GEARY COUNTY — Junction City was the stopping point for the Remember Our Fallen Ride 2021 on Sunday. Approximately 70 riders on a cross country ride from California to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. stopped in Heritage Park.
Riders placed a wreath in front of the Kansas Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Heritage Park.
Ride organizer Barry Bateman explained a purpose of the ride was "to call for a full accounting of our nation's heroes that answer the call for our great nation during times of war and conflict, and the repatriation of the same. To allow their families a final answer as to where they have their final resting place."
Bateman noted that other purposes of the ride were to honor those families that have lost loved ones during all conflicts, and to recognize the loss of 22 current and former service members a day as a result of their service to the nation.
The ride replaced the annual Run For The Wall which normally comes through Junction City, but was called off this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. That event plans to return in 2022.
Bateman called the support by the community for this year's ride awesome as always. "Got the flags out there, we've got people on overpasses the whole time, we had the police escort into town, the wreath laying here at the memorial, what more can you ask for."
Dan Hammond of Junction City is participating in the ride. "The reception here is always awesome and this was marvelous today. Living here in Junction City I was on the giving end of this a few times, now I've been on the receiving end three different times. Every time brings tears to my eyes."
The riders spent the night in Junction City and plan to move on to Wentzville, Missouri Monday.