2025 600 Miles of Remembrance

No. 1 car: Kevin M. McCrea
Military branch: United States Army, Specialist Fourth Class
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Date of birth: April 30, 1965
Date of death: June 16, 2020
Age: 55

Serving as a paratrooper, McCrea's military career came to an abrupt halt after injuries sustained from a parachute malfunction during a war simulated night jump. McCrea medically retired and was honorably discharged. He went to college and passed law school, but couldn't practice due to his deteriorating health.

No. 2 car: Kenneth V. Welch
Military branch: United States Army, Chief Warrant Officer 2
Hometown: Wyoming, Michigan
Date of birth: May 23, 1951
Date of death: Sept. 20, 1984
Age: 33

Welch was killed during an explosion at the U.S. Embassy annex in Lebanon. He was assigned to: Office of the Defense Intelligence Agency.

No. 3 car: Sean Gregory Landrus
Military branch: United States Army, Staff Sergeant
Hometown: Thompson, Ohio
Date of birth: Jan. 24, 1973
Date of death: Jan. 29, 2004
Age: 31

Landrus succumbed to injuries suffered during a roadside bomb explosion in Iraq. He played football, basketball and ran track in high school before attending Kent State University prior to enlisting. He was assigned to: Company B, 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized).

No. 4 car: Jose J. Gonzalez
Military branch: United States Army, Master Sergeant
Hometown: La Puente, California
Date of birth: April 26, 1984
Date of death: Aug. 21, 2019
Age: 35 

After 17 years in service, Gonzalez was killed during combat operations in Afghanistan. Among his many achievements, he was awarded the Purple Heart Medal. Gonzalez was assigned to: 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne).

No. 5 car: Sara M. Knutson Cullen
Military branch: United States Army, Captain
Hometown: Eldersburg, Maryland
Date of birth: May 7, 1985
Date of death: March 11, 2013
Age: 27

Cullen died during a training mission aboard a UH-60 Black Hawk in Afghanistan. She was an avid pilot, studied law at West Point and was also a member of the Judo team. Cullen was assigned to: Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division.

No. 6 car: Kenneth E. Clodfelter
Military branch: United States Navy, Petty Officer Second Class
Hometown: Mechanicsville, Virginia
Date of birth: Dec. 26, 1978
Date of death: Oct. 12, 2000
Age: 21

Clodfelter was killed when a terrorist bomb detonated beside his ship while it was refueling in Yemen. He was awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Unit Commendation and the rank of Hull Maintenance Technician Second Class after his passing. Clodfelter also held the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

No. 7 car: Bobby C. Franklin
Military branch: United States Army, Staff Sergeant
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Date of birth: July 31, 1966
Date of death: Aug. 20, 2003
Age: 37

Franklin was killed in Iraq when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device (IED) hidden in roadside debris. Among his many achievements, Franklin was awarded a Purple Heart and a National Defense Service Medal with three Bronze Stars. He was assigned to: 210th Military Police Company.

No. 8 car: Jeffrey M. Svoboda "Boda"
Military branch: United States Coast Guard, Fireman
Hometown: Raritan Township, New Jersey
Date of birth: May 14, 1985
Date of death: Sept. 27, 2010
Age: 25

Svoboda died during active duty serving as an EE3 Fireman in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. He received the Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon and the Coast Guard Unit Commendation Ribbon, among many other achievements. He was assigned to: Armory.

No. 9 car: Richard J. Feehery
Military branch: United States Army, Private First Class
Hometown: Yeadon, Pennsylvania
Date of birth: Feb. 19, 1947
Date of death: May 21, 1967
Age: 20

Feehery was killed when a light duty military vehicle he was driving came in contact with a landmine in Vietnam. He was assigned to: C Troop, 1st Squadron, 4th Calvary Regiment, 1st Infantry Division.

No. 10 car: Eric M. Finninginam "Finn"
Military branch: United States Army, Specialist
Hometown: Yap, Micronesia
Date of birth: Sept. 30, 1983
Date of death: May 1, 2010
Age: 26

Finninginam was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan, serving as a rifleman and a 240 gunner. His legacy helped inspire the creation of The Fallen Outdoors, a non-profit organization that provides outdoor adventures for veterans and acting service members. Finninginam was assigned to: 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Team.

No. 11 car: Timothy D. McNeely
Military branch: United States Marine Corps
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina
Date of birth: Jan. 12, 1964
Date of death: Oct. 23, 1983
Age: 19

McNeely was killed during a terrorist bombing of the United States Marine barracks in Lebanon, an attack that killed 241 military personnel and injured 80. He was assigned to: 1st Battalion, 8th Marines (1/8).

No. 12 car: Robert M. Carr
Military branch: United States Army, Sergeant
Hometown: Champion, Ohio
Date of birth: Aug. 25, 1984
Date of death: March 13, 2007
Age: 22

Carr grew up an avid WWE fan and wanted to become a UFC fighter after retirement from the Army. He was assigned to: 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.

No. 16 car: Nicole Leeann Gee
Military branch: United States Marine Corps, Sergeant
Hometown: Roseville, California
Date of birth: May 1, 1998
Date of death: Aug. 26, 2021
Age: 23

Gee was promoted to Sergeant less than a month before her passing, and her last stop was a humanitarian mission in Afghanistan where she assisted in evacuating more than 100,000 refugees. Gee was assigned to: Combat Logistics Battalion 24.

No. 17 car: Stephen Roy Dwyer
Military branch: United States Army, Chief Warrant Officer 3
Hometown: Mexico Beach, Florida
Date of birth: Sept. 13, 1985
Date of death: Nov. 10, 2023
Age: 38

Dwyer was assigned to: 1st Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR).

No. 19 car: Alan W. Shaw
Military branch: United States Army, Staff Sergeant
Hometown: Little Rock, Arkansas
Date of birth: Nov. 10, 1975
Date of death: Feb. 9, 2007
Age: 31

Shaw was killed during an explosion during breaching operations of a booby-trapped building in Iraq. He received the Bronze Star for his achievements and was highly regarded amongst his fellow soldiers. He was assigned to: 1st Battalion, 12th Calvary Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Calvary Division.

No. 20 car: Joshua Wheeler
Military branch: United States Army, Master Sergeant
Hometown: Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Date of birth: Nov. 22, 1975
Date of death: Oct. 22, 2015
Age: 39

Wheeler was assigned to: Headquarters, U.S. Army Special Operations Command.

No. 21 car: Ian Thomas Zook
Military branch: United States Marine Corps, Corporal
Hometown: Port St. Lucie, Florida
Date of birth: Aug. 23, 1980
Date of death: Oct. 12, 2004
Age: 24

Zook was killed when four anti-tank mines detonated under him while riding passenger-side of the lead Humvee in a mission. An avid hiker and surfer, Zook graduated high school as valedictorian and planned to become a missionary before enlisting. He hoped to pursue law enforcement after his service. Zook was assigned to: 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, l Marine Expeditionary Force.

No. 22 car: Thomas W. Myers
Military branch: United States Army, Private First Class
Hometown: Middlesex, New Jersey
Date of birth: March 9, 1943
Date of death: May 27, 1969
Age: 26

Myers was killed two months into his first stint in Vietnam. He grew up as one of 11 children, and became the seventh of eight brothers in the immediate family to serve. Myers was assigned to: Company B, 2nd Battalion, 60th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division.

No. 23 car: David "DG" Gray
Military branch: United States Air Force, Major
Hometown: Loganville, Georgia
Date of birth: Aug. 15, 1973
Date of death: Aug. 8, 2012
Age: 38

Gray was killed while conducting dismount operations during a tour in Afghanistan. He was a U.S. Air Force Tactical Control Party (TACP) officer. Gray was assigned to: 13th Air Support Operations Squadron.

No. 24 car: Gary Dwight Barbee
Military branch: United States Army, Corporal
Hometown: Concord, North Carolina
Date of birth: Aug. 20, 1949
Date of death: Aug. 2, 1969
Age: 19

Barbee spent just two weeks in Vietnam before losing his life defending the United States. He earned a Purple Heart medallion for his service. Barbee is the uncle to Jason Gray, the primary hauler driver for William Byron's Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. He was assigned to: Company B, 1st Battalion, 1st Infantry, 4th Infantry Division.

No. 34 car: Robert Secher
Military branch: United States Marine Corps, Captain
Hometown: Germantown, Tennessee
Date of birth: May 20, 1973
Date of death: Oct. 8, 2006
Age: 33

Secher was killed in action by a sniper while leading a patrol. He was awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star with Combat V for his service. In Secher's memory, a building in Okinawa, Japan was dedicated to him, and The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania created a scholarship in his name. He was assigned to: 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, lll Marine Expeditionary Force.

No. 35 car: Edward James Jacobs, Jr.
Military branch: United States Navy, Commander
Hometown: Mount Vernon, Washington
Date of birth: July 13, 1928
Date of death: Aug. 25, 1967
Age: 39

During a nigh reconnaissance mission over the Gulf of Tonkin, the plane carrying Jacobs and his crew lost radar contact as the aircraft approached the North Vietnam coast. All three crew members, including Jacobs, remain unaccounted for. Jacobs was assigned to: Heavy Photographic Squadron 61 (VAP-61).

No. 38 car: Keaton Grant Coffey
Military branch: United States Marine Corps, Corporal
Hometown: Boring, Oregon
Date of birth: Aug. 21, 1989
Date of death: May 24, 2012
Age: 22

Coffey was killed during his second deployment in Afghanistan just weeks before his scheduled return home. He was a specialized dog handler for his canine partner, Denny. Coffey was assigned to: 1st Law Enforcement Battalion, 1st Marine Headquarters Group, l Marine Expeditionary Force.

No. 41 car: Ronald W. Forrester
Military branch: United States Marine Corps, Captain
Hometown: Odessa, Texas
Date of birth: March 15, 1947
Date of death: Dec. 27, 1972
Age: 25

Growing up, Forrester had always wanted to fly. He went to college at Texas A&M University and graduated with a civil engineering degree before officially entering service. During a night mission in North Vietnam, Forrester and co-pilot Jim Chipman went missing in action, leaving his family without answers. But in 2023, a bone fragment with Forrester's DNA was recovered, and he was officially laid to rest last fall. Forrester was assigned to: Marine All-Weather Attack Squadron 533, Marine Air Group 15, 1st Marine Air Wing.

No. 42 car: Walter Ray Thetford
Military branch: United States Marine Corps, Private First Class
Hometown: Copiah County, Mississippi
Date of birth: Oct. 30, 1924
Date of death: March 4, 1945
Age: 20

Thetford was assigned to: 21st Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division.

No. 43 car: Justin R. Whiting
Military branch: United States Army, Staff Sergeant
Hometown: Hancock, New York
Date of birth: Sept. 24, 1980
Date of death: Jan. 19, 2008
Age: 27

Whiting was killed when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device (IED) during a tour in Iraq. He was assigned to: Company B, 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne).

No. 44 car: Brett Gornewicz
Military branch: United States Army, Sergeant
Hometown: Alden, New York
Date of birth: Jan. 6, 1984
Date of death: Nov. 3, 2012
Age: 27

Gornewicz was killed along with two fellow soldiers when a roadside bomb went off during a route clearance mission in Afghanistan. He enlisted in 2006 and completed a tour in Iraq before returning home to complete a mechanical engineering degree from Buffalo State College. He was assigned to: 444th Engineer Company.

No. 45 car: Carl Edward "Eddie" McGee Jr.
Military branch: United States Air Force
Hometown: Niagara Falls, New York
Date of birth: Nov. 25, 1954
Date of death: April 25, 1978
Age: 23

McGee died during an OV-10 Bronco plane crash in Korea. He was assigned to: Tactical Air Control Party (TACP).

No. 47 car: Andrew W. Nowacki
Military branch: United States Marine Corps, Lance Corporal
Hometown: Painesville, Ohio
Date of birth: March 29, 1980
Date of death: Feb. 26, 2005
Age: 24

Nowacki was assigned to: 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve.

No. 48 car: Michael Richard Kempel
Military branch: United States Navy, Hospital Corpsman Second Class
Hometown: Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Date of birth: July 22, 1948
Date of death: Aug. 27, 1970
Age: 22

Kempel's platoon unknowingly entered a minefield in Vietnam, injuring many service members after one of the mines exploded. Kempel never hesitated, assisting the injured until he stepped on another mine and suffered critical injuries. He continued to try and treat his squad until eventually succumbing to his wounds. Kempel was awarded the Silver Star after his death by President Richard Nixon. He was assigned to: Company M, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division.

No. 51 car: Juantrea Tyrone Bradley Sr.
Military branch: United States Army, Staff Sergeant
Hometown: Greenville, North Carolina
Date of birth: July 28, 1979
Date of death: March 12, 2008
Age: 28

Bradley spent nine years in service until his death in Iraq. He was an avid muscle car and race fan. Bradley was assigned to: 7th Special Troops Battalion, 7th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry).

No. 54 car: Joshua Byers
Military branch: United States Army, Captain
Hometown: Anderson, South Carolina
Date of birth: April 15, 1974
Date of death: July 23, 2003
Age: 29

Riding in the lead vehicle of a convoy, an improvised explosive device (IED) was detonated and struck Byers' humvee in Iraq. Moments before succumbing to his injuries, Byers told his driver to "keep moving forward," a command that still lives within the Army to this day. He was assigned to: Headquarters Troop, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment.

No. 60 car: Robert "Robbie" John Naundorff Jr.
Military branch: United States Marine Corps & Army
Hometown: Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Date of birth: July 22, 1983
Date of death: Nov. 17, 2023
Age: 40

Naundorff died unexpectedly in Arboles, Colorado, just two months after medically retiring from the Army due to injuries sustained in Afghanistan. He was an avid outdoorsman, spending time hunting and snowboarding at his local mountain.

No. 66 car: Kevin M. Jones
Military branch: United States Army, Corporal
Hometown: Washington, North Carolina
Date of birth: July 5, 1984
Date of death: Sept. 22, 2005
Age: 21

Jones was killed when a roadside bomb exploded beside his vehicle while serving his second tour in Iraq. Before succumbing, he helped treat fellow soldiers who were also injured in the explosion. Jones was assigned to: 51st Transportation Company.

No. 71 car: James A. Waters
Military branch: United States Army, Specialist
Hometown: Whiteland, Indiana
Date of birth: Sept. 2, 1989
Date of death: July 1, 2011
Age: 21

Waters was killed during an improvised explosive device (IED) attack just four months into his deployment in Afghanistan. His bravery helped inspire his three brothers to enter service: two as infantrymen and one as a medic. He was assigned to: 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division.

No. 77 car: Michelle Young
Military branch: Arizona Army National Guard, Sergeant First Class
Hometown: Lee's Summit, Missouri
Date of birth: Jan. 21, 1990
Date of death: Jan. 19, 2024
Age: 33

Young served multiple tours in Afghanistan before her death in Arizona. She was also a social media influencer, amassing more than 100,000 followers on Instagram. Young also spent time volunteering at a local homeless shelter and for a crisis hotline. She was assigned to: 98th Aviation Troop Command.

No. 84 car: Matthew Robert Davis
Military branch: United States Marine Corps, First Lieutenant
Hometown: Drexel, Pennsylvania
Date of birth: June 13, 1984
Date of death: Nov. 7, 2014
Age: 30

Davis was assigned to: 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment.

No. 87 car: Scott E. Duffman
Military branch: United States Air Force, Technical Sergeant
Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Date of birth: Aug. 14, 1974
Date of death: Feb. 17, 2007
Age: 32

Duffman was killed in a MH-47 Chinook helicopter crash in Afghanistan. He received the 1st Bronze Star Medal with Valor for his heroic efforts over nearly 15 years of service. Duffman was assigned to: 24th Special Tactics Squadron.

No. 88 car: Jacob S. Schmuecker
Military branch: Nebraska Army National Guard, Sergeant
Hometown: Atkinson, Nebraska
Date of birth: Oct. 25, 1979
Date of death: July 21, 2007
Age: 27

Schmuecker was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq. After completing his basic training, he moved back home in 2002 and joined the local police force and served at the Offutt Air Force Base before his first deployment in 2006. He was assigned to: 755th Chemical Reconnaissance Decontamination Company.

No. 99 car: Reynold Armand
Military branch: United States Marine Corps, Corporal
Hometown: Rochester, New York
Date of birth: May 16, 1986
Date of death: Aug. 7, 2007
Age: 21

Armand was killed during a tour in Iraq. He joined the Marines out of high school, following in his dad's footsteps -- who was also a marine. Armand was assigned to: 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, ll Marine Expeditionary Force.

Pace car 1: David Urban Fritz
Military branch: United States Army, Corporal
Hometown: Cologne, Minnesota
Date of birth: Sept. 18, 1948
Date of death: Aug. 27, 1968
Age: 19

Fritz died in Vietnam less than two months after his deployment. He was assigned to: B Troop, 1st Squadron, 1st Calvary Regiment, Americal Division.

Pace car 2: Derek S. Martin
Military branch: United States Air Force, Senior Airman
Hometown: Wellington, Kansas
Date of birth: July 16, 1987
Date of death: March 17, 2020
Age: 32

Martin served six years in the military before moving to Florida and attending golf school. He partnered with the Wounded Warrior Project, helping unite service members with the game of golf. Martin was assigned to: 6th Security Forces Squadron.

Grand Marshal car 1: Steven Roy Jewell
Military branch: United States Army, Specialist
Hometown: Bridgeton, North Carolina
Date of birth: March 26, 1981
Date of death: Aug. 14, 2007
Age: 26

Jewell died during a tour in Iraq, leaving behind an 8-year-old son. He was assigned to: 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, Task Force 49.

Grand Marshal car 2: Shane M. Barnes
Military branch: United States Army, Chief Warrant Officer 2
Hometown: Sacramento, California
Date of birth: Jan. 26, 1989
Date of death: Nov. 10, 2023
Age: 34

Barnes and four other crew members perished when their MH-60M helicopter crashed in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Cyprus. The Shane Barnes Foundation was created in his memory, a non-profit to help support Special Operations Forces and their families. Barnes received multiple Bronze Stars, among his many other accomplishments. He was assigned to: 1st Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR).

Grand Marshal car 3: Tanner W. Grone
Military branch: United States Army, Staff Sergeant
Hometown: Gorham, New Hampshire
Date of birth: Aug. 18, 1998
Date of death: Nov. 10, 2023
Age: 25

Grone, a crewmate of Shane M. Barnes, also perished in the MH-60M helicopter crash off the coast of Cyprus. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross as a crew chief flight instructor. Grone was assigned to: 1st Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR).

Grand Marshal car 4: Cade M. Wolfe
Military branch: United States Army, Sergeant
Hometown: Mankato, Minnesota
Date of birth: Nov. 8, 1999
Date of death: Nov. 10, 2023
Age: 24

Along with Shane M. Barnes and Tanner W. Grone, Wolfe was killed in a helicopter crash off the coast of Cyprus. He was assigned to: 1st Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR).