The 30th Annual Run For The Wall, which made its way to Lauderdale County Monday afternoon, is a rolling thunder of motorcycles on a 10-day journey made up of service members, ex-military and everyday citizens to promote healing and call for an accounting of all Prisoners of War and those Missing In Action.

Their slogan is, “We ride for those who can’t.”

For Karoni Forrester, 47, the trip, which goes from Ontario, California, to Arlington, Virginia, is a cause near to her.

Forrester, a native of Austin Texas, is the southern route coordinator for the ride, but more importantly she is an, “MIA daughter;” a distinction one does not choose.

Her father, CPT. Ronald W. Forrester, served in the United States Marine Corps and went missing in battle on December 27, 1972, one month before the peace treaty was signed ending the Vietnam War.

This year is her tenth ride and she came with a group from California who stayed at the Lauderdale County Ag Center Monday night. They head out Tuesday and plan to reach Arlington National Cemetery Friday, the last leg of the journey.

“The very first time I heard about this I was amazed that so many people still cared after all these years,” Forrester said. “These riders are the most wonderful people in the world.”

Monday’s leg of the journey brought them through Louisiana where they met with an MIA family and laid a small wreath at a cemetery for the family to honor their missing loved one, she said.

“Tomorrow we will be in Dalton, Georgia visiting a 101-year-old mother of an MIA soldier, Air Force Major Bobby Jones,” Forrester said. “She is still waiting on her son.“

When speaking about families of MIA soldiers, Forrester said, “We’re not over it. We do this to promote healing and also for accountability and more focus on the issue from politicians as well as everyday people.”

She stressed that time is running to account for those still missing in action in Southeast Asia. The ground there is becoming acidic, hindering any possibility of finding remains.

“The more the public is aware, the better to get more funding,” she said.

More than just a ride

Run For The Wall was started in 1989 by Vietnam veterans James Gregory and Bill Evans, who traveled across America on their motorcycles, talking to radio, TV stations and newspapers about the thousands of men and women who were unaccounted for from all the wars.

For U.S. Navy Capt. Billie “Bugs,” Dunlap, the route’s assistant coordinator, it’s more than just a ride.

“It is a pilgrimage,” Dunlap said. “It’s like a mission with a large group of people traveling together with one goal in mind.”

Dunlap, who served in Operation Desert Storm, said the ride is becoming popular among younger veterans, and not just those who served in Vietnam.

“We are trying to reach the younger ones,” he said. “It’s not only for Vietnam vets.”

Dunlap said this year’s ride is the biggest so far, with 1,600 riders registering when it started in Ontario, California on May 16. In many of the towns they visit, they hear from veterans’ groups.

“I heard the best quote this morning,” he said. “Although the guy who said it didn’t write it, I wrote it down because it’s so fitting – ‘Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another’.”

The riders are prepared for any mishap that may happen along the way. There are three chase vehicles to carry bikes that might break down. If this happens, the bikes are taken to a dealership in the next town to be repaired. There is also an emergency medical truck staffed by two nurses, Melissa Marshall and Wendy Shupp, who are both from the Columbia, South Carolina area.

Forrester and Dunlap said they were thankful for the hospitality they received while in Lauderdale County. Members of the Debs social organization and the Boy Scouts were on hand volunteering any way they could, handing out cold water and doing whatever was needed.

“This is their favorite thing to do,” said Ticia Marlow, a Deb mother. “They remember people that were here last year and look forward to seeing them again.”

“They let a small group ride through the cemetery,” said Dunlap. “We are the only group that they allow to ride through.”

Many riders stay over in Washington, D.C. for a demonstration Sunday.

All riders are responsible for their own expenses on the trip, but are to take the ride thanks to donations and the generosity of their supporters.

To make a donation, visit www.RFTW.us/benevolence-fund/ or send an email to rftw@rftw.us