Mile by Mile, N.J. Run for the Fallen Honors Heroes

DIAMOND BEACH – John and Frank Keeney, uncles of Army 1st Lt. Salvatore S. Corma, waited patiently at Hero Marker 13 for a contingent of flag-bearing runners as Ocean Drive traffic sped past Sept. 26.
The windswept stop by the entrance to Cape May National Wildlife Refuge was one of 226 between Cape May Lighthouse, earlier that morning, and the N.J. Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Holmdel, the route of N.J. Run for the Fallen.
The Kenneys puzzled that the marker, placed about 9 a.m. by run organizers, which briefly commemorated their late nephew, had been removed by some unknown person. Another one was placed prior to arrival of the runners.
The multi-day event commenced at Sunset Beach in Lower Township Sept. 25 with Marvin Hume’s flag-lowering ceremony on the rainy day.
John Kenney, of New London, Pa., and Frank Keeney of Mullica Hill remembered their 24-year-old West Point graduate, a native of Wenonah. Corma is being considered for the Medal of Honor due to his actions in Afghanistan, where he died April 29, 2010 of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using improvised explosive devices. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
Corma was laid to rest in the U.S. Military Academy Post Cemetery.
After runners paid tribute at Lower Cape May Regional High School to honor the memory of graduate Sgt. Michael P. Scusa at Hero Marker 10, they wended their way to several other stops before crossing Middle Thorofare Bridge.
Escorted by motorcycles and police vehicles, the company of runners from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst came to rest at Corma’s memorial marker. They came to attention as a brief biography of the slain officer was read.
After a small American flag was placed at the marker, the entire company of runners and supporters saluted, including county residents Ted Behr, adjutant and past N.J. State Commander American Legion, Joseph Orlando, commander, VFW Post 5941 North Wildwood, and Joe Griffies of Rio Grande, veterans’ advocate.
Other New Jersey service members honored on the same day ending in Ocean City:
Cpl. George A. Lutz II, Capt. Thomas J. Casey, 1st Lt. Michael J. Cleary , Spec. Ryan T. Baker, Cpl. Sean P. Kelly, Lance Cpl. Curtis A. Christensen Jr., Veterans of World War I, Coast Guard, Spec. Yoe M. Aneiros, Lance Cpl. Harry R. Swain IV, Capt. Brian R. Faunce, SSG Timothy R. McGill, Sgt. Michael P. Scusa, Airman 1st Class Carl Jerome Ware Jr., Cpl. Marc T. Ryan, 1st Lt. Salvatore S. Corma, Lt. Omar Vazquez, Capt. Charles D. Robinson, Spc. Richard C. Emmons III, veterans of Korean and Vietnam wars, Pvt. Robert C. White III, Pvt. Giovanny Maria, Spec. David P. Mahlenbrock, Spc. James Pizzo Jr., Staff Sgt. Thomas A. Walkup Jr., Capt. Ryan K. Iannelli, Capt. Gregory T. Dalessio, Cpl. Terrance P. Allen, Staff Sgt. Joseph M. Weiglein, 1st Lt. Jason D. Mann, Pfc. David J. Bentz III, Lt. Col. John C. Spahr, Petty Officer 1st Class David M. Tapper, CWO Nicholas P. DiMona II, Spec. Adam D. Froehlich, Spec. Anthony J. Dixon, LCpl Jeremy Kane, Sgt. Michael Egan, Cpl. Michael D. Jankiewicz, Capt. Maria I. Ortiz, Sgt. Hector L. Ortiz Jr., S/Sgt. Ingles DosReis, Sgt.1st Class Scott R. Smith, Spc. Simeon Hunte, Lance Cpl. Jon T. Hicks Jr., SSgt Aaron Nelson Brown, 1st Lt. Robert Wilson Collins, Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Sutherland, veterans of Pentagon, Sept. 11, 2001, Capt. Robert Edward Dolan Jr., Commander Patrick Dunn, SPC Michael W. Franklin, Spc. Ronald H. Wildrick, veterans of World War II, Sgt. Keith T. Buzinski, Sgt. Alessandro “Sandrino” Plutino, U.S. Marines, Beirut, Lebanon, LCpl William F. Burley, Sgt Manuel A Cox, LCpl George L Dramis, LCpl Sean F. Estler.