passed and Gen and I continued to
e mail each other and occasionally spoke on the phone
and eventually I got to talk with Sean’s parents
who more than solidified our beliefs that we truly
did chose the most deserving family we could have ever
dreamed of. As our motorcycle run continued to build
momentum, we were in touch with the writer from the
Richmond Times as we learned that young Tyler was about
to turn three on May 28 and by another yet unexplained
coincidence, we were going to be in Washington DC that
very weekend as part of the annual Rolling Thunder
motorcycle event which attracts over a half million
riders from across the country every year for the Memorial
Day weekend.
Our
original plan, with the blessing of the family of course,
was to take Tyler out to lunch for his birthday near
his grandparent’s home in Virginia and that was
kind of where we left it. After learning of our plans,
Mike and Deb Miles, Sean’s parents, called me
and insisted that we come to their house for a cookout
and birthday celebration for Tyler and that all 20
of the riders who accompanied me to the Wall, were
welcome. Meredith Bonny of the Richmond Times arranged
to purchase Star Wars gifts for Tyler as these were
his favorite toys as he and his dad had shared a passion
for the Star Wars movies and characters. The Times
insisted that they be included, as they wanted to do
a feature article on our visit and document our arrival
on film as they anxiously awaited our thunderous arrival
on bikes at the Miles’ household. We rolled into
the Miles residence in the quiet suburban town just
outside of Richmond Virginia and were greeted in the
driveway by Sean’s wife, son, mother, father,
grandparents, sister, brother and other family friends.
Within seconds of our arrival, between tears and hugs,
we became family. Mike Miles later confessed that even
though they invited us to their home without knowing
anything about any of us, he was hesitant to share
his emotions with strangers as this just is not something
their family does. We changed all that..It was a beautiful
welcome as we were invited into the Miles house where
Mike Miles began a 45 minute tribute to his late son
Sean as he shared the story of Sean’s life from
childhood up until the night the Marine First Sergeant
appeared at Mike’s doorstep to inform him that
Sean had been killed in Iraq. Mike said that it couldn’t
be as Sean had just called him days earlier and told
him he only had four days to go before he would come
home. Mike told us of how Sean died risking his life
to rescue another member of his platoon who had fallen
behind and was about to be exposed to an incoming barrage
of artillery which was about to land near them in support
of their mission. Thus the inscription on the front
of our T shirts, "Uncommon Valor was A Common
Virtue" which was first uttered by Admiral Chester
Nimitz about our Marines who had landed on Iwo Jima
in 1945.
Through
tears and long moments of silence, Mike shared his
most inner feelings and fond memories of his late hero
son Sean H. Miles. We were all made to feel like family
as the Miles prepared lunch for us and refocused our
attention on the real purpose of our visit, Tyler’s
birthday. Gen spent the day being the mother of the
brightest thing in her young life and she made no excuses
that her purpose in life is now Tyler. She is just
a beautiful person and a genuine asset to the Miles
family. We could not believe what a bond there was
between the whole family which I’m sure was solidified
by their most recent tragic loss. The rest of the day
was one of sharing stories and offering motorcycle
rides to the wife, mother, and grandmother of Sean’s
as we wound down and began to feel more comfortable.
The Miles family had just recently been notified that
there would be a Memorial Day ceremony in the town
recreation center that evening and we were all asked
to stay and participate. The family, nor any of us,
were aware of the event that was to unfold that evening
but at the ceremony, it was announced that a $25,000
scholarship fund had been set up at the local high
school in Sean’s name and that the neighborhood
was going to match donations up to $100,000 for the
fund. Again we shared tearful hugs with Sean’s
family as we said our farewells that evening and headed
back to our host for the weekend in the Washington
DC area.
Part
of our purpose for the trip to DC that weekend was
to spread the word of our Fallen Marine Memorial Run
to the half million riders who had congregated to express
their concerns over POW/MIA issues to our elected officials.
In the weeks that followed our trip to DC, we began
to receive phone calls and e mails from people wanting
to participate in our event and riders from New York,
Virginia and Harrisburg wanting to be involved.
We
now found ourselves in the position of not fully knowing
the extent of our efforts and just how many caring
individuals were willing to help our cause.
Our
original intent was to begin and end our event at the
local Harley Davidson dealership in Shaler Township
but we feel that we probably have already outgrown
that location. The Shriners pavilion in Harmarville
was our next choice for our finishing site but they
have committed to the Shriners car cruise event as
a rain date on the 27th of August. When we were offered
the opportunity to use the Ross Township Community
Center by Township Commissioner Lana Mazur, we were
elated at the prospect of such a prime location and
venue for our event. We realize that there are concerns
about our event and I will attempt to ease those concerns
to the best of my ability.
I
have taken on this project as a personal endeavor and
assume total responsibility for all facets of the operation
from start to finish. I can’t express enough
my commitment to the Miles family and the desire to
attempt to ease the pain and suffering felt not only
by the Miles family but hopefully others who have lost
loved ones who might seek comfort in our efforts. I
speak for my partner Jerry Vanasdale as well as the
entire dedicated and selfless staff of the Fallen Marine
Memorial Run.
Hopefully
now our mission statement is complete and any questions
previously unanswered are now fulfilled.
