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A truly honorable flight of a lifetime
(by Christine Bryant, Eastside Editor - January 06, 2010)
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| World War II veteran Tony Pulsinelli, of Grove City, visits Arlington National Cemetery as part of Honor Flight, a non-profit organization that provides vets an all-expenses paid one-day trip to Washington, D.C. |
U.S. veterans are dying at a rate of more than 1,000 a day, the Department of Veterans Affairs estimates.
It's a statistic that hits home for Bobbi and Bill Richards, whose fathers both served in World War II.
Although Bobbi's father was able to see the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., her husband's father did not.
"It took so long for this memorial to become a reality, most of the vets aren't physically or financially able to get there on their own anymore," she said.
That's why two years ago, the couple became involved in Honor Flight, a non-profit organization that provides World War II vets an all-expenses paid one-day trip to Washington, D.C. The couple co-direct Honor Flight Columbus.
It's an opportunity for old friends to become new friends, and for vets to explore and reflect their days in the military as they visit the memorial and other tributes scattered throughout the city.
"The purpose is to get the veterans to see their World War II memorial before it's too late," Bobbi Richards said.
For Grove City resident Tony Pulsinelli, it was a reminder of the more than 16 million who served in the Armed Forces, those who supported the war effort and the more than 400,000 who died.
"It was an experience like no other," the 93-year-old Coast Guard veteran said. "The people were wonderful. Everything was free. People who haven't been there will miss something they cherish and remember all their life."
Before stepping foot on the plane bound for Washington, Pulsinelli said he had never met any of the veterans who accompanied him.
"Everybody was a stranger, but no one was a stranger because we all ended up knowing each other," he said.
Sometimes, Richards said, veterans will find they have a connection that even surprises them.
"In October, there were two vets on the trip," she said. "One of them was a prisoner of war in Moosburg, Germany. The other vet there liberated the POWs at Moosburg."
Stops along the tour in also include the Freedom Wall, Arlington National Cemetery, the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial, U.S. Navy Memorial and the U.S. Air Force Memorial.
"Everything we visited was a fantastic sight," Pulsinelli said. "You look across from the Air Force Memorial, you see the Pentagon. It was an enjoyable trip. It was very memorable."
Trips run one or two times a month from April through November, and are free to World War II veterans. The program relies solely on donations from the public, Richards said.
In 2009, Honor Flight took 520 veterans to visit the D.C. memorials with the help of donors and volunteers, who pay their own way.
With the average age of 85 years, veterans may fear medical conditions won't enable them to make the trip. Richards said the organization has dealt with several barriers, including wheelchairs and other situations that require assistance.
"Our oldest veteran was 96 years old," she said.
When the veterans return to Port Columbus, they are surrounded by family, friends and volunteers who cheer for them - giving them a welcome home many didn't have when they returned from war.
"When we got back from the flight, there was a fella standing at attention with a uniform on," Pulsinelli said. "He saluted everyone who walked by, and the first thing I did was salute him right back."
In all, the vets Richards said she has talked to, only three had a formal welcome home.
"(The volunteers) spend a lot of time thanking them and making sure America won't forget what they did," she said.
During the past two-and-a-half years, the husband and wife have flown 32 times to D.C. The first flight, Bobbi said, was the most emotional.
"It was such an unbelievable experience," she said. "Most World War II vets don't share their stories. ... You go on these trips and the vets start to tell their stories."
Those who don't speak about their experiences share their stories simply by the expressions on their faces, she said.
"The courage they have, the fortitude. Most of us don't have any idea what it would be like," she said.
Honor Flight is open to all World War II veterans in central Ohio. Veterans interested in flying to Washington, D.C. must fill out an application, though the application does not commit the veteran to the trip.
Applications are available online at www.honorflightcolumbus.org or by calling 284-4987.
Volunteers also are needed to welcome home veterans at the airport, do paperwork, write letters and conduct other administrative duties.
Donations may be made online as well, or may be sent to 2185 Ridgecliff Road, Columbus, Ohio 43221.
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