Mecot Ruck Weekend kicks off Friday

HINTON, W.Va. (WVVA) - Several events are planned this weekend to remember the 40th anniversary of the 1983 bombing of a U.S. Marine Corps barracks in Beirut, Lebanon that killed 220 Marines, 18 U.S. Navy sailors and three U.S Army soldiers.

On Friday, the American Brother Foundation is sponsoring the Princeton Beirut Memorial Ride and spaghetti dinner as part of Mecot’s Ruck Weekend.

The free ride will start at Summers County High School in Hinton at 5 p.m. Participants should arrive 15 minutes prior to the Kick Stands Up start and the destination is the Princeton Beirut Memorial at the intersection of Athens Road and Thorn Street (Athens Crossroads).

An auction and spaghetti dinner will start at 6:30 p.m. at the Pipestem Ruritan Club. The dinner is $15 and everyone is welcome.

On Saturday morning, the second annual Sgt. Mecot Camara Memorial Ruck (hiking with a backpack) will feature a 10-mile hike from Bluestone State Park to Pipestem State Park, along the Bluestone River.

Sponsored by the Marine Corps League Detachment #1461 (Sgt. Mecot Camara Detachment) along with the American Brother Foundation, the Ruck honors USMC Sgt. Camara, who was killed in that bombing.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. at the Bluestone Turnpike Trail and the Ruck will start at 9 a.m.

Following the Ruck, an 11:30 a.m. cookout will be held plus karaoke at Pipestem State Park.

On Sunday, the weekend will conclude with a private screening of the “We Came in Peace” documentary, which chronicles the United States Marines presence and operations in Beirut, Lebanon from 1982 to 1984.

The screening will be held at 9:30 a.m. at the Ritz Theater in Hinton and is for Beirut veterans and Gold Star Families.