Local vet travels the country to remember (and honor) those who gave all
It’s a day that still sits heavy on the hearts of everybody in Chattanooga. On July 16, 2015, a terrorist opened fire on two separate military installations, claiming the lives of five and wounding two others. The incident was an absolute tragedy that caused local heartbreak, and nationwide tears.
The five slain servicemen were Carson A. Holmquist, Thomas J. Sullivan, Squire K. “Skip” Wells, and David A. Wyatt of the United States Marine Corps, and Randall Smith of the United States Navy.
On an annual mission to pay tribute to the soldiers that lost their lives during the terrorist attack, on its anniversary, a local Air Force Veteran, Joshua Kapellusch, will again drive from Chattanooga to San Francisco in order to hang the American Flag on the Golden Gate Bridge.
Why the Golden Gate Bridge? Simple: thousands of military personal have embarked for war from that particular location. Kapellusch feels there is no better place to hang the flag to remember the fallen five. In fact, the flag that gets hung on the bridge is one that he tells us he personally saved from being burned.
While on his journey, Kepellusch hopes to help the country remember the sacrifices of the fallen five, as well as the sacrifices that all soldiers make on a daily basis.
He also wants to help Chattanooga never forget how the community came together during and after the tragedy, and for other communities to never forget how they come together in times of tragedy.
“Because that is the American spirit,” Kepellusch says. He plans to carry the message clear across the country, and back again.
The vehicle that he drives on the journey is his old school convertible Chevy “Blazer of Glory”, which he completely rebuilt, and transformed into one that utilizes five different fuel types. According to Kepellusch, the “Blazer of Glory” is the first vehicle in the world to operate on five fuel types at the same time.
With the flip of a switch, the Blazer changes between gasoline, solar power, propane, natural gas, and high ethanol E-85 flex fuel. The names of the fallen five are boldly written on the side of the vehicle to honor them, and to help people never forget them.
The adventure will be documented and posted on Facebook where people can see photos from the tragic terrorist attack, as well as see photos and videos from the trek across country that honors the soldiers.
On his trip he plans to talk to soldiers and veterans around the nation, so that they can share some stories from some of the sacrifices that they made in previous wars, as well as stories from those that are sacrificing right now.
On the road to remember, Kapellusch will cover five thousand miles, with five fuel types, over five days; in order to never forget the five fallen soldiers from the terrorist attack in Chattanooga. Find out more at facebook.com/fallen5drive