The KMS Memorial Ride, an annual area motorcycle run established in the memory of local soldiers killed in action, will begin and end this year in Franklin Saturday, Aug. 14.
Originally established to honor the memories of Brent Koch (of Morton, KIA on June 16, 2006, in Diwaniyah, Iraq), Kyle Miller (of Bird Island, KIA on June 29, 2006, in Mosul, Iraq) and Joshua Schmit (of Willmar, KIA on April 14, 2007, in Fallujah) the memorial ride and a complementary raffle of a 2010 Harley Davidson Street Glide motorcycle raises funds which go toward scholarships awarded in the soldiers’ names and to the Disabled Veterans Turkey Hunt held at Camp Ripley.
This year the memories of local heroes Matthew Kahler and James Wertish have been added to the event.
Sgt. First Class Matthew Kahler, 29, of Granite Falls and a 1997 graduate of Yellow Medicine East was assigned to the 2nd Battalion of the 503rd Infantry Regiment as part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team out of Vicenza, Italy. Kahler was killed in action on Jan. 26, at Forward Operating Base Fenty, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from small arms fire in Waygul, Afghanistan.
Kahler was leading an infantry patrol in a “hot zone” when the incident occurred. Kahler was leading his squad on a mission as the unit came upon an Afghan checkpoint at 4 a.m. Kahler, being in command, approached the checkpoint to identify himself and the squad. The six Afghan soldiers failed to properly identify Kahler and opened fire, killing him.
Army Spec. James D. Wertish, 20, of Olivia was assigned to the 34th Military Police Company, 34th Infantry Division of the Minnesota Army National Guard out of Stillwater. He was one of three Minnesota National Guard soldiers who were killed when Contingency Operating Base Basra (Iraq) was attacked by indirect fire July 16, 2009.
Over the last two years the KMS Memorial Ride has raised funds for scholarships given to two students from each one of the soldier’s alma-maters (Cedar Mountain High School, Willmar High School and BOLD High School).
In 2010 the organization also donated $3,000 to the Disabled Veterans Turkey Hunt.
Registration for this year’s ride runs from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m on Main Street in Franklin. Cost for the ride is $20 and includes lunch and dinner.
Riders will leave Franklin at 10:30 arriving in the following communities at the approximate times: Bird Island 11 a.m., Hector 11:15 a.m., Cosmos 11:35 a.m., Litchfield 12:30 and include a lunch break, leaving again at 1:45. Riders will then arrive at: Willmar 2 p.m., Olivia 2:30 p.m., Granite Falls 4 p.m., Redwood Falls 4:40 p.m. and include a stop at the Redwood American Legion, Morton 5:35 p.m. ending in Franklin at 5:45 p.m.
