While World War II veterans have been notoriously silent about their valor and sacrifice for our country, one man decided to start taking veterans who had never been to see the memorial or were physically or financially unable to go to see the memorial before it was too late.
At a recent Mount Airy Rotary meeting Jack Leach, the oldest living Surry County survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor, spoke briefly about his time during the war.
This Saturday, Leach, other Surry County WWII veterans and Betty Lynn, who performed in U.S.O. shows during the war, will board a flight to D.C. to see the memorial. WXII Channel 12 will have a live broadcast starting at 5:30 a.m. of the flight leaving Piedmont Triad International Airport on the first Triad Flight of Honor.
There will be another live broadcast at 8:30 p.m. when the flight returns. News anchor Cameron Kent will be onboard the flight along with veterans and their guardians.
During my research for the story following Leach’s Rotary presentation, I talked to officials with the Flight of Honor. They told me to watch a video that showed the founders of the Honor Air flights. I highly recommend the video to anyone who wants to get a glimpse into what these flights are all about. It can be found at www.honorair.com.
After expressing a desire to go on a flight, I got a phone call later that night from one of the organizers. After talking with me for a few minutes, he said I could go on the Oct. 28 Flight of Honor as a guardian and journalist. I remember being flooded with emotion over the honor of being chosen.
So now as the first veterans leave on their first Flight of Honor on Saturday, I will be watching with great intensity to see how it goes.
World War II veterans once numbered 16 million, but the numbers are dropping at the rate of 1,200 per day. Many never got to visit their National WWII Memorial that opened in 2004 — 59 years after the war ended.
It costs $500 per veteran and $200 per guardian to make these flights happen. I will be charged with helping three veterans from Elkin and reporting back to you, our readers, on what the experience was like.
I was lucky enough to see the World War II Memorial this summer on my trip to Washington, but this trip with the veterans will not only be the trip of a lifetime, but one that will honor the men who made our country what it is today.
More money is still needed for future flights that are planned for the spring of 2010. Donations can be sent to: Triad Flight of Honor, P.O. Box 4613, Greensboro, NC 27404.
Mondee Tilley is a staff reporter for The Mount Airy News. She can be reached at mtilley@mtairynews.com or at 719-1930.
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