Marines of Marine Air Support Squadron 1 ran the final half hour of the unit’s 2012 24-Hour Chieftain Remembrance Run aboard the air station Nov. 15. The run started at 10 a.m. Nov. 14 and ended the same time on the 15th led by the commanding officer of Marine Air Control Group 28, Col. Peter J. DeVinve. The Chieftains started conducting this run in 1997 following the loss of Cpl. Donald L. Hall, a MASS-1 Marine who died while on leave in March of 1997. The run was conducted every year since and had addition meaning as the years went on. Following the death of Staff Sgt. James Bryson Jr., in March 2006 the Chieftains conducted the run in remembrance of all Chieftains from the past and present said Lt. Col. Alfred M. Sanchez, the commanding officer of MASS-1. "The Chieftains started this run to remember a fallen comrade and we will continue this tradition not only to remember Staff Sgt. Bryson and Cpl. Hall but also every Marine who walks the halls of MASS-1." added Sanchez.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Cory D. Polom

Chieftains run to honor fallen brethren

20 Nov 2012 | Lance Cpl. Cory D. Polom Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. --

Col. Peter J. DeVine, commanding officer of Marine Air Control Group 28, followed by Lt. Col. Alfred M. Sanchez, commanding officer of Marine Air Support Squadron 1, and Sgt. Maj. Timothy King, sergeant major of MACG-28, led the Marines of MASS-1 during the final half hour of the unit’s annual Chieftain Remembrance Run aboard the air station Nov. 15.

The 24-hour run started at 10 a.m. Nov. 14.

This Chieftains tradition started in 1997 following the death of Cpl. Donald L. Hall, a MASS-1 Marine who died while on leave.

The run now also honors Staff Sgt. James Bryson Jr., who died in March 2006.

“The Chieftains started this run to remember a fallen comrade, and we will continue this tradition not only to remember Staff Sgt. Bryson and Cpl. Hall, but also every Marine who walks the halls of MASS-1,” said Sanchez.