97-year-old Silver Star Iwo Jima veteran to be oldest Marine participant in Marine Corps Marathon

[rangerrebew]

97-year-old Silver Star Iwo Jima veteran to be oldest Marine participant in Marine Corps Marathon
Jared Morgan
 
T. Fred Harvey, a World War II veteran who was wounded and earned the Silver Star during the Battle of Iwo Jima, is looking to become the oldest Marine to participate in the Marine Corps Marathon on Sunday. (Photo illustration by Jared Morgan/Staff)

A veteran who fought at Iwo Jima during World War II is looking to become the oldest Marine to participate in the annual Marine Corps Marathon.

Along with his small team of marathoners, T. Fred Harvey plans to cross the finish line in a wheelchair on Sunday, four days shy of his 97th birthday.

Like many other races, the coronavirus pandemic has forced event organizers to hold a virtual race this year instead of the physical race in Washington. But that’s not stopping Harvey’s team, which will set off at 7 a.m. from the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, Texas.

https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-military/2020/10/23/97-year-old-silver-star-iwo-jima-veteran-to-be-oldest-marine-participant-in-marine-corps-marathon/

[PeteS in CA]

Along with his small team of marathoners, T. Fred Harvey plans to cross the finish line in a wheelchair on Sunday, four days shy of his 97th birthday.

Some larger running events have special wheelchair divisions. These athletes have special wheelchairs and the ones I've seen wear gloves to protect their hands. I've not seen marathon-length (26.2 miles) wheelchair events, but why not? Doing a wheelchair marathon at age 97 ... !