Motorcycle riders honor missing veterans across America

Run For The Wall organizes an annual cross-country motorcycle ride to honor veterans and raise awareness for prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action.

The event features three coast-to-coast routes starting in Ontario, Calif., and ending at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. A fourth route, the Sandbox Route, travels from Washington, D.C., to the Middle East Conflicts Wall Memorial in Marseilles, Ill. More than 1,000 participants typically join the ride.

Ed Humphries and other coordinators manage the logistics of the event, including a specific "missing man" formation where five bikers ride with a gap to symbolize a fallen soldier. The riders stop in various towns where local residents provide meals and cheering. In some locations, such as Holbrook, Ariz., and Gallup, N.M., Navajo communities host the riders with traditional dances and meals.

The ride serves as a healing process for veterans, providing them with a sense of camaraderie and a formal "welcome home" that many did not receive after the Vietnam War. Organizers also collect donations during the trip to support veterans' groups and local communities. For example, the group donated money to a school in Rainelle, W.V., to pay for a new roof and computers.