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April 14, 2006

2 marching in marathon to honor fallen R.I. Guardsman

Two Rhode Island National Guard officers will be marching in the Boston Marathon Monday with 25-pound military packs, or “rucks,” on their backs.

2nd Lt. Ryan Hogan, of Cumberland, and 2nd Lt. Michael Calcagni, of Providence, are marching in support of families who have lost loved ones in the Iraq war and to raise money for the Staff Sgt. Christopher Potts Memorial Scholarship Fund. The fund provides educational scholarships to children of R.I. Guard members.

Potts, 38, was killed in action in Iraq on Oct. 3, 2004, while serving with the National Guard unit that Hogan and Calcagni are now in, according to Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Michael McNamara. They joined the 1st Battalion, 103rd Field Artillery around the time Potts was killed, but they did not serve with him, McNamara said.

“Rucks," or rucksacks, are used by soldiers to carry their supplies and personal gear. Calcagni and Hogan’s rucks will weigh about 25 pounds on Monday for the 110th running of the 26-mile race in Boston.

Posted by Kate Bramson  at 2:17 PM | Permalink

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