Flushing Man Finishes His Vow To Run 58,272 Miles In Honor Of Vietnam Vets

A Flushing man has made good on a vow that he made back in 1982 to honor each casualty and POW from the Vietnam war.

It's an incredible story and a shining example of what you can do if you set your mind to it!

He's known as Flagman, but his given name is Mark Bowen. The 65 year-old Flushing resident served in the Army during the Vietnam era, but was stationed in Germany.

He was so moved by a visit to the Veterans Memorial in Washington in 1982, as he read the names of classmates lost, that he vowed to honor each casualty and POW with a mile.

It's taken 31 years, and though he has battled injuries and colon cancer, Flagman made good on his promise this past Friday in Washington, at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, with the last of his 58,272 miles. "You're not forgotten," he said. Each of those miles was run while carrying a POW/MIA flag.

Flagman was presented with a congressional proclamation celebrating his achievement, and U.S. Representative Dan Kildee (D-Flint), who was on hand for the event, said "With each step and every mile, Bowen exemplifies the profound impact and inspiration one person can be to the world."

Now that he has honored every soldier lost during the Vietnam War, he has his next milestone in mind. "I've got another 3,000 miles to run," he said, "for the people who died on 9/11."