Veteran Running Across County, Planting Flags for the Fallen

By Justin Foss, Reporter

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By Becky Ogann

Story Created: Aug 12, 2010 at 5:45 PM CDT

Story Updated: Aug 12, 2010 at 6:17 PM CDT

MOUNT VERNON, Iowa – Every ten days Mike Ehredt gets a new pair of running shoes.

“I probably wasted a lot of days in my life doing nothing, I could at least take six months to do something,” said Ehredt, 49, Driggs, ID.

This Army Veteran is on his eleventh pair of shoes for a coast to coast run that started in May, and ends in October. The trip is more than 4,000 miles, he’s doing 30 miles each day.

For Ehredt the run is a tribute to each soldier who died serving in Iraq, “I wanted to take a few angels with me, so I got 4,400.”

Every mile he plants a small American flag next to the road. One of the flags Ehredt planted on Thursday was dedicated to Private First Class Travis W. Anderson, U.S. Army. He’s from Hooper, CO.

He planted another flag for Kenneth Zeigler, a private with the Army. He died in 2005.

Ehredt spent a year writing the name of every fallen American service member that served in Iraq on a small ribbon. Each of the 4,450 flags has its own ribbon.

“Just being in the service 30 years ago, that’s my connection,” said Ehredt. He served for four years from 1969 to 1973. “And I just wanted these guys to be remembered.”

It’s a long journey, with no support car.

But there is support. On a stretch of Mount Vernon Road, the cross-country runners from Mount Vernon High School escorted him for a few miles into town.

“For a long run, I’ll do maybe 15 miles. So, he’s running 30 miles a day, that’s spectacular, I can’t even imagine going that distance,” said Pryor Stroud, 17.

This is the longest he’s run, but Ehredt is no stranger to physical endurance, he’s been a top-level cyclist, runner and canoe navigator.

Ehredt said this effort is small compared to that of the fallen soldiers.

However, you can bet that effort sent a message to the kids.

“To stay at it, day after day like this, and he said he gets up every morning loving what he’s doing, that’s what we should all hope for and do with our lives,” said Stroud.

This is what Ehredt is doing.

A few more miles, a few more flags and a few more pairs of shoes.

It’s his way of remembering those who gave their life.

You can follow his journey online at www.projectamericarun.com.

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