Saturday marked the second annual John McKenna Memorial 5K, an event created by the Binghamton University crew team’s John McKenna Memorial Committee last year.

The committee, including its chairman Michael Eichler, organized the event for its second year in honor of former rower John McKenna IV, who died in action on Aug. 16, 2006 in Fallujah, Iraq as a platoon commander with the United States Marines. Saturday’s 5K was just another way for the Binghamton crew team to honor John’s memory.

McKenna was a Binghamton University alumnus, a New York State Trooper and a captain in the United States Marine Corps. He graduated from BU with a bachelor’s degree in history, and signed with the United States Marine Corps in 1998. He first toured in Afghanistan and then Iraq before leaving active duty to become a New York State Trooper.

Shortly after graduating from the New York State Police Academy, however, John realized his heart remained with the service and rejoined the Marine Corps, where he became a platoon commander with Company B, 1st Battalion, 25th Marines. It was this dedication to brotherhood that John spread to his fellow rowers, and continues to this day.

“After 20 years the spirit of this team has never changed,” said crew team member Rob Correnti. “I need motivation to get me through [a race], and having John in the back of my mind definitely helps,”

BU was thoroughly represented at the race, boasting participants from the crew team, the men’s and women’s swim team, the men’s soccer team and brothers of Alpha Kappa Psi, while the community was represented by members of the Triple Cities Runners Club and other local runners. The 5K was also populated by a large contingent of the armed forces including current and ex-Marines, as well as soldiers of the United States Army.

The course the race was held on is used by the Triple Cities Runners Club, and is a giant loop starting on Beethoven Street two blocks down from Recreation Park. The route continues onto Main Street, down Front Street and toward the two-mile marker, which is shortly before the path turns onto Riverside Drive, before ending back on Beethoven Street at the entrance to the park.

More than anything, Saturday’s race served to bring people together in the memory of McKenna, despite the fact that they’d never met him. “I came out because the guy seemed like a true hero,” said freshman Dan Moy. “I would’ve liked to have met him.”