Honor Flight – Meet and Greet 2015

At the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Coliseum

By Don Counts

The evening started with recognition of the many people that had worked so hard to make the Honor Flight happen.  The Little Old Dam Band provided music during dinner for the Veterans and their Guardians going on the Honor Flight.  Appreciation and Reflection was provided by State Senator Vaneta Becker, Dan Felker from Sterling Boiler and Brad Byrd anchor from WEHT/WTVW News.  The Patriot Guard provided a Color Guard, escorted the Veterans to their seats, served their meals and conducted the Missing Man Memorial presentation.

There was much excitement and anticipation by the veterans from World War Two, Korea and Vietnam as they look forward to the Honor Flight.  They were given a bag with their shirts and hats for the Honor Flight.  There was so much history in that room that could fill volumes.  As Will Rodgers said “All of us can’t be heroes, some of us have to stand on the curb and clap”

As the news release stated “Honor Flight of Southern Indiana is taking their 3rd trip out of EVV on an Airbus A320 filled with 70 Veterans and 70 guardians to Washington DC on October 24th, 2015. Honor Flight Network is a non-profit organization created solely to honor America’s veterans for all their sacrifices. Honor Flight transports America’s Heroes to Washington DC along with guardians, to visit and reflect at their memorials. Top priority is given to senior veterans – World War II survivors, along with those other veterans who may be terminally ill. Of all the wars in recent memory, it was WWII that truly threatened our very existence as a nation and as a culturally diverse, free society. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, an estimated 640 WWII veterans die daily. Our time to express our thanks to these brave men and women is running out. Since 2005, nearly 140,000 veterans have flown on an Honor Flight. Veterans numbering 21,261 made an Honor Flight in 2014. The time to thank them is now & you can do just that by attending the Welcome Home Parade on October 24th, 2015. Parade begins at 8:30pm so come early to get a good spot.”

Robert (Bob) Collier was an Army Air Corps Soldier.  He had never been to Washington and had never been on a commercial aircraft other that a Cessna.  He is so looking forward to seeing his monument.  He said when he was flying into the Aleutian Islands the pilot said he would ring a bell when they got in site of Mount McKinley for them to fasten their seat belts.  Bell was never rang the pilot said he about run into Mt McKinley and didn’t have time to ring the bell.  He was a Radio Operator relaying maps and information from the mainland to the war and back again.  He didn’t see any combat and served from 1945 to 1946.  He was stationed on the largest of the Aleutian Island which was two miles wide twenty miles long.  He said the warmest day there was 60 degrees, but it snowed the next day.  He said winds were 80 miles per hour with gusts to 120 miles an hour.  He said when the Honor Flight person brought him his photo he was asked is that you.  He said with ears like that, yes it was me.  He went to radio school in Madison Wisconsin and another in Detroit Michigan.  He is 91 years old.

Robert Church a Navy Veteran and wife Celeste are excited and looking forward to the Honor Flight and getting to see his memorial.  He has been to Washington but never saw the memorial.  He served twenty-five years.  He was a Chief Gunners Mate.  He will be ninety-two in December, what a great early birthday present.  He served as a Master of Arms, repairing weapons.  During his career he served on seven ships, the Maddox, Hudson, Charley P Cecil, John W Meeks, USS Coney, Frederick and the Kitty Hawk.  He served during World War Two in the Pacific and in Vietnam.

A good time was had by all.