GATLINBURG, Tenn. - The third annual Mountain Man Memorial March is Saturday in the Smoky Mountains.
The 26.2-mile event is a tribute to U.S. men and women in uniform. The event honors 1st Lt. Frank Walkup of Woodbury, Tenn., a University of Tennessee alumnus who was killed in the line of duty in Iraq in 2007.
Inspired by the annual Bataan Memorial Death March in White Sands, N.M., the concept has evolved into a tribute to all service members and draws thousands of participants each year.
The course includes stretches of highway and rural roads in addition to rugged terrain and mountain slopes.
The UT Army ROTC conceived this event for Gatlinburg.