WILMINGTON, N.C. -- Thirty marines, navy corpsman and spouses marched 850 miles from Itta Bena, Mississippi to Camp Lejeune to commemorate 16 fallen marines.

• Thirty "Rucking Raiders" finished the more than 850 mile march to remember marines Tuesday.
• The march was to remember the aircraft crash that killed 16 marines flying from Camp Lejeune on July 10, 2017.
• Each of the marchers carried 45 lbs of soil from the crash site to symbolize bringing their own back. 

July 10 marked the one-year anniversary of when an aircraft from Camp Lejeune, headed to pre-deployment camp, crashed in Mississippi killing seven Marine Raiders and nine Marine Aviators.

"When someone in the military dies there is a celebration of life ceremony and there's a funeral, and after that, that's pretty much it," said Nathan Harris, director of the march. "What we wanted to do is publicly celebrate their lives and spread awareness to who they were as people."

Tuesday marked the eleventh and final day of the march, with raiders making their way through Brunswick, New Hanover, Pender, and Onslow Counties.

They carried with them marine flags, the American flag, and weighted sand bags with soil from the crash site from one year ago. 

Harris said each of them is carrying 45 pounds of the soil as symbolism of bringing their brothers back on a journey they could not make themselves.

"It was definitely an emotional journey," said Harris. "Physically everyone is beat down. There's not denying that. But, mentally we've never been stronger."

The 30 marchers split into ten groups, and marched eight miles before rotating -- this enabled them to be on the road around the clock. Harris said the march was therapeutic for him.

"You're remembering the funny stories and sharing them with each other," he said. "And there are situations where you find out more things that you might not have known about your friends who are no longer with us, and there's a healing aspect to that."

He, along with other ruckers, were met by supporters during their march through downtown Wilmington. One supporter, Faith Currin Cregger, said her daughter was marching in memory of her husband.

"We've supported her and the children from day one and all the other families," said Cregger. "It is very emotional. It has been a long journey and they're tired."

After the march, the ruckers said they will be using the soil to plant a tree in memory of the fallen marines.