It was a community effort to organize
ESCANABA -- The third U.P. Honor Flight took off from Delta County Airport Thursday at 6:30 a.m. Seventy-six U.P. World War II veterans and their guardians toured the WW II memorials in Washington, D.C.
Officials say about $92,000 was raised through community efforts to ensure that the unforgettable experience was free for these heroes.
To get to this point, it was a very early start Thursday morning. The airport was filled with excitement as the vets boarded the Honor Flight.
“One gentleman hasn't flown since 1945,” explains U.P. Honor Flight volunteer, Paula Waeghe. “That is a long time ago! He’s not one bit worried about tomorrow. He says he's happy to go with us."
Thursday’s events were, no doubt, a very emotional journey into the past. The day’s schedule included tours of the Iwo Jima, Korean, and Vietnam Memorials, as well as Arlington National Cemetery.
How do the vets feel about their wartime struggles?
“I wouldn't give you three cents to go back and do it over,” says World War II Navy veteran, Alfred “Chic” Coron. “Still, I wouldn't take a million dollars for what they taught me when I was there."
Now, a lifetime later, they explain how the war shaped them.
“I was just 18 when I went in,” says World War II Air Force veteran, Ken Hermanson. "And it gave me some stature, some maturity, and some common sense."
The Honor Flight is made possible thanks to the tireless fundraising efforts of a small group of volunteers. However, much gratitude is also felt for the strong community support they received.
“The emotions felt during the Honor Flight, as well as the experience itself, is very exciting. It’s almost a spiritual feeling. It’s something I almost can't describe to you," Waeghe explains.
A welcome home celebration for the vets is planned at the airport hangar Thursday. The hangar opens at 8 p.m. The Honor Flight lands at 9:30 p.m.
Officials say there are already plans for a fourth flight the first part of May, 2013.
Sixty-two WW II veterans are already on the waiting list.
To learn how you can support this cause, visit http://upperpeninsulahonorflight.org/
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forWLUC