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WORLD WAR TWO VETERANS VISIT TRIBUTES TO THEIR SACRIFICES
Honor Flight |
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Washington, D.C. (October 16, 2008) - Rebekah Allen
rallen@pnj.com
They are called the "Greatest Generation."
For their bravery and their valor. For winning a war and saving nations. And for the stories they have left as their legacy.
On Wednesday, the second Emerald Coast Honor Flight brought 101 Panhandle World War II veterans to the nation's capital to see the memorials built in their honor.
"Every generation has its heroes," said Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Chumuckla, who met the plane. "But in World War II, if these men and women had not done what they did ... the world would be a different place. It was millions of men and women who crossed seas to places many had never heard of and made the world what it is today."
The first veterans began arriving at Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport at 4 a.m. for the 7 a.m. departure.
They were ready and eager to go.
While waiting to load the plane, 88-year-old Frederick Reitman of Pensacola — wearing a bright blue B-17 Bomber jacket — was approached by a man with a French accent.
"He asked me if I had flown B-17s in the war," Reitman said. "He said, 'I want to thank you for my people. I'm a French national and I want to thank you for what you did for my country.' "
On the plane, veterans were given cards with messages written by children from local elementary schools.
John Raiser of Gulf Breeze read his card that started, "Dear World War II veteran, thank you for risking your life so I could be free."
"I think I'm going to cry at any minute," Raiser said.
At the capital
After arriving in Washington D.C., a stream of Panhandle veterans wearing white baseball caps flowed through the National World War II Memorial decorated with a wreath displayed on behalf of the Emerald Coast veterans.
"I've never seen this many World War II veterans together," said Hugh Parner, 84. "For them to go to all this trouble for this trip is above and beyond the call of duty. I'm very grateful and appreciative to be here."
Joseph Lewis, 84, of Pensacola was one of two black veterans to take the trip.
"It's wonderful, it makes us feel so grateful to know everyone else is so proud of us," Lewis said. "We're happy to have served this country."
Lewis said he was a part of the first group of black men to be trained at the basic training camp in Great Lakes, Ill.
"I was back in the service in the '40s, and it wasn't like it is now," he said. "So we blazed some trails and made some new avenues for others to follow."
The longest day
After a quick lunch, the veterans toured the Korean, Lincoln and Vietnam memorials.
WWII veteran William Fagan, 84, also fought in the Korean and Vietnam wars.
His son, Michael, a Vietnam War veteran, flew from Pensacola to share the experience with the Fort Walton Beach resident.
Thirty-eight years ago, the two flew together in a mission during the Vietnam War, when Michael was a pilot.
"That was amazing," William Fagan said of flying with his son. "He was very good at playing the violin growing up, and when he flew the plane it, was like watching his hands play the violin again."
Michael Fagan, 63, said it was important for him to be with his father Wednesday.
"I wanted to celebrate all the things God's gotten us through; for all of those wars, one of us should have died," the younger Fagan said. "And it's fun, every time me and Dad get together we swap old war stories."
What seemed like a thousand photographs later, the wide-eyed veterans made their way to the Iwo Jima Memorial before heading back to the airport.
The plane ride home was louder than the trip there, as veterans and guardians eagerly chatted with each other despite the grueling 14-hour day.
In Pensacola, the veterans were greeted by family, friends and active duty military cheering their return and waving American flags.
Marion Mosely, 87, of Pensacola said he was overwhelmed with gratitude for being able to participate.
"I enjoyed the way they treated me," Mosely said. "I've never been treated so nice for my service to the country."
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