“As a Marine, you take pride in holding that title and it stays with you. There will be hard times and there will be good times but once a marine always a marine and I hope to inspire and motivate others.”
For many who drive along the Hwy. 271 route each week, they are familiar with the sight of a man running along the highway carrying the American flag.
Some drivers honk their horns while others have pulled over to chat but the story behind the running man is one that will inspire many.
Born and raised in East Texas, Richard McIntire graduated from Clarksville High School in 1984 before following his heart and enlisting with the Marines soon after.
“I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I had always thought about joining the military and told myself if I ever did sign up I’d be a marine but my mother wanted me to go to college,” said McIntire.
Not long after graduating, McIntire at the request of his mother decided to take a college entrance exam at Paris Junior College when his life changed forever.
“I took the test but then walked straight out of PJC, across the road to the recruiter’s office and signed up,” laughed McIntire.
From that day forward McIntire never looked back and in 2006 retired after serving our country for twenty-one years.
During his time with the marines, McIntire worked roughly 40 deployments both inside and out of the United States, served two combat tours and spent three-years stationed in Okinawa, Japan.
“I turned 25-years-old in the Gulf War in 1990 and while deployed in Iraq during my retirement tour in 2005/2006 I turned 40-years-old,” said McIntire.
Throughout the entire time McIntire served his country, he was married to Sheila who stood by him and supported him every step of the way.
“She was there through thick and thin and was a big part of me being a Marine, the troops would come by the house and she’d treat them like her own.”
After retiring in 2006, McIntire went to work for Campbell’s Soup in Paris, Texas but found he missed the structure of being a marine and that’s when he started running.
“We used to have formation runs every Friday and after a while, you begin to miss that, so I started running again every Friday.”
Not only does McIntire run every Friday, but he carries the American Flag as a way to show his pride for his country and his pride in being a Marine.
He began running his route on Veterans Day in 2011 as a way to show support for young men and women going into the military from this area.
“It motivates me and hopefully I’m motivating these guys that are away from home. I’ve actually had some local boys run with me while they were on leave.”
Richard and Sheila McIntire
McIntire said the Guidon he runs with was a gift from the troops while he was stationed in Japan and the bandanna was his wife Sheila’s who passed away in 2018.
“I had bought her a motorcycle for us to ride together so when she passed, I took her bandanna’s tied one to the bike and another to the flag.”
The purple and blue streamers on top of the pole are to honor a young lady McIntire met on his runs.
“There was a young lady that every Friday would drive up close and wave to me, I’d wave back. She was very young, and she passed in a car wreck. So, I contacted her family and asked what her favorite colors were, that’s why I’ve got purple and blue streamers tied to the top of the pole.”
At the start of February 2019, McIntire completed his 381st run making the total count 1,333.5 miles since starting back in 2011.
“We live in a great country and I think people lose sight of that sometimes. I’m just hoping to keep people motivated.”
McIntire now runs either Friday afternoon or Saturday morning but if you see the Veteran running on Hwy. 271 be sure to give our local hero a wave.
“Once a Marine, always a Marine. I may not wear a uniform anymore, but I still present and conduct myself as a Marine.”
Photos courtesy of Tony Corso Images
