Posted on 05/16/2011 12:10:45 PM PDT by ShasheMac
This past Saturday, my 86-year old dad got up in the wee hours of the night and, along with a group of other men his age, flew from Fort Myers, Florida, to Washington D.C., courtesy of Honor Flight, the Southwest Florida branch. If you’re not familiar with Honor Flight (I wasn’t until he was selected to participate), it is a volunteer organization that raises money and attempts to take as many remaining World War II veterans to D.C. to visit the memorials there that honor their service.
Their first stop was the WWII memorial, then they went to the Korean War memorial (as many WWII vets later served in Korea), then on to the Iwo Jima memorial. To close out this special day, they visited Arlington National Cemetery and were able to see the changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This brought a smile to my Dad’s face as he took pictures because, 49 years earlier, he had taken a picture of his 7-yaer old son looking up at the Guard when our family visited Arlington
One unexpected surprise was that Bob Dole was visiting Arlington that day. Senator Dole has been involved with the organization and was more than willing to take time to pose for pictures and chat with the men. My Dad got to ask him if he remembered George Gekas, a former Congressman from Pennsylvania whom my dad had known. Dole laughed and said he was certainly going back aways.
(Please don’t flame or tear down Bob Dole on this thread. Focus on the honor of these men and how much the day meant to tem.)
After all that, what my Dad will always remember most is when they arrived at the airport in D.C. Apparently, there were signs in the airport announcing that Honor Flight was arriving that morning and, when they disembarked and entered the terminal, crowds of people stood and cheered and saluted. The sacrifice of these men now in the 80’s had not been forgotten.
Thanks, America!
Thanks for posting!
When I see these men on the metro, or wherever, I am always sure to go up to them, shake their hand, and thank them personally for their service.
Those young men literally saved the world.
Well done and thank you. I’m happy to hear your Dad was able to go. I wish my Dad had lived to see the memorial.
Please express my thanks to your Dad for his service to Our Country. God Bless him.
The next scheduled Louisiana HonorAir flight is set for May 28th, 2011, leaving from Lafayette. Contributions are tax deductible. Any funds collected in excess of the trip’s needs are directed towards La. WWII Veterans’ needs.
Louisiana Honor Air
P.O. Box 4616
Lafayette, LA 70502
If you need information about donations or how you can assist, please call 337-367-7540.
http://www.louisianahonorair.com/
Nice story, thanks. My Dad was in the Navy for 27 years and served in the Pacific and Korea. He would have loved the memorials. He, like too many of them, died before they were built. God bless them and keep them.
Thank you for posting this, and please thank your father on my behalf for his honorable service to this country.
I am so glad you did, even if I have a blurry keyboard right now. What a great effort and how nice for your father and his fellow military heroes to have such a warm welcome at the airport. A trip of a lifetime for him...and with the gratitude of so many. I love this country. And especially proud that we continue to honor our veterans as we should.
God bless your father.
Too bad the rest of the U.S. citizens living in the U.S.A. are still sitting on their chicken shit fat asses whining rather than getting up and defending out country from within.
It must be devastating for any WWII hero to see this.
Thanks for posting. And please remind your dad that we owe our freedom to folks like him.
And God bless the organizers of the Honor Flight program. It is a great service they provide.
I bet your dad had a great time! Your story really makes my day, to know that great organizations like Honor Flight are remembering our veterans who deserve being honored.
Thanks for posting! So glad your Dad decided to go and please relate the thanks for his service from these FReepers.
out = our
Sorry.
I was on a trip there with the local girl scouts. Bob Dole also took the time to talk to the group. I actually liked the Vietnam and Korea memorials better than WW II. There was something more ‘living’ about them. The WW II Registry had a lot of interest. Register your Dad if not already.
My 93-year-old father was in the first organized flight from Dayton, Ohio to see the WWII Memorial several years ago.
All the private-plane pilots donated their time and I think it was wonderful that so many people came together to perform this service.
“...many remaining World War II veterans...”
Many are getting older. There will be a day when none will remain. Read the other day that the last remaining WWI had passed on.
We must not forget.
Thanks for sharing. I hope he enjoyed his day in Washington, DC.
I don’t know what contribution to WWII your Dad had but I know like all the other young men (and women) who sacrificed for our country at that difficult time, he helped the effort to win the war and keep our freedom. He is a hero to me. Thank him for participating.
Bless his heart
Yay! I am glad he got to go! I’ve been on 3 now as a guardian. Last month we had an estimated crowd of 1000 greet us at the home airport late that night. And the D.C. volunteers are so fabulous. It’s a very special day and a great project. I DO think for many of them, Arlington is the most moving part of the day.
I would encourage anyone who can to donate to their local Honor Flight project. When I last heard, a flight costs $70K and the vets pay nothing, but that figure may be higher now.
Thank you for this give me goosebumps and tears to my eyes post !!!!
God bless your father and all who serve....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.