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Much-deserved attention for our Veterans as they see DC memorials
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| by Kathy Pierce, Reporter Staff Writer |
October 21, 2009 |
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A SHORT TRIP THEY’LL NEVER FORGET. Four local veterans, from left, Merlin Paulson, Ray Henriksen, George Haberer and Bill Porter were awestruck with the memorials, Arlington Cemetery, and especially the gratitude expressed by everyone.
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I knew the four local veterans would enjoy their recent one-day excursion to Washington, D. C. as part of the Central Iowa Honor Flight, and upon their return I expected to hear, "It was nice. Tiring, but nice."
How I underestimated their impressions and emotions.
It wasn't just seeing the World War II Memorial or the changing of the Guard at Arlington National Cemetery for the first time that touched off their emotions. They'll tell you it was everything.
World War II veterans Ray Henriksen, Bill Porter, Merlin Paulson and George Haberer were among the 500 passengers who boarded the Boeing 747 at Des Moines International Airport after being wakened at 2:30 in the morning Tuesday, Oct. 13.
A few days later, after a good night's sleep, they were anxious to share their experience. They spoke proudly about the newly-completed World War II Memorial built in their honor. Tears welled in their eyes when they talked about standing before the Iwo Jima Memorial that depicts the flag raising following one of the fiercest battles in the Pacific Campaign of World War II.
"That was our guys fighting, that's us," said Henriksen in a solemn tone. Henriksen served in the Air Corps in 1944 as a B29 flight engineer stationed in India and China. Their mission: to bomb Japan.
The men all had a great appreciation for the effort that went into planning the Honor Flight.
They explained how every detail was covered. Even bringing shoehorns to help get shoes back on after they went through security.
Registration took place between 1 and 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12 at Holiday Inn Airport. Charter buses were escorted across town where participants and families enjoyed a pre-flight dinner and a program presented by former USO members.
"That was so fun," said Henriksen's wife Milly. "One group dressed like the Andrews Sisters and sang some songs. But they weren't quite as talented."
A late evening, caffeine buzz and anxieties about the upcoming flight made it a short night for the four men.
A special surprise awaited Henriksen at the airport when his son Tom, a firefighter from Ames, was among those helping load the jet.
For Bill Porter, this was a first time in a jet, and fellow passengers chided him about looking out the window and seeing snow.
"It was the clouds! said Porter. "I had never been that high before." Porter was looking forward to seeing a good friend from Iowa Falls but did not find him in the crowd. He saw a veteran nurse with an Iowa Falls name tag, and inquired if she knew a John T. Jaden. She did, but unfortunately his health was too bad and he did not make the trip.
"The trip was awesome! exclaimed Porter. "The Changing of the Guard was so impressive." But the beautiful 72 degree sunny day brought back many sad memories for the soldiers and nurses.
"I couldn't sleep for about three nights when I returned. It brought a lot of memories back to the surface."
Porter was a gunner's mate on the aircraft carrier USS Bunker Hill during the war and tells about the time they were hit by two Japanese kamikaze Zero planes while in Okinawa.
"We were on our way back to the states when they dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The war was over."
Although the war ended over 60 years ago, there are many U.S. citizens who wanted to remind those veterans that they are appreciated and will not be forgotten. Crowds gathered at the airport to see them off and young students greeted and presented them with cards, letters and notes of appreciation at the memorials in D.C.
"It was unbelievable and very emotional," said Paulson's wife Audrey. "People were greeting us, saluting, waving flags, wanting to thank us."
Paulson, who hasn't been back to Washington, D.C. since chaperoning 4-H kids years ago, said it was quite a learning experience. "The Iwo Jima Monument was the most impressive one to me."
He served in the 1st Calvary Division of the Army in 1945.
"We were waiting on a ship to invade when the bomb was dropped," told Paulson. "We would have been the first wave to hit the beaches of Japan."
Walking through the columns of the World War II Memorial was a reminder for Haberer of the time he served in Africa and the Pacific as an aircraft hydraulic mechanic aboard a small carrier, the USS Sangamon. The Memorial was opened to the public in April of 2004 and is flanked by the Washington Monument to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west.
Veterans were each presented with a fanny pack, tote bag caps and bright gold polo shirts and fleece jackets embroidered with the Iowa Honor Flight and WWII insignias. Color-coded named tags designated which of the 11 buses they were assigned to. And the organizers weren't about to let this group go hungry.
Everyone had a filling breakfast to start the day. Snacks were served on the flight, lunches on the buses (including a hot roast beef sandwich in a box lunch) and a fanny pack and tote bag filled with various other snacks.
They were exhausted following the adventure, but all say they wouldn't have missed it for anything. It was just "perfect."
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©The Ogden Reporter 2010
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