KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- The 41st Aerial Port Squadron participated in the 12th Annual Port Dawg Memorial Run on the Biloxi Bay Bridge May 3.
This was the fifth year the 41st APS joined the global event, which began in 2013 at Kadena Air Base, Japan, in memory of Tech. Sgt. Curtis E. Eccleston. The memorial run has since expanded to honor all aerial porters who have died in service.
The event began with a short ceremony where Senior Master Sgt. David Flores, 41st APS flight chief, highlighted the purpose of the run and the sense of community within the career field.
During the ceremony, nine name tags were added to a memorial chain to represent aerial porters who passed away in 2024. Senior Airman Shelby Williams, 41st APS load planning representative, read each name aloud as part of the tribute.
“We run with their names on our backs and their spirit in our hearts,” said Flores. “Each name we carry today represents the story of a life’s service. That’s what today represents—remembrance, respect, resilience.”
Following the ceremony, members of the squadron completed a three-mile run across the Biloxi Bay Bridge.
“The Port Dawg Run is more than just a tradition—it’s a tribute to the brothers and sisters we’ve lost,” said Senior Airman LaVaughn Jackson, 41st APS passenger operations representative. “Every step is for those who carried cargo, cleared missions, and never made it home.”
The Port Dawg Memorial Run continues to be observed annually by aerial port squadrons worldwide.