I'll try to keep this short. I'm not the writer that some on here are, so bear with me.
May 4th at 4:30 a.m. 182 WW II vets and their guardians checked into the Madison (Dane county) airport. We were given jackets, hats, and id tags served a lite breakfast and boarded our plane along with all the volunteers and medical personnel. The flight into D.C. at Regan airport was less than 2 hours. On arrivals we were met by a roped off area with flags, ballons and a fire truck on each side spraying water in an arch over the plane. The ground crews were waving flags and signs welcoming us. Deboarding into the tunnel leading to the main airport it was lined with Navy personnel shaking our hands and the West Point male glee club singing and there stood Dave and Rufus with the placards you've seen. Man, what a surprise. Photo's of those placards were taken thru out the day with people asking questions about Duckboats.net.
Boarding four buses and with police escorts fore and aft and lites flashing , sirens blasting we toured all the war memorials ending at the spectacular airforce memorial. Each stop was slow with the loading and unloading wheelchairs with the volunteers doing a great job. Each stop we were met by waving crowds with flags and signs wanting to shake our hands.
On our way home, entering Regan airport, we were met by the sound of the great band music of WW II and a group of jiterbugs filling the airport with their dancing. With tired legs some of us joined them. On the trip home, tired and some dozing, we snapped to with the sound of "mail call". We were each given a large package of letters many of you had sent---that was really special. We were coming into Madison and didn't really get a chance to start reading them.
Entering the Madison terminal we were met by a VFW marching band, many miltary flag bearers escorted down the esculators, each of us with two service men, front and back down to a two star and a one star airforce generals. They presented us with a bronze token of the flight chatted a bit and wanted to see the placards. That was the first time that I had stood in front of a general without being in trouble. That's another story however.
They sent us down to main floor of the airport to over a thousand cheering, waving people with flags placards, ballons. We walked thru a pathway shaking hands and greetings and to the end where our families were--what a great surprise. None of us really felt we were heros but it sure was special to be treated like one. All thru that day I thought of the lousey reception that the Korean and especially the Vietnamese vets got coming home. As Dave Diefenderfer says "you vets check in your area for an honor flight and be a part of it"---it's pretty special. For you pilots 6 of the vets were women; 3 being pilots of the Wasp. It was an honor for me to meet and talk to them. I have to thank my son Jim Jr and Eric Patterson and some of you guys for the work they did for a pretty special day.
wis boz
OOOOPs forgot Rufus Brinn and Dave Diefenderfer the heart of it all.
May 4th at 4:30 a.m. 182 WW II vets and their guardians checked into the Madison (Dane county) airport. We were given jackets, hats, and id tags served a lite breakfast and boarded our plane along with all the volunteers and medical personnel. The flight into D.C. at Regan airport was less than 2 hours. On arrivals we were met by a roped off area with flags, ballons and a fire truck on each side spraying water in an arch over the plane. The ground crews were waving flags and signs welcoming us. Deboarding into the tunnel leading to the main airport it was lined with Navy personnel shaking our hands and the West Point male glee club singing and there stood Dave and Rufus with the placards you've seen. Man, what a surprise. Photo's of those placards were taken thru out the day with people asking questions about Duckboats.net.
Boarding four buses and with police escorts fore and aft and lites flashing , sirens blasting we toured all the war memorials ending at the spectacular airforce memorial. Each stop was slow with the loading and unloading wheelchairs with the volunteers doing a great job. Each stop we were met by waving crowds with flags and signs wanting to shake our hands.
On our way home, entering Regan airport, we were met by the sound of the great band music of WW II and a group of jiterbugs filling the airport with their dancing. With tired legs some of us joined them. On the trip home, tired and some dozing, we snapped to with the sound of "mail call". We were each given a large package of letters many of you had sent---that was really special. We were coming into Madison and didn't really get a chance to start reading them.
Entering the Madison terminal we were met by a VFW marching band, many miltary flag bearers escorted down the esculators, each of us with two service men, front and back down to a two star and a one star airforce generals. They presented us with a bronze token of the flight chatted a bit and wanted to see the placards. That was the first time that I had stood in front of a general without being in trouble. That's another story however.
They sent us down to main floor of the airport to over a thousand cheering, waving people with flags placards, ballons. We walked thru a pathway shaking hands and greetings and to the end where our families were--what a great surprise. None of us really felt we were heros but it sure was special to be treated like one. All thru that day I thought of the lousey reception that the Korean and especially the Vietnamese vets got coming home. As Dave Diefenderfer says "you vets check in your area for an honor flight and be a part of it"---it's pretty special. For you pilots 6 of the vets were women; 3 being pilots of the Wasp. It was an honor for me to meet and talk to them. I have to thank my son Jim Jr and Eric Patterson and some of you guys for the work they did for a pretty special day.
wis boz
OOOOPs forgot Rufus Brinn and Dave Diefenderfer the heart of it all.
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