Cpl. Dustin R. Donica

KLEIN MEMORIAL PARK NEAR HOUSTON, TEXAS

Judy, David and Courtney Donica placed flowers and flags at Dustin’s site in Texas in remembrance of their son and brother, honoring him on the Final Day of Run For the Fallen.  Dustin is loved forever and will not be forgotten by his family and friends.  A grateful nation honors this soldier for his service and ultimate sacrifice in Operation Iraqi Freedom, December 28, 2006, Al Anbar, Iraq.

Click on all photos to enlarge.

FORT RICHARDSON, ALASKA

More than 80 3/509th paratroopers at Fort Richardson, AK each ran a mile to remember their fallen.  Jimmy Daley ran for Dustin and the run ended at the Spartan Brigade Memorial that was dedicated on May 16, 2008 to honor the 53 members of the Spartan Brigade Killed In Action during their 2006 - 2007 deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  Our thanks to the 3/509th paratroopers for remembering and participating in the Run For the Fallen Final Day Event which honored the 4,139 fallen of OIF & also the military KIA in support of OEF.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXSb6uC4faI

19 paraptroopers representing the 19 fallen of the 3/509th PIR run at Fort Richardson, AK.

Old Glory proudly waves, unfurled as the 80 runners approach the Spartan Memorial in AK.

Flags with photos and names of each of the 19 3/509th fallen were posted at the Spartan Memorial.

The 80 paratrooper runners of the 3/509th and families at Fort Richardson, AK.

“After the run, the runners were told that they could keep their shirts, the runners’ flags and gift cards to Subway.  Most of the runners took the items with them when they were leaving.  The Able Company Soldiers, however, did not.  I was walking back from the run and noticed some movement close to the ground by the entrance to their Company.

 I walked up the sidewalk and came upon this:

The runners had each placed the memorial flags carfully into the ground at the front door of Able Company, of which Dustin and eight other fallen 3/509th paratroopers were  members. 

Maybe that was their way of telling their fallen brothers that although they’re not able to walk through that Able Company door anymore, they’re still very much a part of that amazing Company.”  Angie

“What a special group of men!” - Judy Donica

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

“On August 24th, 1,000 American soldiers in Baghdad, Iraq  each ran 4.2 miles to remember the almost 4,2000 American militatry members who gave the ultimate sacrifice in Operation Iraqi Freedom.  In Baghdad, we have a banner with all the names of the fallen on it that is posted in remembrance of each and every fallen service member.  I am very grateful for the sacrifices that they have made to our country as we all go through the rough times here in Iraq.  Everyone that has passed will never be forgotten by me or any other Service member serving.” - SPC Sage

Dustin’s runner in Baghdad was US Air Force, MSGT Beate Kinzel from Theresa, NY.  Here are two e-mails MSGT Kinzel sent to the Donicas:

“Dustin - I didn’t know you, but I picked your name today and ran for you for the Run for the Fallen here in Baghdad.  I was just looking down the list and, somehow, your name just jumped out at me.  Thanks for keeping me going.  We finished!  I will always remember you and the sacrifice you made!”

Judy Donica thanked MSGT Kinzel for honoring and running for Dustin in Baghdad and he replied:

“There is no need to thank me, it was my pleasure.  I am not joking when I say that Dustin helped me finish that run.  It was hot that day and I wanted nothing more then to quit.  But how could I quit something so simple knowing that Dustin did not quit?!  I am so very sorry for your family’s loss, but I assure you that he will always be on my mind.”  Very respectfully, Beate Kinzel, MSGT, USAF 

ACROSS THE USA 

75 Soldiers at Fort Lewis, Washington run for their fallen of OIF.  Photo by D.J. Koepfler

Citizens and military across our beloved nation held runs to remember the fallen of Operation Iraqi Freedom & Operation Enduring Freedom. 

10K MEMORIAL RUN IN WASHINGTON, DC ENDING AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

Memorial Bridge in Washington, DC leading into Arlington National Cemetery.

Jon Bellona leads the 150 runners from the Pentagon, around the War Memorials of Washington, DC, over the magnificent Memorial Bridge which crosses the Potomac River and onto Memorial Drive at Arlington National Cemetery where the 70-day cross-country run came to a close in Section 60, where 450 fallen of OIF & OEF rest with valor.

Heidi (center with runner’s bib showing the 19 photos and names of the 3/509th PIR fallen & 3 photos  and names of the 2/3 fallen Marines, 2008) ran for the 3/509th Battalion and the 2nd Regiment, 3rd Battalion Marines serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Runners come across Memorial Bridge into Virginia.

Runners cross Memorial Drive at ANC to get water after the 10K run.

SGT Andrew Hillstrom of 3/509th PIR, Able Company, wounded in OIF, placed the flag and Dustin’s photo at the Arlington National Cemetery grave of Dustin’s squad leader, SSGT Henry W. Linck. 

SPC Peter Shoemaker’s sister was honored to run the 10K, remembering the 3/509th nineteen fallen warriors, their wounded and those who continue to serve.  In honor of  Peter’s friend, David, she also ran for the 2/3 Marines serving in OIF who had 3 KIA during their 2008 deployment.

SPC Peter Shoemaker’s dad presented thank you posters to Jon Bellona.

Runners and families walk the final symbolic mile into Section 60 together.  SPC Shoemaker’s family and the family of fallen SSGT Henry W. Linck who is buried at ANC, carried American flags, stones of remembrance and flowers as they walked for the 19 fallen of the 3/509th PIR.  The remembrances were placed at the sites of SSGT Henry W. Linck and SSGT Jamie D. Wilson, Able Company,  honoring all 19 fallen warriors of the 3/509th PIR and the 2 fallen of the 1/501st PIR buried at ANC, all fallen from the Spartan Birgade, AK.

Jon Bellona, organizer of Run For the Fallen, places the final flag in Section 60.

Flags and photos were placed for Dustin, Toby Olsen, Micah Gifford, Henry Linck, Jamie Wilson and the 19 fallen of the 3/509th PIR at the graves of Henry and Jamie in Section 60.

Flags, photos, flowers and remembrance stones were placed at the graves in Section 60 in honor of Dustin and the other eighteen fallen of the 3/509th PIR.

The 19 fallen of the 3/509th PIR were honored  with flags, photos, flowers and remembrance stones.

The leaving of a stone is to honor the memory of the dead.  It is a custom that evolved from an ancient method of marking the graves.  It is simply a way of saying, here lie the remains of a person worth remembering, while letting others know that someone did come and remember.  Symbolically, it suggests the continuing presence of love and memory which are as strong and enduring as a rock.  Clear glass round stones and scarlet red heart-shaped glass stones were laid at the 400 graves of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Section 60.

The Donica Family requested that their names be signed (right side, second from bottom) on the thank you poster presented to Jon Bellona, organizer of Run For the Fallen. 

With the final mile flag in place, everyone stood in remembrance of the fallen of OIF & OEF for taps.

The 4,100 mile journey from California to Arlington National Cemetery ended in Section 60 where over 200 runners and family members paid tribute to the fallen warriors on this day of remembrance as taps were played.

(Darlene and Dick, in bright yellow polo shirts with flags and red flowers, photo above the bugler, are the proud parents of David who served with the Marines in Al Anbar Province, Iraq where Dustin was KIA.  Their son Steven is in the process of joining the Marines.  This most kind and supportive family silk screened all of the Run For the Fallen shirts for the 3/509th paratroopers and their families for the run on August 24th.  The logo and names at the top of this post are on the back of each shirt, airborne wings on the front.)

View Final Event Day video, 51 photos and article:

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=56972

http://www.stripes.com/08/aug08/fallen/

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=50918

http://pickupthepen.com/2008/08/26/run-for-the-fallen-final-days-event/

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/08/25/natpkg.run.for.the.fallen.cnn

See videos under MEMORIAL VIDEO TAB above.

See 3 additional posts on this site regarding Run For the Fallen.

www.runforthefallen.org

Run For the Fallen 3/509th PIR Memorial Video - “Gone but not forgotten.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjyM1PCtFxI

AUGUST 2, 2008

Terri and her daughter Vanessa drove over 350 miles from Indiana to Tennessee to support the national runners for their son and brother CPL Joseph Strong (run on August 3rd) who was KIA in Iraq.  Terri took along Dustin’s runner’s bib to place at his flag and mile on August 3rd near Dickson, TN. She is also placing a sign of support along the route to remember the 19 KIA from the 3/509th.

National runners with Joey’s Aunt Joni, sister Vanessa, and mom Terri near Ft. Campbell, KY.

“We are done with Day 49 for the Run For the Fallen.  It seemed to go very well with a lot of supporters and enthusiasm.  Some local people ran today for Joey because they could not run tomorrow.  You can view the newspaper from Clarksville, TN to see the story at www.theleafchronicle.com.  Today’s run included 3/509th soldiers SSG Linck, CPL Gifford, SGT Gibson, SPC Ford and SPC Murphy.  I talked to serveral people today who ran and are running the entire run.  They are amazing.  They kept thanking me for coming and supporting them, but they did not seem to realize that they are the ones supporting us.  I just can not thank everyone enough for their efforts when it comes to supporting our troops.  The troops are the reason that we are here in a free country and I am glad that people realize that.  I will send you another update tomorrow after the run.

Runners & Ft. Campbell, KY soldiers with national organizer of Run For the Fallen, Jon Bellona (flag).

The runners are starting the run at 6:30 in the morning on August 3rd.  Here are August 2nd pictures of the stop at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds, and also of the stakes that I made that I am going to literally pound into the ground where they place the soldiers’ flags.  The ground is so hard down here in KY and TN.  Take care and love always.”  ~Terri, mom of CPL Joseph A. Strong, KIA December 26, 2007, OIF.

Click on images to enlarge.

Flowers were placed at the Arlington National Cemetery Section 60 grave of SSG Henry W. Linck in remembrance on the day of his run and flag placement by Run For the Fallen in Tennessee.  Our most sincere thanks to all of the runners who honored Henry through this kind and meaningful gesture.

Run For the Fallen was featured on the NBC Nightly News on August 2, 2008 and it will also be on the CBS Evening News on Sunday, August 3, 2008.  Go to the MEMORIAL VIDEOS TAB above to view.

AUGUST 3, 2008

“It is Dustin’s Day for Run For the Fallen 2008. I am on my way out to walk my mile.”  -Judy Donica

DUSTIN

Still missing,

Still wishing,

You were here.

 

Never forgetting,

Always regretting,

You left us too soon.

 

Hearts aching,

Hearts breaking,

Our lives will never be the same.

 

When tears fall only once a day,

The pain will still be here to stay,

It’ll be progress…Not there yet.

Miss you. Love, Mom

~ ~ ~

Along the TN route, from CPL Joseph Stong’s mother, Terri:

Day 50 run for 3/509th paratroopers Dustin Donica, Joseph Strong, Douglas Tinsley & Jeremiah Johnson.

“I had a good time with the run on Day 50 which bagan at 7 a.m.  We loved being with the great people who are dedicating their summer to running for the fallen soldiers.  It was a very emotional day, but it was worth the time and effort that was taken to drive down to TN and be a part of this amazing event.  It was not quite as organized as we thought it would be, but it was as good as could be expected.  The runners are not familiar with the route as most of them are from California or Colorado, and it is hard for them to determine where they will be placing the flags for the fallen.  We originally placed our bibs that I had put on the stakes for the ground where we determined the miles would be considering the starting point, but we ended up being almost a mile off of their calculations, so we had to go back and pull up our markers.  Then there ended up being 5 soldiers between Joey and Douglas Tinsley instead of two.  So again we had to pull up the markers after placing them a second time.  It was a lot of driving and a lot of stress.  I did not get pictures of the flags for Dustin Donica or Jeremiah Johnson because they could not determine where they would be placed in the towns.  We also had to drive all the way back to IN yet.  The national runners are, however, taking pictures of each flag that they put up which will be used in their documentary that they are making.

There was a group of people in the small town of Dickson, TN where Dustin Donica’s flag was placed and they joined in with the national runners.  The local people were really excited to join the run.  I met a family whose boy was killed on Christmas Eve 2006, the day before Joey and Douglas.  They were from Wisconsin and came down just to support their son’s runners, also.  It is hard to believe that at least 15 soldiers were KIA between Christmas Eve and the day after on that year during the holiday.  I am so glad that all of our nation’s fallen are being remembered with this run.”

Jon Bellona reads the names of the fallen before the run on August 3, 2008.

Joey Strong’s sister, Vanessa, and mom, Terri.

AUGUST 4, 2008

Day 51 near Nashville, TN, running for 3/509th fallen paratroopers, Jeffrey Bisson, Sean Fennerty, Phillip McNeill, Toby Olsen, and Jamie Wilson.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/runforthefallen/sets/72157604240315898/

Aloha ALL,
I am Lis Olsen and Toby was my oldest son. I too am so very grateful for those who will not let the memory of these young men and women fade. “The greatest casualty is being forgotten.” To the organizers, to the parents and the families of these fine young men and women, I say, “Thank You” from the bottom of my heart . Respectfully, Lis

Since Lt. Col. James Olsen and his wife Lis are stationed in Germany, they were unable to be along the runner’s route in TN for Toby’s mile and placement of his flag.  Lis’ co-worker’s son Jason and his wife were in Nashville to represent them today:

AUGUST 5, 2008

Day 52, TN, Mile 3125

SGT Russell A. Kurtz

CPL James T. Lindsey & CPL Clifford A.Spohn, III

AUGUST 10, 2008

Day 57, TN, Mile 3409

SGT Ryan J. Baum

AUGUST 12, 2008

Debi and Rick (their son, SSGT Henry W. Linck, was KIA in OIF on December 7, 2008 with the 3/509th PIR and was Dustin Donica’s squad leader) are cross-country truckers.  Several days ago, Debi e-mailed me saying that they would be in Christiansbug, VA on August 11th to drop off a delivery.  I told them that the runners for Run For the Fallen would be following the same route up Interstate 81 and would end that day in Christiansbug, VA.  Yesterday I noticed on the DOD site that a soldier from Christiansburg, VA was KIA on August 10th in Iraq - SGT Kenneth B. Gibson, 25, assigned to the 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25gh Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Jon Bellona makes a sign and flag for SGT Kenneth Gibson of Christiansburg, VA.

Debi Linck, Henry’s step-mom, and Jon Bellona place the flag for SGT Gibson.

Debi said, not only did they meet up with the runners along the highway, but Jon Bellona let Rick and Debi post the flag for SGT Gibson, only then to discover that their son Henry Linck had served in Afghanistan with SGT Gibson with the same unit out of Hawaii, before both of them served in OIF at separate times with different units.  The Lincks and the Run For the Fallen runners were interviewed by the Roanoke TV station Channel 10 http://www.wsls.com/sls/news/local/new_river_valley/article/runners_remembering_fallen_soldier_from_our_area/15569/

 

Jon Bellona (with flag), runners and Rick Linck being interviewed by the news crew.

“I will say this much, these runners are awesome!  They were full of hugs and thanks for our son’s sacrifice.  When I first met John Bellona, he opened his arms and gave me a big hug and all I could do was cry.  Rick and I  both thank all of the members of Run For the Fallen and for what they are doing to remember the sacrifices of our military.  It means more to us than anyone could ever describe in words.  After we posted the flag for SGT Gibson and talked with the news crew, John Bellona decided to go ahead and run an additional mile in honor of SGT Gibson, right there in his hometown of Christiansburg, VA.  I was in tears just knowing that Henry had a hand in all of this.  All of this coundn’t have been planned.  It was simply meant to be. “  -Debi & Rick Linck

Running the mile for SGT Kenneth Gibson, Christiansburg, VA.

Rick Linck, dad of SSGT Henry W. Linck, Jon Bellona, and Allen, Run For the Fallen in Christiansburg, VA.

AUGUST 14, 2008

SGT Shawn G. Adams

AUGUST 24, 2008 Final Day Event

Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia

Family members of the 3/509^th will be at Arlington National Cemetery for the final event in Section 60 with flags, name signs, photos and flowers, representing the families of the Army 3/509th PIR who honor the memories of the nineteen fallen warriors who served in OIF 2006 - 2007.

A run has been organized and sponsored by the 3/509th paratroopers at Fort Richardson, AK on August 24th as they help keep alive the memories of their fallen brothers-in-arms.

SGT Brennan Gibson’s mother is putting together a 1K in Euegene, Oregon where Brennan grew up. God Bless all families that have lost someone. Thank you to all the people that have organized this event and are running/walking in honor of all our heroes. -Mindi, girlfriend of Brennan’s brother

Photos from August 24^th will be posted that evening on this site.

ONE MILE FOR EVERY SERVICE MEMBER KILLED IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.

Also see RUN FOR THE FALLEN and RUN FOR THE FALLEN BIBS posts on this site.

Print all 19 runners’ bibs for the 3/509th fallen under the RUNNERS BIBS TAB above.

www.runforthefallen.org