Scenic Bike Run to Be Held in Honor of Fallen Marine

The only approved Marine Corp with a motorcycle-riding platoon in the country is hosting its seventh annual Memorial Bike Run on Saturday in honor of fallen Marine Captain, Jennifer J. Harris, who was killed in action after the helicopter she was piloting was shot down by Iraqi Insurgents on Feb. 7, 2007.

Harris was born in Swampscott and graduated from Swampscott High School in 1996. She went on to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2000. Next, she served three tours of duty in Iraq, and became the first female helicopter pilot assigned to the famed Marine Corps squadron HMM-364 “Purple Foxes.”

The signature run of The Honorable Few Marine Corps League Detachment No. 1302 not only pays tribute to Harris, but also to the men and women who have sacrificed themselves to protect and defend the United States.

The 40-mile bike run will take place from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., starting and ending at Peabody Elks Lodge, 40 Oak St., for a barbeque. A D.J., vendors and raffles will also be at the event.

Around 300 to 500 riders are expected to participate in the bike run, which will pass through roads in Essex and Middlesex county including the towns Middleton, North Reading, North Andover, and Danvers, says The Honorable Few member, Colonel DeLane E. Anderson Jr.

When riding through North Reading, the riders will pass underneath a large American flag draped over the ladders of North Reading Fire Department’s fire trucks. “It’s a very photogenic scene,” Anderson said. “It grabs you right by the heartstrings.”

The cost is $20 per rider and $10 per passenger. Funds raised at the event support The Honorable Few Marine Corps League-Jennifer J. Harris Scholarships that are given out every year.

“Everything we work for is for her,” said Peg Murray, North Reading resident and member of The Honorable Few. “She is the hero’s hero.”

Photo Credit: The Honorable Few website