Honor Flight takes local veteransto D.C.
CRANBERRY TWP — A group of veterans from around the region got a trip of a lifetime from a local organization that strives to recognize the sacrifices they made many years ago.
Honor Flight Pittsburgh took 26 veterans to Washington, D.C., on Oct. 14 to visit various war memorials, individual military branch memorials, and monuments in the nation's capital.
The whole day was free for the veterans, six from World War II, five from the Korean War, one from the Korean and Vietnam wars, and 14 from the Vietnam War.
“I never had my hand shook so much in my life,” said James Keefer of West Sunbury, who served in the Navy during the Korean War from 1950 to 1954. “Complete strangers just came up and said, 'Thank you for your service. We appreciate it.' It was more than I ever expected.”
The group of veterans and volunteers departed early in the morning from the UPMC Lemieux Sports Center in Cranberry. Volunteers who are called guardians were assigned to each veteran and guided them through the capital and helped them with whatever they needed throughout the day, Keefer said.
Keefer said his daughter and son-in-law surprised him at one of the memorials with an enlarged photo of himself from during his time in the Navy and a sign that read “our dad, our hero.”
For Jim O'Leary of Portersville, it was the first time he had been to Washington, D.C., to see the memorials and monuments. O'Leary, who served in the Navy during the end of World War II, said he was “totally impressed” with the entire trip.
Honor Flight Pittsburgh, a hub of the national nonprofit Honor Flight, takes veterans to the capital twice a year, in the spring and fall, to honor their service to the country. All costs are covered, and their trip includes free lunch and dinner.
The goal is to get as many World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans as possible to see their military branch and war memorials, with priority placement given to World War II veterans, said George Pry, Honor Flight Pittsburgh board member.
“It's so we can honor them and so they can see that we do respect them, we do honor them and we're proud of their service,” Pry said.
When they finally returned to the UPMC Lemieux Sports Center in Cranberry late that evening, they were surprised by several local fire trucks displaying a large American flag and running their sirens at the entrance to the facility. Members of the Patriot Guard and American Legion Riders motorcycle clubs were also there to greet the returning group, Pry said.
As they pulled around the building they saw a group of more than 100 of their family, friends, and other community members gathered there to greet them, including area students, JROTC cadets and musicians. Some people held signs thanking the veterans and welcoming them home.
“It was extremely emotional,” O'Leary said. “It was a little bit different from when I got out of the service. There wasn't anything like that for me to come home to.”
Rob Ewing, a board member with Honor Flight Pittsburgh, said one of the best parts of the day is the homecoming because it's a surprise for the veterans on the trip and it gives them an experience they might have missed when they returned home from war.
“That they get to see the community affirm that what they did meant something is the best part,” he said.
Ewing said they are always looking for more veterans and guardians to take the trip. The trip is free for veterans, although guardians must cover their own costs. Visit www.honorflightpittsburgh.org.
