A year ago in March, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter descended into soupy fog off the coast of the Florida Panhandle and never returned. The helicopter crashed into water southwest of Eglin Air Force Base, killing all seven elite Special Operations Marines and all four Louisiana National Guardsmen aboard.

The incident sent shock waves through the Louisiana National Guard and Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC), the elite force the service established about a decade ago to carry out dangerous missions in remote locations.

Now, a year later, fellow members of MARSOC are preparing a grueling send-off: With 45 pounds in rucksacks on their backs, they will march next month some 770 miles from the shore in Navarre, Fla., near the crash site to Camp Lejeune, N.C., which is home to MARSOC’s headquarters.

The effort is known as the Marine Raider Memorial March. At least 14 Special Operations Marines and veterans will be involved as they raise money for the Brothers in Arms Foundation while on leave from the military.

Each member of the march will carry a commemorative plate in the pack with the names of all 11 fallen service members etched on it. The marchers will be split into seven teams and move in rotating 10-mile legs 24 hours per day for 11 days beginning March 11.

Each team will represent one of the Marines killed, and take turns carrying a paddle that washed ashore from the helicopter wreckage. It has been decorated with the dog tags of the 11 fallen service members, and will be presented to MARSOC leaders at Camp Lejeune.

Washington Post