Port Dawgs Memorial Run

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Josh Kincaid
  • 94th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. – Airmen from Dobbins came together for a Port Dawgs Memorial Run at the base track on Sunday, May 2.

 

The run was an untimed one-and-a-half mile run at the track, which saw participants from the 80th Aerial Port Squadron and the Transportation Proficiency Center.

 

“We have the Port Dawg Memorial Run for our fallen Port Dawgs – what we call aerial porters or 2T2s,” said Master Sgt. Ronald Murphy II, a TPC instructor here. “This is the annual event that we have to honor our fallen from the previous year.”

 

The Memorial Run began in 2013 at Kadena Air Base, Japan, when the local Port Dawgs wanted to memorialize the tragic loss of one of their brothers, Tech. Sgt. Curtis E. Eccleston. The event has become an annual event held across the entire career field.

 

Port Dawgs host the event every spring, between April and May, since May 11-17 is National Transportation Week.

 

This year, they celebrated the lives of 12 of their fallen teammates from the 2020 calendar year:

Master Sgt. Christopher Messer

Tech. Sgt. Christopher Ewing

Tech. Sgt. Karl Reichenbach

Tech. Sgt. Paul Weaver

Staff Sgt. Tyler Connnoly

Staff Sgt. Ronald Ouellette

Staff Sgt. Deion Swann

Staff Sgt. James Wojcik

Senior Airman Adrian Fundora

Senior Airman Robert Polin Jr.

Airman 1st Class Kongmon Vang

Mr. Philip "Jojo" Rillon

 

“It felt good to give back and show how I remember those who fell before us and made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Tech. Sgt. Chris Crezee, a TPC instructor. “We have different squadrons out here doing it and we all feel honored to be a part of the run.”

 

The event participants encouraged one another and showed great camaraderie.

 

“We’re all Port Dawgs and we all come together,” said Chief Master Sgt. Shawn Kaiser, 80th APS operations superintendent. “We deploy together, Reservists and active duty alike, so it’s just one big happy family. We’re just out here doing what we can do to help support those who have gone on before us and paved the way.”