Honored and humbled

Today I was honored and humbled. This morning along with about thirty other Patriot Guard riders, I arrived at the first Methodist Church of Fayetteville Georgia to escort five buses loaded with WWII veterans bound for their day trip to visit their memorial in Washington DC. Having been dedicated in 2004, they had never had the opportunity to see it.

The youngest in the lot was eighty three years old. Most were in their late eighties and more than a few were past their ninetieth birthday. These men and one woman were the lifeblood of "America's generation" that went to war and paid the price of freedom for all of us who now enjoy the fruits of their labors.

These veterans had never seen their WWII memorial dedicated in 2004 on the mall in Washington DC. For many, this was their last chance. They are rapidly approaching their death now. We are losing fifteen hundred of these heroes every day in America. In another five years they will all but be gone completely.

To see the joy in their eyes this morning was many times more than enough of a reward for our minor contribution to their big adventure and long over due recognition. I met 'John' an Iwo Jima Marine who saw the flag raising on that black sand spit of island so long ago. John told me that he spent the first three days after he landed on Iwo, with his face buried in the sand dodging bullets. He said.."I saw the flag raising out of the corner of my eye that morning, but I couldn't raise my head to appreciate it, or they'd of blown it off."

I also met Harold a US Navy Corpsman who served in the pacific and saw the horrible wounds inflicted upon his friends and comrades on the battlefield. Harold told me...."the worst of it were those who were sent home in full body casts. Just their eyes and nose and mouth visible. The casts concealing horrible wounds.

John and Harold and most of these men were and are simple and rather small in stature. One little man in particular reminded me of Yogi Berra the Yankee great catcher. Another small veteran I encountered wearing a "8th Armored Division WWII Veteran" hat. When I commented on his hat, he said......"Yep! 8th Armored Division! We kicked their ass!"

It was like watching kids at Christmas by the time we reached the airport gate this morning. The big smiles and the handshakes and the thank yous were flowing as each of these heroes slowly made their way toward their appointed date with the monument to honor them later in the day.

I and others had arrived at the church this morning at 5:30 AM and after spending an hour getting them breakfast and meeting and greeting them, we saddled up and left for the Atlanta airport at 6:30 AM to escort their buses to the Atlanta airport. Their were five buses and about thirty Patriot Guard riders and a half dozen law enforcement escorts in the procession.

Their flight left at 8:45 AM and it was all that we and their guardian escorts could do, to get them through security and aboard their flight in time this morning. Of course they all had to go through the ridiculous level of security now present at all airports. Including taking their shoes off.

There were a hundred and ten of them on the flight this morning and at least half were in wheel chairs and another third were on canes. Even so, there were twenty or so who were as spry as ever and helping with their brothers as we all did our best to get them to their flight and situated on the plane in time.

We formed two lines for them this morning, one while leaving the church to board their buses and the last at the boarding gate as they were aided in boarding their plane by their guardian escorts. The Patriot Guard and others present, applauded as each veteran walked between us and we shook their hands and wished them a good day today as they went to visit their memorial.

One old veteran in particular, was teary eyed both times he approached us and you could just tell that he was overcome with the emotion of the moment and the outpouring of sincere appreciation for him and his comrades.

This was the last Honor Flight from Fayetteville Georgia this morning. There won't be any more. I believe the Honor Flights have now served all the remaining WWII veterans in the metro area and these were the last one hundred and ten to make their pilgrimage to Washington today.

What an honor and a privilege to be part of their last big everlasting adventure.