The mission of Run To Honor is to preserve and perpetuate the legacy of Naval Academy Alumni lost in service to our Nation during combat or military operations.

Run To Honor does this by connecting Gold Star Families, classmates and friends; memorializing our fallen brothers and sisters in Virtual Memorial Hall; and organizing memorial and athletic events.

Memorial Day 2024 - Events Across the United States

There are gatherings and walks/runs scheduled across the country; many are listed below. If you would like to host one — which is as easy as sharing a time & place! — please let us know and we’ll include it on our list.

★ Portland, ME Memorial Day Run To Honor ★

Date/Time: TBD
Location: TBD
Event Lead: Jen Tyll

★ Philadelphia, PA Memorial Day Run To Honor ★

Date/Time: TBD
Location: TBD
Event Lead: Alex Freeman

★ RTH Annapolis Memorial Day 1 Mile Walk & Run ★

Date/Time: Monday, May 27th @ 0800
Location: USNA Cemetery by LCDR Erik Kristensen gravesite
Event Lead: Sofi Loomis
Website: https://myusna.com/networks/events/83670

★ Quantico Area Chapter Remembrance Walk/Run ★

Location: Virtual
Event Lead: Nancy Springer

★ Virginia Beach Memorial Day Sunrise Run To Honor ★

Date/Time: Monday, May 27th @ 0548
Location: Virginia Beach Ocean Front at the Neptune's Park
Event Lead: Dave Paddock
Additional Information: Join the Hampton Roads Chapter at Neptune's Park at sunrise on Memorial Day. We will have a moment of silence at sunrise, and then a run/walk down the Virginia Beach Boardwalk towards Rudee Inlet and back.
Even if you choose not to run or walk, please join us to take a purposeful pause in your busy lives. We will take a moment to remember our USNA brothers and sisters who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

Be there by 5:40 a.m. (it will be light out by 5:20). Wear your Run To Honor gear, or something to commemorate your comrades. Run or walk, however fast or slow as you would like as this gathering is about fellowship and remembrance.
Website: https://myusna.com/networks/events/86326

★ Charlotte Alumni Memorial Walk/Run ★

Date/Time: Monday, May 27th @ 10:30am
Location: Veterans Park in Plaza Midwood, Charlotte
Event Lead: Chris Nickels
Additional Information: On Memorial Day we remember all our fallen Naval Academy Grads. Run/walk the 3/4 mile path around Veterans Park for 30 minutes then join fellow Alumni, family and friends for a "memorial" drink at Resident Culture. Website: https://myusna.com/networks/events/85864

★Tampa Bay USNA Chapter Run/Walk to Honor ★

Date/Time: Monday, May 27th @ 0740
Location: Ballast Point in South Tampa, Florida (5300 Interbay Blvd, Tampa, FL 33611, USA)
Event Lead: Steve Swift
Website: Please visit our myUSNA.edu event page for event information and updates.
Additional Information: Walk or Run a 5k (or less) and if you want, say a few words about your fallen classmate/shipmate. We will have some light food, such as bagels/cream cheese and SWOnuts (whatever that is), alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and water to toast our fallen shipmates that have given their all.

Parking will be in the main lot, however, we learned last year that there are some other groups, so thanks to Miller Detrick '63 and Father Tim Corcoran '67 we have access to the Tampa Bay Yacht Club - Driving south to the club as you go past Ballast Point, it is the first lot on the right. Just past the horse stables and before the fitness center. It has a sliding metal gate at the entrance with a key pad to open it. Miller and/or Father Tim will be there to ensure it has been left open.

★ Columbus Memorial Day Walk/Run to Honor ★

Date/Time: Saturday, May 25th @ 0830
Location: East Granville Park (Route 161), Worthington, OH; Finish - Sharon Memorial Hall (Route 161), Worthington, OH
Event Lead: Sam Michaud
Event Honoree: Captain Seth Michaud, USMC '98
Additional Information: One mile walk from the East Granville Park to the Sharon Memorial Hall. Paved path with minimal automobile traffic. We will participate in Worthington VFW Memorial Day dedication at the end of the walk.

★ Chicago Memorial Day Walk/Run to Honor ★

Date/Time: TBD
Location: TBD
Event Lead: Eric Sucharski

★ Beach, ND Memorial Day Walk/Run to Honor

Date/Time: TBD
Location: likely at the local American Legion
Event Lead: Danielle Beier

★ Memorial Day 10k in Midland ★

Date/Time: TBD
Location: TBD Event Honoree: 2LT Patrick Wayland, USMC '10
Event Lead: David Wayland

★ Tulsa - Maple Ridge Memorial Day Run To Honor ★

Date/Time: Monday, May 27th @ 0800
Location: Owasso Island in Maple Ridge Neighborhood, Tulsa, OK (26th & Owasso)
Event Lead: Alyssa Donovan Farrell ‘99

★ 5th Annual Oak Harbor USNA Run/Walk/Ride to Honor ★

Date/Time: Monday, May 27th @ 1000
Location: BYOBeverage; 3326 Green Road; Oak Harbor, Washington 98277
Event Lead: Linda Postenreider '82, post82@whidbey.com, 415-235-9413
Website: https://myusna.com/networks/events/83824
Additional Information: Please arrive in time to stretch and make a pit stop. We will read the WA names in Memorial Hall at 1000 sharp followed by your choice of a 5k or 10k walk/run/ride. There will be a potluck following the 5k/10k. Impossible burger & fixings as well as watermelon will be provided. BYOB and a dish to share (vegan if possible).

★ Run To Honor Puget Sound - Issaquah, WA ★

Date/Time: Monday, May 27th @ 1000
Location: East Lake Sammamish trail at 4th Ave NW and NW Gilman Blvd
Event Lead: Matt Hill
Website: https://myusna.com/topics/9554/events
Additional Information: Join Matt Hill '91 for the 2nd annual Issaquah Run to Honor event on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27th at 1000. This event will include an easy 5k and 10k with social afterwards. Meet at East Lake Sammamish trail at 4th Ave NW and NW Gilman Blvd.

★ Sacramento Memorial Day Run To Honor ★

Date/Time: Monday, May 27th @ 0830 - 1100
Location: Barks and Brews 5k - Bannister Park, Fair Oaks
Event Lead: Alan Abbs '91

★ USNAAA San Diego Chapter Memorial Day Run To Honor Run / Walk ★

Date/Time: Monday, May 27th @ 1000
Location: Crown Point Park near Sea World
Event Lead: Craig Smith
Additional Information: Optional lunch gathering at a nearby eatery following the event. Look forward to Honoring Our Fallen - Go Navy!

Memorial Day 2023 - Reading the Names of Our Fallen

On Memorial Day 2023 we read the names of all 2,658 alumni in Memorial Hall from Memorial Hall. The video is embedded below.

2024 Events & Activities

In 2024, we are focusing our efforts on the following events & activities:

  1. Supporting the Alumni Association’s Honor Our Fallen Heroes event by assisting with planning, identification and outreach to Gold Star Families, and execution of various events over a weekend in the Fall.

  2. Identification of “lost” families of our fallen shipmates. The Naval Academy community owes so much to these families, but we only have contact information for a small fraction of them.

  3. Expansion of our “Event in a Box” initiative to encourage alumni chapters, class organizations, and individuals to organize and host their own events around Memorial Day.

  4. Memorial Day reading of names: in Memorial Hall, we intend to read the names, ranks, and services of the 2,575 Naval Academy alumni whose services and sacrifices we honor.

We are eager for volunteers for any and all of these efforts! Several — particularly research on “lost” families — can be done with however much or little time you have.

Online, Run To Honor created and maintains the USNA Virtual Memorial Hall project, a website with over 4 million words and 6,000 photos that aims to make good our promise to never forget.

Joining Run To Honor is as simple as emailing us or following our Facebook group. Please sign up for our newsletter, too!