This was particularly poignant and sad for me as I lost my dad April 13.  He was 90, and was a WWII USArmy Air Corps B29 pilot in the Pacific.  He didn’t go into combat until latter wartime, but before that had been commander of Helena (AR) Aero Tech where fighter pilots were trained.  Like many of the Greatest Generation, he didn’t really like to talk about the war, but in my lifetime, said enough to make me know what a terrible time it was. 

I am so sorry he didn’t get to see this memorial, and know he would have approved.  Let’s all remember to thank our remaining WWII veterans for their great contributions to our freedom as we know it today.

His last 2 years he was in assisted living over in middle TN, and also there were some other veterans; they really enjoyed each other’s company.  We have to so much for which to thank them all.

Ruth Ann,
Thank you to your family for your father’s service.  He was (AND IS!!) an American hero.

To all:
The Honor Flight Program is something which is at the “top of my list”  I just returned from the Monument today where I spent the day handing out water to these heroes.  I go over two Saturdays each month to do this.  We in the American Legion Family of Virginia are proud and honored to be able to do this small thing for our WWII heroes.
For more information about honor flight go to http://www.honorflight.org 

For God and Country,

Chip Byers,(AKA Titusonenine-RECCHIP) Commander 17th District Sons of the American Legion-Detachment of Virginia and proud son of my own WORLD WAR II VETERAN.

Honor Flight is a wonderful program. A group of Legionnaires from my community - some of them in frail health and needing a good deal of assistance - were taken to the monument last year, and it meant so much to them. The ones who told me about it, teared up as they spoke of it, and they were especially touched by the people - other visitors - who came up to them and thanked them for their service.

Sherri,
And we who are there to assist them are touched by the opportunity to thank these heroes.

Chip
P.S. Sheri, where are you from?  I may have met some of “your guys!!”