To the editor:

As I read the Thursday Aug. 18 Messenger, it is time for me to write another letter. In the past couple years I have handwritten a life story book of my life with pictures, stories and clippings of my life for my grandkids and future grandkids to learn who Grandpa really was. A big thank you to my mother who had saved all these items.

First, I thank Ron Newsum, who originated these flights years ago. To think of how many veterans have had the chance to go on these and how much it meant to me personally as he had tried to sign me up to go on it yearly at the Barnum school Veterans Day program. Always told him I would wait my turn as too many had to go before me.

Before departing the plane when arriving back at the Fort Dodge airport at 10:30 p.m. on the spring flight of 2018 he asked each of us to tell our stories. Too many veterans are passing and not getting their stories told. When another veteran dies is equal to another library closing.

My family was so influencing to get me to sign up and then being there for the banquet and my daughter and son-in-law being there to get me home after the 23-hour long day. When returning back home from Vietnam in April of 1968 it was not much of a welcome home as we were so hated throughout the country that I could not even wear my new uniform from Fort Lewis, Washington, back to Iowa to travel safely. So when I was one of the last to get off the plane at Fort Dodge in 2018 and into the large crowd and welcome home and darkness, my daughter found me and I never experienced such an emotional feeling that I think they thought they were going to have to take me to Fort Dodge hospital to get me under control. I have never , ever experienced that feeling before.

And now for what is going on in our country and seeing the Jan. 6 attack of our Capitol and after seeing all the buildings and monuments and actually getting to walk to my nephew’s grave along with 22 of his comrade Navy SEALs’ graves at Arlington National Cemetery, I just can’t believe that happened at our Capitol grounds. If they had not got it stopped when they did, much, much more of the sacred grounds would have been damaged. The sooner we get this through the court system the better as there is so much hatred throughout our country and the world.

Thanks again, Ron.

John Jacobs

Manson