After 3,000 miles and nearly three years, World War II veteran Ernie Andrus finished his coast to coast run at the age of 93 less than two weeks ago.
Andrus made his way from San Diego to the Atlantic Ocean in St. Simons Georgia, running roughly five miles every other day to reach his goal and spread the word of how important and hard it was to win in World War II.
Several people joined him along his journey, running several of the legs to take part in the great feat. Hundreds of people came to witness Ernie Andrus finish his journey. A marching band even came to celebrate Ernie’s amazing final leg of his journey.
He began this journey back on October 7, 2013, slowly making his way across the southern United States to make his way to the Atlantic Ocean.
“I’m glad to have finished and met the goal. But I wish it wasn’t over,” Andrus told the Brunswick News.
One of the main purposes of Andrus’ journey was to raise awareness and money for a ship he served on during the war called an LST, or landing ship tank which helped bring military equipment and men onto shore. Andrus served as a Navy medical corpsman during World War II.
Andrus told CBS News that it was a ship that “won the war.”
“Eisenhower and Churchill both made a similar remark that it’s the ship that won the war. … Without ‘em how could you … even [take] Normandy?” Andrus said.
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