World War II Navy veteran Ernie Andres, who on August 19th will have 98 candles to blow out on his birthday cake, has received nationwide press for trekking the US coast-to-coast. His first two-year mission started at the Pacific Ocean nearby San Diego, California in October of 2013. Ernie successfully completed his cross country trek touching the Atlantic Ocean in August of 2016 on Saint Simmons Island in Georgia.
After a well deserved rest, Ernie embarked on his second journey in March of 2019. This time his march was in reverse order from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It just so happens that Ernie’s route on both crossings goes through the City of Hobbs.
On his first journey in 2015, Ernie spent more than a month in Hobbs. Both his car and his RV required repair, and the work took 42 days. “Ernie was amazed at the kindheartedness of those in the town who took him in and repaired his motor home free of charge,” reports TODAY.
Right now, Ernie’s coast-to-coast journey is once again passing through Hobbs but unfortunately without Ernie. Because of health reasons, Ernie was forced to abandon participating in his second trek. This happened in Huntington, Texas in late 2020.
As the old saying goes, “the show must go on”, and Ernie’s longtime friend John Martin, who was a firefighter when Ernie was trekking for the first time across America, decided to retire from his profession and finish Ernie’s mission. “I felt obligated and honored to finish this journey for him because he was suddenly unable to do so on his own…I am a helper”, says Martin.
Martin started camping in Hobbs in early July and plans to stay for three weeks. During his time in Hobbs, Martin is running a few miles several times a week in the direction of Artesia on this leg of Ernie’s journey. The format is for Martin to be taken to the place where the trek previously stopped, for Martin to run/walk several miles and then for him to return to his camp for the night. With each segment plotted out precisely, Martin will repeat this scheme several times each week during his time in Hobbs.
On Monday July 5th, New Mexico State Police Officer Carlos Verdugo accompanied Martin on the day’s leg of the coast-to-coast journey. Verdugo commented, “I believe it is a very unique story, how it started and how you’re [Martin] helping him [Ernie] with one of his dreams. I like how so many people have come together in different ways to help make this happen and to continue. It’s a true American thing to do, especially him [Ernie] being in the military and serving and doing this and never giving up. I feel that more than anything – words can’t explain. His sacrifice, everything he has done. His work ethic, his commitment.”
Also accompanying Martin that day was Hobbs resident Jeremy Smith and his family. Smith remarked that he and Ernie met in Hobbs in 2015. Smith said, “After many walks and many years of staying in touch [Ernie] was starting his adventure all over again but in the opposite direction. Even after all of Ernie’s health issues, I still wanted to be apart of his mission, but this time the whole family was apart of it. I wanted to walk with him because it’s not only the camaraderie between veterans; it’s an honor to be in the presence of a true `hero´. Even though he’s not walking with us, I still want to honor him and his mission.”
Ernie started all of this to raise money for the LST 325 Ship Memorial. LST ships were used during World War II to “land equipment and troops on hostile shores”. Because of the importance of these ships, a Memorial in their honor was established. Ernie was a member of the crew that brought LST325 back to the US from the Isle of Crete in Greece in 2000/21. Now fully restored and operational, LST 325 is on exposition at the Memorial in Evansville, Indiana. Still, this Memorial is not enough for Ernie. His dream is to take LST325 back to Normandy for a D-Day Memorial there. “I didn’t raise near enough money on my first run, so I’m trying again,” Ernie said.
Ergo once again Hobbs is a focal point of the coast-to-coast run – this time with Martin, rather than Ernie, at the helm. Still, the two men are a team committed to finishing what they have started. Martin has no doubt that he will complete their joint mission and arrive at the Pacific Ocean near San Diego on August 19th , the day Ernie will turn 98. God willing Ernie will be there, too.
Photos by John Martin
