Appreciates Honor Flight
To the editor:
I want to say a big “thank you” to all the people who made our Sept. 17 Honor Flight so memorable.
Some of the main people who made it all possible: Ron Newsum, Craig Malloy, Charlie Walker, Marlene Welander, Lee Bailey, and all the other wonderful volunteers are to be thanked for their efforts. Msgr. McCoy, from Holy Trinity parish in Fort Dodge, gave the veterans an invocation and blessing before we took off from the Fort Dodge airport a little after 6 a.m..
On our plane were one World War II vet, one-third Korean War vets and two-thirds Vietnam War vets. When we landed in Washington, D.C., we were greeted by groups of people from different organizations and different ethnic groups. They represented the other nationalities that are grateful to the United States, who have helped safeguard their freedom. We were bused to the Lincoln Memorial, the Korean War Park Memorial, and the Vietnam War Memorial. It was very important to me to see this Vietnam Memorial – representing all my fellow soldiers who lost their lives. We were taken on a tour of Washington D.C.- the newly constructed WWII Wall of Stars representing the numbers of lives lost in that war. These memorials remind us that we have our freedom thanks to the sacrifices of our fallen soldiers. We saw many historical buildings, including the White House and the Pentagon. Later in the day, we visited the Arlington National Cemetery, where we watched the lowering of the Flag and the “Changing of the Guard.” We also viewed the Iwo Jima monument before being taken back to the Dulles Airport for our return home. Back home at the Fort Dodge airport, we were given a “heroes’ welcome” by the Knights of Columbus and the National Guard, and many other friends and relatives. These Honor Flights are sponsored by many businesses and organizations and private citizens of this state. It was a great honor to be included on this very memorable trip. I made the trip with my brother and my brother-in-law, who were also Vietnam War vets. We are very grateful to everyone involved in making all of this possible for us.
Marvin Wuebker
Rockwell City
Appreciates Honor Flight
To the editor:
Thanks to Ron Newsum and all of the Brushy Creek board members. All of the veterans will remember you as well as veterans’ families and friends. What a tremendous amount of planning goes into these flights. Special thanks to Nina Van Gorp for going along as a nurse for the flight and pushing me around all day (from 5 a.m. to about 1 a.m. the next day). I hope these flights continue for the sake of all veterans who did not return and their families. Special thanks to the people who greeted us at airports both in Washington, D.C., and Fort Dodge.
God bless the USA.
Arnie Smith
Manson