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Tomorrow will be the second Flight of WW2, Korean and Viet Nam veterans of this area from Wilmington, NC to Washington,DC. Last year was the first trip following the pandemic.
I was fortunate to make this trip to be among the memorials in the Mall for a truly great experience that would not have been possible without the great efforts and dedication of hundreds of volunteers who gave of their time, efforts and money to make it happen. Each of us who made the trip were given the honor free by those who made this honor a time to be truly thankful to live in a country where such gifts can happen from our fellow citizens. Nothing that has occurred in our lives since returning from places that bore the real brunt of what war means has been so gratefully accepted by each who gave what we had to give to make other peoples lives better or possible. I am doubly grateful since last year marked the last time that my health would allow such an expenditure as I am slowly but surely being locked into the last chapter of my time among you.
Each of 75 veterans had a personal volunteer who took care of any needs that we had in making the trip and also paid $500 for that privilege. The Airbus 320 was well packed by our numbers. My youngest son was my guardian and the time we spent together on this trip marked a time to be remembered and cherished the rest of our lives. He pushed me about the Mall and made sure that everything that the other planners had for us met schedule. We left the Wilmington, NC airport early and returned late in the day to a large gathering of celebrants who took over the whole terminal to make the day such a success to each of us. That there were fellow Americans who gladly gave us their time and money to do such a thing in the atmosphere that seems to be taking over much of our country was sure indication that we may make it through this testing time with honor was clearly a great part of our day.
"Honor Flight" is a national organization dedicating their efforts to making this possible independent of government control that deserves your input and interest keeping it going as long as needed. Several if my fellow war servicemen have or will have this opportunity given to them and I can hope that they can make the trip.
Sitting in front of the long Viet Nam wall, trying to take in the wasted lives and lost fortunes marked on the wall that stare back at them brought my tears out and may do the same for you. My tears were real and could have not been shed at the real time then as it was too close to be real. Korea has not been forgotten but has been made more real by being honored by this trip more than anything that has been given otherwise. The faces carved into the squad slogging through the mud made me clearly glad that my service, while sometimes exacting, was easy compared to these and the 40,000 others lost on such a slog through the mud of similar fields on similar patrols.
The weather is very frightful for my fellows trip and I can only hope the best for them.
I was fortunate to make this trip to be among the memorials in the Mall for a truly great experience that would not have been possible without the great efforts and dedication of hundreds of volunteers who gave of their time, efforts and money to make it happen. Each of us who made the trip were given the honor free by those who made this honor a time to be truly thankful to live in a country where such gifts can happen from our fellow citizens. Nothing that has occurred in our lives since returning from places that bore the real brunt of what war means has been so gratefully accepted by each who gave what we had to give to make other peoples lives better or possible. I am doubly grateful since last year marked the last time that my health would allow such an expenditure as I am slowly but surely being locked into the last chapter of my time among you.
Each of 75 veterans had a personal volunteer who took care of any needs that we had in making the trip and also paid $500 for that privilege. The Airbus 320 was well packed by our numbers. My youngest son was my guardian and the time we spent together on this trip marked a time to be remembered and cherished the rest of our lives. He pushed me about the Mall and made sure that everything that the other planners had for us met schedule. We left the Wilmington, NC airport early and returned late in the day to a large gathering of celebrants who took over the whole terminal to make the day such a success to each of us. That there were fellow Americans who gladly gave us their time and money to do such a thing in the atmosphere that seems to be taking over much of our country was sure indication that we may make it through this testing time with honor was clearly a great part of our day.
"Honor Flight" is a national organization dedicating their efforts to making this possible independent of government control that deserves your input and interest keeping it going as long as needed. Several if my fellow war servicemen have or will have this opportunity given to them and I can hope that they can make the trip.
Sitting in front of the long Viet Nam wall, trying to take in the wasted lives and lost fortunes marked on the wall that stare back at them brought my tears out and may do the same for you. My tears were real and could have not been shed at the real time then as it was too close to be real. Korea has not been forgotten but has been made more real by being honored by this trip more than anything that has been given otherwise. The faces carved into the squad slogging through the mud made me clearly glad that my service, while sometimes exacting, was easy compared to these and the 40,000 others lost on such a slog through the mud of similar fields on similar patrols.
The weather is very frightful for my fellows trip and I can only hope the best for them.
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