Running to Remember

       On Saturday I ran the 210th and final mile of my journey. I ran in honor of a soldier, and a hero- Captain Scott P. Pace. Scott served two tours of duty as a helicopter pilot in Iraq, where he was wounded, and then returned to serve another in Afghanistan. He was scheduled to come back to BYU as an instructor in the Army ROTC after his tour was up. On June 6, 2012 however, his helicopter was shot down by Taliban fire, killing him and his copilot. He was killed in the crash on June 6, 2012. A quick Google search will return enough articles to convince you of his character and bravery:
News Article
Obituary

         His name was the only name that I focused on as I ran the Salt Lake City Marathon. I wrote it in pen on my ankle before the race and he was with me for all 26.2 miles.

         I had more than enough time during that run to reflect on his service and thank him properly. Marathons test the physical and mental limits of endurance. They push an athlete right up to the breaking point, and then force him to cross over it. There were times when I wanted to give up and quit. Then I thought of Scott, and how he never quit when things got tough. When challenges came, he answered their call. It helped me be able to dig deep and run through the pain and fatigue. I finished strong, and with his name I ended one of the most incredible experiences that I've ever had.

          Now I've been wondering how to finish this blog. What have I learned? Is there a central theme that I need to address? What do I want other people to take away from my experience?

        Well, the answer to these questions came to me a few days ago on Easter Sunday. Easter Sunday is a pretty goofy holiday sometimes, with candy and eggs and bunnies, but the meaning of it resounds strikingly with my project. The central message is hope. Spring has come, the sun is shining, there's a bright new day ahead. Easter celebrates the day when, after one of the darkest moments of history threatened to extinguish all hope, everything was made right. Christ came triumphantly out of the grave to show men that it's more important to suffer for our principles than to abandon them. He proved that a man or woman can be stronger than the events that surround them. Light is stronger than darkness, and love is stronger than hate. The Savior showed that there is a new day ahead for everyone.

        Every single one of the 210 men on my list gave their lives for something that would be seemingly meaningless without the principles that they believed in. Their ideals are what propelled them through the dark times. Some may say that idealism is useless. They might laugh and call naive those who believe so strongly in ideas like freedom, duty, right and wrong. They would point at the training accidents, the friendly fire, the butchery, the senseless deaths over a few feet of ground that compile this list and call each of them a waste and a tragedy. Well it is a tragedy. Death is always a tragedy. History is filled with the pain and suffering of millions. That's exactly why we NEED idealism. We need strong beliefs and hope to give our spirits something to tether to, something to cling on to when faced with the ugliness in the world. If we look past the bad in the world, we will find that history is filled with millions of shining moments when men and women have triumphed in spite of the worst conditions possible. If we look for the good and remember those shining moments, we will find the strength to triumph in suffering as well.

        I'm not a writer, I'm not a professional blogger, and I'm not a philosopher, but I hope I can express in my own rudimentary way the power of this project. I hope that those who read this will be inspired in their own challenges. I hope that they will see the causes that are calling for them and rise up to answer. Look back on the examples of these men, those who gave all. If we forget about them, we lose our precious heritage, something that can be a real, tangible force in our lives. Remember them.





     I ran to remember, and I will never forget.

Lieutenant Joseph Wright Behunin

         Joseph Wright Behunin graduated from BYU in 1966. After graduation he joined the United States Navy Aviation Officer Candidate Program, and in 1967 he was commissioned an Ensign.  He married his wife Nancy on December 8th 1964. They had two sons and a daughter.
        Joseph was a helicopter pilot- but not just any helicopter pilot. He was a member of the search and rescue unit with the mission to recover downed pilots. That means that his job required him to fly into dangerous areas behind enemy lines and find American servicemen before they were killed or captured. He flew  missions in Vietnam, Japan, and the Philippines

Joseph and his crew in Vietnam

    He was awarded the Air Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, and numerous other meals for bravely rescuing pilots as part of the HC-7CSAR Combat Search and Rescue squadron-one of the most decorated squadrons in Vietnam. 

        The picture above is of a memorial in North Carolina to the bravery and sacrifice of the HC-7 "Seadevils." Their whole mission was to forget themselves and fly a whole crew into perilous situations often for the sake of only one man. They all worked together to rescue others, showing extreme commitment, selflessness, and dedication. Joseph was killed in a crash off the coast of Imperial Beach California. His life ended abruptly, but his legacy will live on.

207-209

WHITE, NATHAN D

JACOBSEN, WILLIAM W Jr.

JENKINS, CORY J

These men were killed in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

192-206

STEPHENSEN, MARK L

STEVENSON, J BRENT

STOCKS, BRUCE D

STRANGE, FLOYD W

STRONG, KEITH LEROY

SWENSON, BERT EARL

VANVLIET, GERRIT H

WADSWORTH, JOHN L

WALKER, H FRANK

WHITING, R NORMAN

WOOD, DON CAHRLES

WOOD, RUSSELL CARL

YARDLEY, RODNEY B

CORDON, RALPH BRENT

GULF WAR

GRIMM, WILLIAM E

         I went on a long run today and was able to honor 15 more names. This brings the total to 206, which is incredible. I've been working on this for a few months, and it's a great feeling to know that I'm about to reach my goal. I only have 4 more names, and these might be the most emotional, because they're so recent. The next men to come are those who still have wives, children, and families here. They're still trying to come to terms with their loss, and trying to find out how to mourn their loved ones. These wounds are still fresh. As I finish these names I'm not sure what to do. I'm almost scared to run these last few miles. I've been consistently thinking about all of these heroes and paying tribute to them for months, and now I don't know what I'm going to do. I hope I'm not the same person after this. I hope I can hold onto these ideals and examples and reflect them in my life. But there will be time for that later- I've got some more miles to run.

184-191

ROBBINS, LARRY O

ROMANO, JON AUGUST

ROSS, ARNOLD JACK

SLOAN, LES RAY

SLOAT, GREGORY ALEC

SMITH, RICHARD A

STANDRING, LAUREN W

STENQUIST, DAVID E

       This was the fastest 8 mile run that I have ever done, thanks to my new GPS watch that measures pace. It was way fun, and rewarding to give a big effort for these names.

181-183

PUGMIRE, MAX WELKER

REX, ROBERT ALAN

RICHINS, KIM JESSE

163-180

HANSEN, CRAIG HAYES

JENKINS, STANLEY JR

JENSEN, MYRON ORAL

JOHNSON, KIM W

KEOWN, BLAIR LOGAN

KING, DENNIS DUANE

LAZARUS, ROBERT

LEAVITT, RAY HUNT

LITTLER, JAMES III

MASON, BERNELL A

MEINERS, PAUL A

MOULTON, L NEAL

MOWER, GARY RUEL

NEWELL, GREGG A

PEDERSEN, KENNETH R

PERCIVAL, ALTON DEE

PORT, HYRUM BARRY

POWELL, LYNN KESLER

       This was an 18 miler, getting ready for my marathon in a month. I was able to run all of these name and honor all of their sacrifices with a sacrifice of my own. I carried this list with me so that I wouldn't forget any of the names.

           The weather was amazing, and I picked the most scenic route. I was able to really enjoy being outside. I took a video on the edge of Provo Airport by the Lake to show how amazing the day was.

              I'm grateful for the sacrifice of these men. They served, fought, and died for us. I can live in peace and enjoy the beauty of Utah, or Colorado, or Mississippi, or anywhere else because of what they did. I hope my running in some small way honors these men. I'm inspired by them and am determined to make life better for those around me.

              Spring is here, bringing with it promise, hope, and anticipation for an incredible year. So many great things can happen if we all look around and help others. Please take a moment and find someone around you whose life you can make better.

159-162

FALCONER, PAUL III

GOLDEN, M DENNIS

HALES, RAYMON D

HALL, REED JAMES

144-158

BACON, KENNETH JR
BEHUNIN, JOSEPH W
BITTON, GARY W
BOONE, CHARLES LEE
BRAGG, FRED G JR
BRETCHES, RAYMOND D
BROWN, MICHAEL G
CHIPMAN, RALPH JIM
CRANDALL, GORDON C
DECELLE, ROBERT II
DEWAAL, HOWARD J
DUCE, ROGER LAVON
DUFFIN, REY LAMAR
ENOS, LEONARD ARVIN
EVERT, L GERALD

I did all 15 of these names on one run, in preparation for a marathon in April. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful run. It took a lot of dedication and endurance, but I was happy doing it for these guys. Because there are so many names, I'm going to start posting more individual profiles as separate posts as I get more and more information.

Glen Roy Draper

  
      Glen Roy Draper had a short tough life. His mother and siblings were killed when he was 5, and he only had his father to count on for the rest of his life. Glen only got 24 credits at BYU before he was drafted and entered a Marine unit heading to Korea. He was assigned to the Communication Section, which sounds like it should be a safe place.

     Early on, he made a distinct impression on the soldiers around him. He bolstered the faith of many. Jim Carmickle, the Sergeant in charge of the message center said:

    "Draper was a full-blown Mormon. He carried 

     his Mormon Bible with him at all times. When 

he had free time he read it. He lived it, he 

believed it. He was fully religious without 

being obnoxious to others about his beliefs."

         

     Carmickle explained that Glen's death was a religious trial for him, because until then he had trusted that God would protect him. However, after seeing Glen's devotion and death Carmickle realized that faith and devotion do not guarantee survival. He was later told by his unit Chaplain that God wanted Glen in Heaven where most of his family already was. He was taken up to Heaven because he was so good and believed so firmly. 

         Death is part of God's plan. It's the way that we return to Him, and the way that we escape some of the pain, trial, torture, and evil of this world. It would be inappropriate and misguided to believe that faith will protect us from all harm and evil. While speaking at a funeral Elder Anthony W. Ivins, an Apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said:

"This is what the gospel gives us-not immunity from death, but victory over it through the hope we have in a glorious resurrection...It is a pleasure, and it is a satisfaction and joy to know that men lay down their lives in righteousness, in the faith, true to the faith."

Glen Roy Draper

135-143

BUSHMAN, WARREN M

DRAPER, GLEN ROY

JOHNSON, L LAVAR

MATTHEWS, ARNOLD JR

SCHOFIELD, THEODORE

STEVENSON, MAX B

TANNER, MARLIN A

TIBBS, DON E
WILKINS, KIRK CHASE

        I've been sick for a few weeks and haven't been able to run. This morning though, with a lot of encouragement, I went 9 miles. I was planning on 8, but it was pointed out to me that one extra mile would finish the names from the Korean War. I couldn't walk away from such a small extra effort when these guys gave it all. 

       Every name on this blog belongs to a hero, but as I transition to more recent wars, it's easier to research each name and find out exactly what made them a hero. Every picture I see, every letter I read, every story I hear lead me to admire these men more and more. I'm inspired daily by their examples of living righteously, and of living courageously.

       Warren Bushman attended BYU for only one semester before enlisting in the Army. From Navajo Arizona, he enlisted into the 7th Cavalry Regiment. On the boat to Korea he conducted church services and truly lived his religion. 

Warren Bushman

He took part in the fierce battle of Heartbreak Ridge, so named for a month long offensive which resulted in 3,700 American and French dead and many other Korean dead with only a few small hills to show for it. He survived the battle, but was killed in action a few weeks later.


     Colonel Lorin Lavar Johnson was a legend. A hero of WWII and member of the Utah Aviation Hall of Fame, he fit the mold of a dashing pilot. Born in Payson Utah, he graduated from BYU and after 4 years in the national guard entered the Army Air Corps. 

Colonel Lorin Johnson

          Colonel Johnson participated in the first mass flight of land-based aircraft across the Pacific Ocean. In this flight the 18th Bomb Group flew from San Francisco to Clark Air Base in the Philippines. He then commanded the 392nd Bomb Group and personally flew 37 combat missions. In WWII, bombing was incredibly dangerous and as a commander, he wasn't obligated to fly many missions. Colonel Johnson led by example though, and showed his troops that he was willing to put his life on the line for them. He led the first daylight raid on Bremen and his unit enjoyed incredible success. He was later killed in action during the Korean War.

          Donald Tibbs was born in Indianola Utah. He played football at Brigham Young High School and attended BYU in 1948. Growing up, he was very close to his brother Robert, who served in the Air Force during WWII. When the Korean War broke out Robert was deployed again, while Don became a mechanic in the Utah National Guard. Don's unit was called up to deploy right as Robert was coming home, and they only spent one day together before Don had to leave. As soon as Don got to Korea he was given an M-1 rifle and told to go to the front lines instead of his original duty assignment as a mechanic. He was sent directly to the battle of Heartbreak Ridge, as they needed more men desperately.  He wrote a letter to his friend that said he had been at the bottom of a hill for 3 days without moving an inch. On September 24, 1951 Don Tibbs was killed, after only a few days on the front lines.

          Heartbreak Ridge was exactly that- a heartbreaker. It's a classic example of using misguided benchmarks and outdated tactics in a war. The Allied forces would pound the hill with planes and artillery all day, then order their troops to take bunkers built into the hill which had been largely unscathed by the previous shelling. The Allied troops would make a frontal assault uphill and fight tooth and nail during the day to conquer this series of hills, only to be swept off of it by fresh Korean troops during the night. Day after day, they would endure the heartbreak of seeing their friends and brothers killed in a grotesque version of King of the Hill. It paralleled the Korean War at large which, after all of the fighting, returned the political lines right back to the 38th parallel. Sometimes you wonder what their sacrifice means. I don't pretend to have all of the answers, but I do know that over 60 years later the citizens of North Korea are suffering from incredible human rights violations, and those who our soldiers were able to protect in the South are doing alright.
      
         There are too many names and too few resources, but it has been incredible to learn more and more about my heroes. One of the names that I didn't get to is Glen Roy Draper. The Next Post will be dedicated to him.

131-134

RADMALL, RUEBEN

TWELVES, ROLAND

ZABRISKIE, WALTER

BLISS, C. BRUCE

You might have noticed by now that I'm not running these names alphabetically or chronologically. I'm running them as they are on the wall in Memorial Hall at BYU. They're listed alphabetically and grouped by the conflict that they fought in. Bruce Bliss starts a new conflict- the Korean War. Caught between WWII and the war in Vietnam, the Korean War isn't talked about very much. This is also due to the embarrassing defeats we suffered there in our military campaign. The U.S suffered 33,686 deaths overall, with 10 of those being students from Brigham Young University. I'll run their names next, and try to tell their stories in a way that does them justice.

125-130

HALES, HOWARD

HICKMAN, LEONIDAS

HINCKLEY, STANLEY

JOHNSON, ARNOLD E

LOCKHART, DAN

PETERSON, FRANK

            I ran for these six men a few days ago. It was a great run, and I felt strong after it. While I was running though, I thought about something I read the other day. I'm in a class on American History and we have been discussing the principles of liberty, freedom, and the morality of war. We read the writings of Thomas Paine, who wrote pamphlets during the Revolutionary War that inspired common American citizens to take up arms and fight. 

            As I ran, I wondered what could cause that. What could make a man take his hunting rifle and fight the most powerful army in the world? In countries that span the entire globe, the British empire had successfully conquered and repressed dozens of populations. Their army was well accustomed to using cruel methods and harsh tactics against insurrectionists and rebels. It must have seemed hopeless. So what motivated them? What ignited the fire in their hearts that could not be extinguished - not even at Bunker Hill, or in Valley Forge?

The Continental Army Suffering at Valley Forge

A lot of it came from those pamphlets by Thomas Paine.

           His fervor for American liberty and hatred for a King that would abuse his subjects resonated with ordinary Americans. His ideas swept around the colonies and gave them a vision of what could be. One passage in particular served as a call to arms to many, and is incredibly inspiring. 

            Paine describes in one of his letters an encounter that he had with a British loyalist. The loyalist did not support the act of Revolution which was taking place. At the end of their discussion, the father said with his child in his arms, "Well! give me peace in my day." Paine wrote: 

'Well! give me peace in my day.' Not a man 

lives on the continent but fully believes that

a separation must some time or other finally

take place, and that a generous parent should 

have said, 

'If there must be trouble, let it be in my day,

that my child may have peace;'

and this single reflection, well applied, is 

sufficient to awaken every man to duty.

      This is the thing. This is the belief that I know was shared by every single man on this wall. They knew the risks. They accepted the sacrifices. What  they did not accept, was that someone else, their child, their brother, their friend should be forced to make those sacrifices. Our nation was created and is maintained on the blood, sweat and tears of millions of men and women who decided that they would make the effort, so that others would not have to. That is what has allowed America to experiment and thrive under a revolutionary form of Government - one that has allowed the common man and woman to enjoy more freedom and more rights than have ever been enjoyed in known history.

      The American experiment is the culmination of thousands of years of philosophy, government, political thought, and evolution. It was forged in the fires of oppression and tyranny, stood up to armies and navies, and not only survived, but catapulted onto the global stage as a major player. We have nicks and scrapes, we have scars and bumps, but we have truth and liberty written into the very fabric of our society. The social changes and upheavals that have largely began in America have transformed the world to make it more fair, just, and tolerant of all humans. 

In the end, this was only ever possible because of them.

      So the next time you see a struggle, the next time you have a chance to make the world a better place, I hope that you can say, "let it be in my day."

117-124

STEPHENSEN, MONT

ANDERSON, DARRELL

ANDERSON, GEORGE E

ARGYLE, HORACE R

CARD, REED

CHIPMAN, J WESLEY

DEANS, LEROY

EKINS, ABEL J

105-116

WHITE, JOHN G

WHITE, JOHN S

WHITE, LEWIS ELMER

WHITE, SAMUEL MAX

WILL, WALLACE K

WILLIAMS, JAMES J

WILLIAMS, WALDON

WILSON, GENE L

WILSON, RONALD

WOOLEY, CLOYD

WRIGHT, ROBERT S

YOUNG, JAMES WARREN

James J Williams USMC was killed in combat at Iwo Jima.

101-104

VANCE, DAVID H

VEST, WILLIAM LEROY

WARDLE, LELEN TAYLOR

WHITE, CHARLES WILLIAM

95-100

SPILLMAN, EARL

STRINGHAM, IRVING RAY

SUNDAHL, JOHN C

SWENSON, LYMAN K

THOMAS, HARRY

TURLEY, GRANT

These names were done as part of a hike up Squaw Peak in Provo, Utah. It was a beautiful hike, and I was able to concentrate on the sacrifices and efforts that these men made. The hike was 7 miles, but I only used 6 names from our wall. The last name that I hiked for was Delynne Peay, a much loved dance instructor at BYU. I was in her class for over a year and performed on her Spring tour team. I was inspired, motivated, encouraged, and loved by her. She helped me to find a genuine happiness in dancing, which served me well in a few dark patches of my life that I went through later. I had to include her in the hike, and it worked out incredibly that with her counting as a 7th mile, the 6 names that I hiked for made my mile count hit an even 100. I'm almost halfway through the 210 names on the wall and can't wait to get out and run the rest.

Delynne Peay

91-94

SNOW, CLAUDE S

SNOW, RAY B

SORENSEN, W SAM

SPENCER, FARLEN L

Skousen, Murr

       
                Murr Skousen is the man in the middle of the group crouching down. You know, the one that looks like a total boss? He's staring down the camera because he wants everyone to know he's the toughest guy there.

                  Born during WWI in Mesa, Arizona Murr Eldred Skousen was an excellent athlete. He played high school football and eventually wound up on the BYU football team as a halfback. Due to his height of 5'7" and his tenacious nature, he gained the nickname, the "Mighty Mite."

              He left BYU and joined the Army Air Corps when WWII broke out, becoming the captain of a B-29 Bomber. He flew several successful bombing missions over Japan, and proved to be smart, resourceful, and courageous. An example of this is shown in the following story.

              During training in Pratt, Kansas, Murr had a scare. He was returning to base in a B-17 one night and found that his wheels wouldn't come down. Unable to land properly and running out of fuel, he circled the field to try again. Unsuccessful in his efforts to lower the wheels, Murr ordered his crew to bail out. When they asked why, he told them that he was going to try and take it in on its belly. The crew refused to leave him alone and trusted him so much that they all stayed in the plane with him. Murr made an outstanding emergency crash landing on the runway. In a letter to his parents he wrote:
 "Had a little trouble the other night and here is a picture to let you see how it was turned out. No one was hurt or scratched....Was complimented on the landing & everybody was pleased with it."  

Crash-Landed B-17 flown by Murr Skousen

                    Murr was a talented pilot, but the sky is harsh and unforgiving. Aviation has come a long way since the Wright Flyer, and is relatively safe and predictable, but in WWII it was more dangerous than ever. Thousands of brave young men and women perished in training accidents and missions due to reasons such as faulty equipment, lack of experience and training, and lack of standards and regulations.

                    When stationed in China, on July 29, 1944 Murr left on a routine training mission. One of his 4 engines failed, and he radioed that he was returning to base. He skillfully flew the plane back to the base(having one of 4 engines out drastically changes the flight characteristics and balance) and was about to attempt a landing, when he saw a plane already on the runway. Wanting to keep that plane out of danger, Murr decided to go around the pattern and try again. Tragically, his 3 working engines didn't have sufficient power to climb over a nearby hill. He crashed into the side of it and was killed.



Murr was a hero, and I'm proud to have run a mile for him. I know I can't repay his sacrifice at all by running, but I'll do what I can. I hope that this everyone reading this can take a few seconds to thank him, and all of the other men on this page.


-Brett
****Special Thanks to Alex Greaves. Murr is her great Uncle and she was invaluable in my research process

77-90

RICE, SARGENT GRANT

RICHINS, OTHELLO D

ROPER, HUGH RAWLIN

RUST, GEORGE NELSON

SECOR, ARTHUR E

SEELY, MAX M

SHARP, IVAN PAUL

SHELLEY, DAVID EDWARD

SIMMONS, GERALD L

SKOUSEN, MURR

SMITH, HEBER JOSEPH

SMITH, PAUL HONE

SMITH, VICTOR E

SMITH, WENDELL OLSEN

     I ran 8 of these names last week, and the other 6 today. It's a great feeling to look at the mile counter and see such a high number. Honestly, I knew I would be able to do it, but it's so exciting to see this plan actually work. I know I'm still not even halfway, and sometimes think that I've bitten off more than I can chew....but then I think about the lives of these men. I think about their names and their service. It makes me want to dig deep and finish what I've started.

Provo has had a lot of snow and low temperatures for the past few weeks. Add that to me getting pretty sick for a few days and it was hard for me to find the time or motivation. But honestly, I'm running more consistently in the winter months than I ever have. Usually I use the winter to take a break from running and hibernate, but these guys are keeping me at it. Why? I feel an obligation, a debt to them. They're my brothers. They're my heroes. I can't let them down. We have so much in common. 

     They all went to BYU to gain an education. They came to be around people with their same beliefs. They came to play sports. They came to meet girls. They were associated with this school for most of the same reasons why I came here. A lot of these guys didn't graduate. They gave up their futures and comfort to serve their country. I don't want to get into the politics of the draft, but whatever their stance on the war, I know that they did far more than they had to. I can't imagine leaving home to face enemy fire in another country. Their experience is so incredible that I feel compelled to learn more about them, to honor them, and to share their stories.

       The next post is going to be a profile of just one of these men. I feel bad lumping all of these names together and want to be able to highlight specific individuals. His experience isn't unique, but it was still an individual sacrifice. I ran a mile for him, but he gave his life for me.

73-76

PREECE, LELAND

RASMUSSEN, CANNON

REHOR, WILLIAM G

REX, DALE B

I ran these four names yesterday. I wanted to write a lot about them and highlight their sacrifices because when I run long distances some might get lost in the mix. So I had the idea to do some extra research and make these special. However, it's been hard to find out information for some names. I know that Cannon Rasmussen, for example, was a kindergarten teacher, but I don't know how he died. I know that Dale B Rex was a farmer and had completed 3 years of college at BYU before he enlisted, but I don't know what branch he served in.

I wish I could find out more about these men.

 Maybe I'm not tapped into the right databases, the right sources. Maybe, there aren't enough digitized and searchable documents. I might be able to find some information at the BYU library, but the archives are vast and hardly lend themselves to be searched. Moreover, it's a lot harder to find information about a single student who was only there for a few years, who didn't even graduate. If I'm lucky, I can usually find a picture of the headstone for their grave, or a copy of their enlistment record. If not, I could fruitlessly search all of these sources and find no record of these men or their sacrifices. 

That's just one more reason to run. I hope that through this, their legacy can live on, their names can be spoken, and their sacrificed can be honored. One of my secret hopes is that a relative or descendant of one of these men can one day stumble across this basic, elementary blog, look past the blemishes and unpolished nature of it, and come to learn that somebody, somewhere appreciates their loved one. If I can do that, it will have all been worth it.