Captain Jeff Kuss USMC Memorial

08/31/2026

We’re racing toward the finish line! Only a limited number of spots remain for the Top Gun Night Run 6K!👟

Claim your patriotic race shirt, earn the commemorative medal, and celebrate your finish with Rubiks Groove live on the Main Stage!

Don’t get left on the runway! Register today:

https://runsignup.com/Race/TN/Smyrna/TopGunNightRun6k

08/28/2026

We’re racing toward the finish line! Only 200 spots remain for the Top Gun Night Run 6K!👟

Claim your patriotic race shirt, earn the commemorative medal, and celebrate your finish with Rubiks Groove live on the Main Stage!

Don’t get left on the runway! Register today:

https://runsignup.com/Race/TN/Smyrna/TopGunNightRun6k

08/27/2026

✨Join us September 11 for the Top Gun Night Run 6K, honoring the 25th anniversary of 9/11.

Then stick around after the race for Rubiks Groove live on the Main Stage! 🎶

🏁 Registration is filling fast—sign up before we sell out!
👉 https://runsignup.com/Race/TN/Smyrna/TopGunNightRun6k

08/22/2026

✈️ THREE WEEKS TO RACE NIGHT!

Join us September 11 for the Top Gun Night Run 6K, honoring the 25th anniversary of 9/11.

🇺🇸 We Run to Remember. We Run to Honor. We Run to Never Forget.

Then stick around after the race for Rubiks Groove live on the Main Stage! 🎶

🏁 Registration is filling fast—sign up before we sell out!
👉 https://runsignup.com/Race/TN/Smyrna/TopGunNightRun6k

08/11/2026

✈️ ONE MONTH TO GO!
The countdown is on for the 2026 Top Gun Night Run 6K! Join us Friday, September 11, at 7:30 PM for an unforgettable run beneath the lights at Lee Victory Recreation Park.

This year’s race will commemorate the 25th anniversary of 9/11 with a special tribute honoring our nation’s heroes, first responders, and the enduring strength of the American spirit.

🏅 Chip-timed 3.7-mile course
🛫 Run along the airport runway and golf course
🎶 Live music by Rubiks Groove
👕 Exclusive Dri-Fit race shirt
🏅 Commemorative finisher medal
🍴 Food vendors and post-race fun

Finish at the Capt. Jeff Kuss USMC Memorial

Registration is limited, secure your spot before the race fills up!

https://runsignup.com/Race/TN/Smyrna/TopGunNightRun6k

07/31/2026

👟✈️ We are only 6 weeks out from the Top Gun Night Run!

📅 Mark your calendars for Friday, September 11, 2026, at 7:30 p.m.! We are just six weeks away from an unforgettable evening of community, honor, and remembrance at Lee Victory Recreation Park.

On this historic evening, marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11, we will come together for the Top Gun Night Run 6K to honor our heroes and support the Capt. Jeff Kuss USMC Memorial and scholarship fund. 👟✈️

✨ What to expect:

🌅 A unique 3.7-mile sunset/night course alongside the Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport and Smyrna Municipal Golf Course

💡 A finish under the lights at the iconic Capt. Jeff Kuss USMC Memorial

🎶 Live music by high-energy ’80s, ’90s, and ’00s tribute band Rubik’s Groove

🏅 Local vendors, custom finisher medals, and Dri-FIT race shirts

⚠️ Registration is limited, and spots are filling quickly:
https://runsignup.com/Race/TN/Smyrna/TopGunNightRun6k

07/04/2026

06/02/2026

Mayor Mary Esther Reed, Town Clerk Amber Hobbs, and Kuss Memorial Scholarship Committee Chair Kellye Goostree appeared on WGNS Radio and spoke with Rick Hall to reflect on the life and legacy of Captain Jeff Kuss.

Today, June 2, 2026, marks 10 years since Captain Kuss made the ultimate sacrifice while serving as a U.S. Marine Corps aviator and member of the Blue Angels. His courage, dedication, and legacy continue to inspire our community and remain forever woven into the fabric of Smyrna.

🎙️ Listen to the WGNS Interview: Hear reflections on Captain Kuss's legacy and the impact he continues to have on our community.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp8NUMsV7Xg

🎬 Watch the Tribute Documentary: To commemorate this 10-year milestone, the Town of Smyrna produced a special documentary celebrating Captain Kuss's life, service, and the lasting bond between the Kuss family and the Smyrna community.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd5wCyOITJA&t=9s

L to R: Mayor Reed, Kelley Goostree, Amber Hobbs, and Rick Hall.

06/02/2026

✨ Remembering Blue Angel 6 ✨

Today, June 2, 2026, marks 10 years since we lost Captain Jeff Kuss.

To the world, he was an elite U.S. Marine Corps aviator who flew with precision and passion. To the Smyrna community, he is a forever hero whose courage, ultimate sacrifice, and inspiring legacy are permanently woven into the fabric of our Town.

We pause today to honor his memory, send our continued love to the Kuss family, and look up at the skies with gratitude. The number 6 wreath will be stationed at the Memorial from sunrise to sunset today in remembrance of Captain Kuss.

🎬 Watch the Tribute: To honor this ten-year mark, the Town of Smyrna has put together a special documentary sharing his story and the bond his family will always share with our community. Click the link below to watch, remember, and celebrate a true hero.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd5wCyOITJA&t=4s

Blue Angel 6, you will never be forgotten. 💙💛

05/25/2026

On this Memorial Day, we reflect as we approach the ten-year mark of a tragedy that forged an unbreakable community bond.

On June 2, 2016, U.S. Navy Blue Angels Pilot Captain Jeff Kuss tragically lost his life during the Great Tennessee Air Show, inspiring a remarkable unity, strength, and shared purpose from our community.

The Town of Smyrna has released a special short documentary highlighting the incredible grassroots effort to build the Captain Jeff Kuss USMC Memorial. From local residents and veterans to civic leaders and businesses, our Town came together hand in hand to turn shared grief into a lasting monument of honor.

Watch the full documentary below or on our YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/