You’ll also find applications for upcoming Utah honor flight if you know a veteran that should make the journey.This is one of the primary reasons Southwest has been such a staunch supporter of the Honor Flight Network, a non-profit that transports U.S. If you’d like to get that match, make a donation on the Utah Honor Flight website, and in the message box, put ‘Mission 42.’ One of the veterans on the Honor Flight is offering to match $10,000 in donations. The magnitude of the homecoming caught them by surprise and left them feeling honored. A couple hundred people, including friends and families of the Utah Honor Flight veterans showed up to give them the kind of homecoming parade they never got after their battles. The public showed their gratitude for the sacrifices of the veterans at a hero’s homecoming Wednesday night at the Provo Airport. “This is the ultimate part of it: this Vietnam Wall,” Andreoli said. He still struggles with thoughts of those who made the ultimate sacrifice while he came home healthy.īut, the Honor Flight helped him reconcile some of those feelings. “It was a really sad situation, knowing that his dad lost his son, and two had to go to Vietnam.” “A week before Richard Lee came home he was killed in action,” Andreoli said. A year later, back at home, Andreoli was visiting their father, who was excited about Dennis coming home soon. “He was sent to Vietnam while I was sent to Germany.“ “Dennis Lee was one of them,” said Andreoli. But when you get down to your core inside, it’s all you’ve got that lasts.”ĭale Andreoli went to the Vietnam Wall to honor one of three friends he signed up with. “I call it a realization of values, and it wasn’t the degree and the money and the real estate and all that kind of stuff,” he said. “You know what I realized in Vietnam? I realized what’s important in life,” said Atkinson.įamily, friends and service rose to the top of those priorities. The war changed his direction in life: he served 30 years in the Air Force, retiring as a colonel. “It’s a difficult situation because all of these memories come flying back to you,” he said. Visiting the memorial stirred deep emotions for the veteran. “Somebody came to me and asked whether that was Lynn Powell, and I had to say yeah it was.”Ītkinson believes that was a propaganda ploy. “He went down in a 105 over North Vietnam, and then, for some reason, the bad guys took him and put him on the wing of his airplane and took a picture and published it a Russian magazine,” Atkinson said. They served in ROTC together at Brigham Young University. Atkinson went to the Vietnam War Memorial looking for the name of one of his friends, Lynn K. But their numbers are dwindling, so Utah Honor Flight is a great opportunity to include those who fought in the Korean War and the Vietnam War.ĭavid E. The first Honor Flight, 10 years ago, was made up entirely of World War II Veterans. It’s world-changing for me,” said Rueben. “He says I need to go and pay my respects to all of the brothers that didn’t come back.“īoth men prayed for those killed in battle at the World War II Memorial and the Vietnam Wall. “This year, he said, I think this is it,” said the son. Julian had wanted to be on the trip for four years, but had health problems. Even though he was combat wounded, he’s glad to be here.” “Both of us, different wars, you know,” Rueben said. Julian fought in World War II and his son, Rueben, was a Vietnam Era Veteran. There are a few sites on the Utah Honor Flight more impressive than the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. Just a chance of quite a reunion in Washington, DC,” said Sunderland.ĭuring the last decade, Utah Honor Flight has served 2300 veterans, on 42 flights, and they pack a lot of valuable memories into a two day trip. They will always remember this trip and plan to keep in touch. “I found out this morning that it was definitely the Dwayne Story that I knew,” said his friend. “The guy in charge of my bus came and says, were you the best man at a wedding in 69? I said yes,” Story said. So, leaders with the Utah Honor Flight decided to find out. They lost touch after the wedding, and had not spoken to each other for more than 50 years until Sunderland heard Story’s name during mail call on the Honor Flight headed for Washington. “We just enjoyed each other, and both from Utah,” Sunderland said. His best man was Dwayne Story, also a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day, Saints, who he met in basic training at Fort Lewis, Washington. Douglas Sunderland got married before he headed off to battle in December 1969. Two Vietnam War vets had an especially exciting trip.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |