The drive to honor Chattanooga's Fallen 5
The Fallen 5 Drive is growing into something much bigger! We will be turning it into an annual event and will include vehicles, boats, bikes, bicyclists, and runners of all sorts. Even some will ruck up and carry 80 lb packs for 5 miles!
This is all to show our love for the Fallen 5, our community, America, our veterans, and each other! Stay tuned and spread the good word!
TO RUNThank you to Aladdin Printing in Chattanooga for printing flyers!
Joshua D. Kapellusch
Memorial Day is a day to remember our fallen, those without a physical voice. Our spirit and soul – live beyond the length our bodies could ever want to. The universal human ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is something people who made the ultimate sacrifice understand, especially those who have passed in service.
We must remember those who passed to show honor and embrace the values we embody. Service in the face of fear is honorable if the sacrifices made resulted in the envisioned change desired and if it were for good. We must live in ways which honor the men and women who sacrificed for us.
No one wants to visit a cemetery, especially one with so many graves. Its depressing, but necessary. The headstones serve to remind us of the cost of war, any war. The headstones show the price of freedom. What would they say if they could? The fallen, I imagine would say, “Live freely and be happy with the ones you love. Protect them and be a good citizen who helps the weak and those in need. If you are strong, share your strength. If you are brave, inspire others. Overall, love. Love one another for the greater good.”
The slogan for national cemeteries should be, “Open for visitation, closed for business.”
Joshua D. Kapellusch
Press Release
RE: Fallen 5 Memorial Opening for Memorial Weekend, and Additional
Events“In honor of Memorial Day Weekend, this coming Friday, May 28th thru Monday, May 31st the Wreath of Honor Fallen Five Memorial will be accessible for visitation.
For Questions, Please Contact Tennessee Riverpark at 423-209-5370”
Source: https://parks.hamiltontn.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=194
Additional Events:
The Chattanooga Area Veterans Council (CAVC) will host a Memorial Day Service on 31 May 2021, 11:00 am, at the National Guard Armory on Holtzclaw Ave. This event is open to the public and no RSVP is needed.
The Fallen 5 Drive founder Joshua Kapellusch, will host a sunrise moment of silence gathering at the Chattanooga National Cemetery at the top of the hill around the American flag to pay respects. Everyone is welcome and musicians capable of playing taps are encouraged to attend. Please be in place by 6:30 am as we embrace our freedom to watch the sunrise once again. A short speech will follow. Contact 423.414.8233 for additional details or visit fallen5drive.org for more information.
Listed below are the known sites in Chattanooga dedicated to the Fallen 5. Please pay your respects in person or prayer. Thank you.
Fallen 5 Memorial, Tennessee River Park – 4301 Amnicola Hwy, Chattanooga, TN 37402
Armed Forces Recruiting Center – 6219 Lee Hwy, Chattanooga, TN 37421
Veterans Bridge, between Georgia and Barton Ave. Chattanooga, TN
Sculpture Fields at Montague Park – 1800 Polk St, Chattanooga, TN 37408
Chattanooga National Cemetery – 1200 Bailey Ave, Chattanooga, TN 37404
Ross’s Landing – 201 Riverfront Pkwy, Chattanooga, TN 37402
July 16th, 2015. A date which lives with me and all of us. It was a day in which our world changed.
GYSGT Thomas Sullivan – Didn’t deserve to die
SSGT David Wyatt – Didn’t deserve to die
SGT Carson Holmquist – Didn’t deserve to die
LCPL Squire ”Skip” Wells – Didn’t deserve to die
P02 Randall Smith – Didn’t deserve to die
These men gave their lives for our freedoms in Chattanooga.
The Fallen 5, as they have been named, represent of any members in the military past or present. There are many military bases across the country and world that could be attacked. It could have been you or me. I cannot change the past or bring these men back to life. I can however, keep their memory alive and keep the drive alive. I wanted to do something so profound that would honor them in the best way possible.
I felt such compassion and frustration after the attack. I wondered what I could do. 30 Days after the attack I made the Fallen 5 Drive mission a dream to set out for the Golden Gate Bridge with a flag from the shooting site. I did it one year later leaving from the riverfront memorial service 1 year later on July 16th, 2016. Daniel (a Marine from that unit) and I left for a 5,000 mile mission to honor the Fallen 5. We completed the mission by hanging a flag from the bridge and brining it back home.
The purpose of the mission is to sacrifice personally, and honor them in our acts. The years since the attack I have seen Chattanoogans come together in their own ways. Some ride Harleys, some run, some wave flags, some put stickers up, some donate money, some cry. I drive 5,000 miles with a folded flag. I tell their story all year long. I drive everywhere with their memory on my truck. It has taken quite a toll on my and this year has been difficult.
This year I will run 5 miles from the Naval Base to Veterans’s Bridge in Chattanooga with the flag on July 16th, 2020 starting at 10:30 AM. I will fly it the whole way while I run. I will run along Amnicola Hwy to the bridge to raise awareness and honor them. Later in the year I am planning to visit each family in their hometown and talk about the missions I have been on in their honor. I have another huge plan, but I am flushing out some details. Stay tuned for the drive/run update this year! I will need your moral support! I am not a runner and will push through it! God Bless the FALLEN 5.
Joshua D. Kapellusch
Watch our news interview on News Channel 3 with Julie Edwards! Lebron Clark from MTN View Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and I talk about how important the mission is to us and the community!
Watch our interview here: 3 Plus You Interview
Check out this interview at the dealership with Lebron Clark.
Thank you for your support Julie Edwards and Lebron Clark. You make it possible to continue the mission year after year. This year me made a big difference in Chattanooga.
Joshua David Kapellusch
Day 10 September 15th, Sunday
I was able to spend the last night in the city, but in a very nice Hampton room with a comfy bed that was gifted to us. It was amazing! The boys were able to swim and play in the pool 3 times and were tired. After bringing them home I decided to make the final food and water run for the 10 day mission.
It was a hot day and I found that it was best to deliver supplies after about 7:00 pm, but before dark. This is a prime time when it is not too hot and is not dark yet. Many people are in migration. I found spots in the city to deliver all kinds of supplies in an efficient and effective manner. I feel we did a lot of good for these people in some of the hottest weather we get.
Upcoming needs will be blankets, jackets, backpacks, and socks. Despite your views or opinions, or even mine, people will struggle with sleeping in a house or even a dry place this winter despite all we do. Some people will sleep outside, but we can make sure they at least survive it. Donate blankets for a more impactful next step in the mission to help people be comfortable.
In planning future acts, I would love to do something for the homeless one weekend a month and next year plan for 2 weeks of service. So for next month I would like to pass out blankets and clothing items. I have hygiene bags to pass out and water is always needed. Be prepared to see the Blazer of Glory in the streets of Chattanooga doing good for other people.
I think the Fallen 5 would be proud of the 2019 mission. The final act of the Fallen 5 Drive is to dip our tires into the river as a way to end the mission until next year. It is always a relief to complete a tough assignment. We were successful in achieving change for many people in Chattanooga because of your support! Thank you for the support!
Joshua David Kapellusch
Day 9 September 14th, Saturday
This was day 2 without water in Chattanooga which seemed ironic since we were passing out waters all week before, now everyone needed it. I noticed places the previous night that had plenty of water, but it would or could reach a critical level of need. I decided to purchase an additional 120 Little Debbie snacks and 4 more cases of water to pass out.
This day I was bringing 2 of my boys, Owen and Everett who are 7 and 5 to help. The first time they went with Daddy they made peanut butter and jelly and passed out waters. When your children assist you must always be considerate of their needs, and I knew they could be very helpful when I was in town. They got to see what helping people is all about and I hope to teach them to be responsible in their communities for others in need.
It didn’t take long to efficiently disperse what we had. The cooler only holds so much water and ice so when I refill it for a second time that batch is not as cold. I always feel that I could do better. We would need a much larger cooler or just have the city put in water fountains.
My aim is to make common sense application to implement particularly useful and impactful tools for improved daily life. We can simply install water fountains, public restrooms, and public showers on many different levels. Either temporary or permanent, on a case by case or first come basis. There are a multitude of simple, quick, and relatively inexpensive solutions that are proven.
Until these things are started, the best option is some way is to hand out water in plastic bottles and bagged food from a truck.
Joshua David Kapellusch
Day 8 September 13th, Friday
At this point in the Fallen 5 Drive I spent every night out in the streets either in the truck, on the ground, or in a friend’s car with more leg room. I didn’t anticipate having so many supplies for myself and feeding or watering about 50 people per day. It was quite a challenge to have all that packed in there and lay comfortably. Also, working out during the trip didn’t help with my comfort levels! In other words, I was growing tired. The weather was great except for one day when it rained for about an hour and I had to use the tarp roof.
This day was Friday the 13th and it was a full harvest moon as well! This was going to be a special day and evening. Each Friday any city livens up from people getting off after a long weekend. Tourists also flourish the city seeking all Chattanooga has to offer.
This day was special because Chattanooga was out of water! Late Thursday evening the 3 foot water main burst causing the water for the entire city to be out! This day we were out in the heat passing out waters and burritos. We felt rich as we gave water when there were so many without. I intended on giving freely before the water outage, but to know the people that needed it most were getting it was particularly special. We were happy to help anyone in need!
Later that evening my boys were planned to be with me downtown, but with the water outage we decided to stay outside of the city. As a parent it is always important to put them first so we camped out in the camper.
Joshua David Kapellusch
Day 7 September 12th, Thursday
Waking up on the 12th meant taking down the flag from the main sign. I wanted people to see the flag flying and know the 9/11 victims and Fallen 5 were not forgotten. Once up I went to remove the flag by driving there in the Blazer of Glory, but the shifter broke when I went to back up. Once realizing what just happened I decided to walk to the main sign. Since we slept in the park it was not too far of a walk. I actually enjoyed the walk early in the morning to retrieve the flag. In the dawn’s early light, the flag was still there!
We took a couple pictures of the flag hanging and then folded it up for next year. Each time the flag was folded this year someone learned how and I got practice too! Flag raising and folding is important process and holds respectful meaning in each fold. To fold a flag one must take great care with each fold because you must reach the end with enough excess and have formed a perfect triangle.
After folding the flag, the humbling walk back in front of the building where the men lost their lives gave me time to think about their last moments. I am still here with a mission and they left while on their mission. Picking up the flag and carrying it on is all of our duties and we each do it differently.
Getting back to the truck I figured out what we could do to get a cable made as soon as possible. The part that broke was critical. I called Hudlow Axle and they recommended Hydraulic Supply Co. in Chattanooga and they were able 
to make a custom cable before the end of the day. We decided to go shopping and get more supplies for making burritos again. The people requested them as they are filling and easily eaten.
After getting the cable and food I set to work fixing the truck and adapting the plans for the day. I forgot some small bags and needed ice for the cooler. Once back at the truck I set up a cooking station for 96 eggs and 50 burritos with cheese! My little fold up table and Coleman grille were ready to cook 6 eggs at a time and package up the food as quickly as possible. After 2 to 3 hours of cooking I was exhausted and it was dark. I got to work before looking at the clock, but it took much longer than I anticipated. The pups and I were ready for bed!
Joshua David Kapellusch
