Ernie Andrus completes his cross-country run

Time Magazine reports that Ernie Andrus completed his cross-country jog after three years at St. Simon’s Island in Georgia on Saturday – the day after his 93rd birthday;

Ernie Andrus set out to run across the country to raise money to restore and return a World War II-era ship to Normandy, France for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landing in 2019, the Associated Press reported. Andrus had served as a medic on a similar ship, according to the AP.

According to his website;

My name is Ernie Andrus and I plan to run coast to coast in 2 to 4 years. (Super Senior Coast to Coast Run). I turned 90 in August, 2013. I started by touching the Pacific Ocean near San Diego CA., on October 7th, 2013 and will touch the Atlantic Ocean near Brunswick, GA., two to four years later.

This feat is being undertaken to raise money for the LST 325 SHIP MEMORIAL, INC. I was one of the crew that brought the LST 325 back from the Isle of Crete, Greece to the US in 2000, 2001 as aired on the history channel as The Return of LST 325. One thousand fifty one LSTs were built during World War II. The 325 is the only one left that has been restored and is still operational. Plans were being made to return the ship to Normandy for the D day memorial service (D day plus 70, 2014) and beach it at the same location where it was on Omaha beach 70 years before. The cost of taking this ship across the Atlantic and back is tremendous. Shortage of finances caused the 2014 trip to be canceled. Perhaps we can raise enough money for D Day plus 75 in 2019.

Category: Veterans in the news