The more than 270 motorcycles make stop in Wilmington to tour Battleship North Carolina.
American Legion Rider Chuck Cope served in the U.S. Navy from 1989 to 2009.
And on Monday during Day 2 of The American Legion Legacy Run, he was in awe during one of the day’s stops.
A member of China Post 1 and resident of Indianapolis, Cope was one of the 278 motorcyclists who stopped at Battleship North Carolina in Wilmington, N.C. The massive ship is an authentically restored National Historic Landmark and serves as North Carolina’s World War II memorial to the 11,000 of the state’s residents killed in action during the war.
The USS North Carolina participated in every major naval offensive in the Pacific theater of operations during World War II, earning 15 battle stars.
“You kind of get your breath taken away just from the history you’re experiencing in real life right now,” Cope said. “The decks are four inches of teak. They don’t make ships like this anymore. And just to know that this has seen more action than anybody that has served recently is just amazing, really. For people to get to come and experience the history of this country, it’s important.”
Cope participated in the Legacy Run for the first time a year ago. He came back this year because of “the camaraderie. The fun. Seeing the country the way it was meant to be seen. From the backroads, not from interstates.”
During the stop, a wreath-laying ceremony took place on the North Carolina’s deck, as Legacy Run Chief Road Captain Ken Nadeau, Assistant Chief Road Captain David Heredia and National American Legion Riders Chairman Mark Clark dropped the wreath over the rail into the surrounding water.
The ceremony also included remarks from North Carolina District 9 Vice Commander George Freeman; an extensive history of the ship by Frank Glossl, executive director of Friends of the Battleship; as well as the playing of the Armed Forces Medley by Dennis Ryan, the honor guard bagpiper for Richard H. Stewart Post 543 in Southport, N.C.
“Why do we stop and honor memorials like this?” Clark said. “It’s because in towns big and small, all across this great country, the citizens believed it was important enough to erect a memorial that was befitting of the loss of the lives of the men and women who served from their states. That’s why we go to these memorials.”
An Opportunity to Support the Cause. The Riders made their final stop of the day at North Strand American Legion Post 186 in Little River, S.C. There, a wreath-laying ceremony took place at the post’s memorial wall that included a 21-gun salute and the playing of Taps by the post’s honor guard – one of just a handful in the state that works directly with the South Carolina Department of Veterans’ Affairs to provide honors at military and veterans’ funerals.
Post 186 Commander Len Tobin, a member of the honor guard, said it was an easy decision to host the Riders. “Simply, it’s all about support. When the request was given to us – ‘can you support?’ – the obvious answer was yes,” he said. “So, it was a matter of defining the numbers, getting the details, and then ramping up to provide the support that we felt the Riders deserved for the cause that they are pursuing.”
Tobin said the Riders’ cause – braving the heat and long days to raise funds for the Veterans and Children Foundation (VCF) – “takes a lot of commitment and dedication to the principles that they believe in. Which is what the Riders, and the Legion Family, are all about.”
Early Boost to the VCF. The day started in the Crown Coliseum parking lot. On hand was Cumberland County Board of Commissioners Chairman – and Legionnaire – Kirk deViere, who provided snacks and drinks for the Riders.
During the pre-ride meeting, Sons of The American Legion National Commander and New Mexico Legion Rider Joseph Navarrete presented ride leadership with a check for $20,000 for the VCF on behalf of New Mexico’s American Legion Family.
That helped Monday’s donation total hit $48,082, which also included $10,000 from Kenneth N Dowden Wayne Post 64 in Indianapolis and $8,000 from the Legion Family at American Legion Post 570 in Blakely, Pa. That brings the total raised to more than $314,000 heading into Day 3.
Follow the 2025 Legacy Run on social media using the hashtag #LegacyRun2025 on Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.
- Riders