Blisters and Honor: 40 Miles, No Support, on BG Darby's Final March for America's 250th

By Ben Appleby

TORBOLE SUL GARDA, Italy — As fireworks marked the 250th anniversary of American independence across the United States, six U.S. service members stationed in Germany observed the day in a different way: by marching 40 miles along Lake Garda in northern Italy.

A selfie of the six service members during the march, with Lake Garda's beautiful scenery behind them.

The group stepped off at 3:30 a.m. July 4 from Peschiera del Garda and followed the eastern shore of the lake to Torbole, retracing the final route associated with Brig. Gen. William O. Darby and honoring soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division who fought and died in the closing days of World War II.

The route, known as the Darby 40 Miler, commemorates Darby, founder of the U.S. Army Rangers and assistant division commander of the 10th Mountain Division, as well as 25 soldiers who remain listed as missing in action after their amphibious craft sank in Lake Garda on April 30, 1945, during the division's final offensive. Only one soldier, Thomas Hough, a former lifeguard, survived the sinking.

The six service members who completed the 40 Miler at the monument to the 25 soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division listed as missing in action after their deaths on April 30, 1945

Two monuments in Torbole stand a short distance apart: one dedicated to Darby and another honoring the 25 missing soldiers. Together, they mark the final days of the Italian Campaign.

Unlike the annual march held each April 30, this effort was completed unassisted along the route, using the official Darby 40 Miler Challenge do-it-yourself format created by event founder Richard Tscherne, known to many as "Ranger Rick." Before the march, Tscherne met with the group and provided instructions for the challenge — but once underway, the six covered the full distance with no support vehicles or aid stations, relying only on what they carried.

To complete the challenge, participants must finish the approximately 40-mile, or 64-kilometer, route in 12 hours or less. The course follows the lakeshore from Peschiera del Garda through Lazise, Garda, Torri del Benaco, Castelletto and Malcesine before reaching Torbole. At designated checkpoints, participants photograph themselves and submit each image separately by email with timestamps to verify their progress. The final checkpoint is Darby's monument in Torbole.

The group at the Darby monument — the six U.S. service members with Ben Appleby and Antonella Previdi of Association Benàch

Tscherne said the challenge is designed as both an endurance event and a living history experience connecting participants to the terrain of the final Allied operations in northern Italy.

Temperatures climbed quickly after the early start, and the group spent much of the march in intense summer heat. Organizers said they believe the conditions were the hottest in which the Darby 40 Miler has been completed.

The six participants represented two U.S. military organizations stationed in Germany.

From U.S. Army Veterinary Readiness Activity, Rheinland-Pfalz, they were:

Participant	Position	Location
Capt. Javier Pino	Veterinarian, officer in charge	Spangdahlem Air Base
Sgt. Danielle Peoples	Animal care sergeant, Noncommissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC)	Veterinary Medical Center Europe
Capt. Rachael Webber	Veterinarian	Ansbach
Staff Sgt. Nathaniel Gibbons	Veterinary food inspector	Stuttgart
Pfc. Malenah Worden	Animal care specialist	Veterinary Medical Center Europe

The U.S. Army Veterinary Readiness Activity provides veterinary medicine, public health and food safety support across Europe and Africa, supporting force health protection and operational readiness for deployed units and military communities.

Also participating was Capt. Max Leonov, chief of military justice with the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base. The 52nd Fighter Wing provides combat-ready airpower across Europe and NATO operations; Leonov's role provides legal support to commanders and service members across the wing.

Capt. Max Leonov, U.S. Air Force, waving the American flag by BG Darby's monument in Torbole

Although the group knew they were completing the challenge on their own, they did not know a welcome was waiting for them. Tscherne had contacted Ben Appleby, president of Association Benàch, ahead of time to let him know the group was attempting the DIY route on Independence Day — and Association Benàch quietly arranged a surprise greeting at the finish.

After completing the march within the required 12-hour time limit, the group arrived in Torbole, where they were met by Appleby and Antonella Previdi, the organization's treasurer, who greeted the service members with American flags, refreshments and commemorative support after the demanding march.

A U.S. service member waves the American flag at the Darby monument, celebrating the completion of the 40 Miler and the 250th anniversary of Independence Day.

On behalf of Tscherne, Appleby presented each participant with the official Darby 40 Miler Challenge Coin. In recognition of the group's independent completion of the challenge on the 250th anniversary of American independence and under extreme heat conditions, Tscherne waived the standard cost of the coin.

Ben Appleby, president of Association Benàch, presenting Rick Tscherne's 40 Mile Challenge Coin

"Today, on Fourth of July, we completed the Darby 40 Mile Challenge," said Capt. Javier Pino. "Every mile was an opportunity to honor the fallen of the 10th Mountain Regiment and the enduring legacy of Col. Darby, whose courage, sacrifice, and selfless service continue to inspire us today. Sharing this experience alongside fellow officers and enlisted teammates made it even more meaningful, and I loved the camaraderie displayed today between my unit and our Air Force teammate. Today was a humbling tribute and an experience we will never forget."

After the arrival ceremony, the participants visited Darby's memorial in Torbole and the nearby site where Darby and Sgt. Maj. John "Tim" Evans were killed April 30, 1945, reflecting on the history they had spent the day honoring.

Capt. Javier Pino stands at the plaque marking where Darby and Evans were killed.

Association Benàch, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving World War I and World War II history in northern Italy, plays a continuing role in commemorating the 10th Mountain Division's presence in the region. The group produced the documentary "The Lost Mountaineers," which tells the story of the 25 soldiers lost on Lake Garda, and is producing "With Love, Billy," a documentary about Darby's life, leadership and legacy.

Following Tscherne's retirement from organizing the annual event, Association Benàch has assumed responsibility for coordinating future Darby 40 Miler commemorations held each April 30. The organization is also working to ensure the long-term continuation of the event and preserve its historical significance through military and civilian partnerships.

More than 81 years after the final days of the Italian Campaign, the footsteps of Darby and the 10th Mountain Division continue to be retraced — not as a military exercise, but as an act of remembrance.

Photos courtesy of Capt. Javier Pino and Association Benàch

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