thedrifter
09-29-07, 07:43 AM
VETERANS TAKE TO HONORAIR
By JEFF MOORE, THE DAILY IBERIAN
The Daily Iberian
World War II veterans waited 60 years for a memorial dedicated to them, but the wait was well worth it for 10 veterans from Iberia Parish.
Guilliam Moore Jr., John Saucier Sr., Mark Viator, Roy Crews Jr., Harold Whitman Jr., James Sandoz, Albert Hutchinson, Claude Dugas and Joseph Dubois were among 97 World War II veterans from Acadiana who last weekend visited the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. The trip was coordinated by Louisiana HonorAir, an organization that makes regular flights to Washington to allow World Ward II veterans to see the memorial, which opened in 2004.
“This trip was really a godsend,” said Dubois, an Avery Island resident who served in the European Theater with the U.S. Army. “Just being there and thinking about what I went through brought back a lot of memories.”
The group departed the Lafayette Regional Airport early Saturday, with a send-off from an Honor Guard of fully-dressed Marines.
They also received a warm reception when they arrived at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, including a water salute in which two fire trucks sprayed an arch of water over the plane as it came down the runway.
“I was amazed at the number of people clapping for us and cheering and waving flags when we arrived in Washington,” said Crews of New Iberia. “It honored us tremendously.”
“I never received so many thank-yous in my life,” said Viator of New Iberia.
The veterans first toured the National World War II Memorial, which is made up of 56 pillars, two arches and a pool nearly the size of two football fields.
It also includes a Freedom Wall containing 4,048 gold stars, each representing 100 American deaths incurred in the war.
“It’s a huge thing — the feeling you get the minute you get there,” said Whitman of New Iberia.
“I thought of all the guys I was with that got killed. I was able to live to 86 and enjoy a wonderful life, and all they got out of it was death. It kind of gets to you.”
Moore, a New Iberia resident who served with the U.S. Navy in the Pacific, said the memorial was the highlight of his trip.
“It was quite a sober adventure in a way,” he said. “I didn’t see any combat, but I had friends who died. I sat down and pondered about how lucky I was that I didn’t see combat and didn’t get killed.”
The veterans also visited various other military monuments, including the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Marine Corps War Memorial, which depicts six figures raising the American flag during the World War II Battle of Iwo Jima.
The group also toured Arlington National Cemetery, the burial site of thousands of veterans from wars dating back to the American Revolution.
Crews, a U.S. Marine who served in Scandanavia and Hawaii during the war, said the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was his most memorable moment of the trip.
“It was almost like a prayer service — everyone was so quiet,” he said. “It was beautifully done.”
Veterans also were impressed by the warm welcome when they returned to Lafayette following the one-day trip.
A large crowd greeted them with applause and handshakes, and a big band played songs from each branch of the Armed Forces.
“It was unreal,” said Whitman, who served in India and China with the U.S. Army Air Corps during the war. “It made us feel great.”
Jim Sandoz, a veteran from New Iberia, encouraged other veterans to participate in the all-expenses paid event. Three more trips are scheduled this year, with more to come in 2008.
“It was a great experience,” said Viator, who served with the U.S. Army in the European Theater. “It’s going to live with me the rest of my life.”
Ellie
By JEFF MOORE, THE DAILY IBERIAN
The Daily Iberian
World War II veterans waited 60 years for a memorial dedicated to them, but the wait was well worth it for 10 veterans from Iberia Parish.
Guilliam Moore Jr., John Saucier Sr., Mark Viator, Roy Crews Jr., Harold Whitman Jr., James Sandoz, Albert Hutchinson, Claude Dugas and Joseph Dubois were among 97 World War II veterans from Acadiana who last weekend visited the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. The trip was coordinated by Louisiana HonorAir, an organization that makes regular flights to Washington to allow World Ward II veterans to see the memorial, which opened in 2004.
“This trip was really a godsend,” said Dubois, an Avery Island resident who served in the European Theater with the U.S. Army. “Just being there and thinking about what I went through brought back a lot of memories.”
The group departed the Lafayette Regional Airport early Saturday, with a send-off from an Honor Guard of fully-dressed Marines.
They also received a warm reception when they arrived at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, including a water salute in which two fire trucks sprayed an arch of water over the plane as it came down the runway.
“I was amazed at the number of people clapping for us and cheering and waving flags when we arrived in Washington,” said Crews of New Iberia. “It honored us tremendously.”
“I never received so many thank-yous in my life,” said Viator of New Iberia.
The veterans first toured the National World War II Memorial, which is made up of 56 pillars, two arches and a pool nearly the size of two football fields.
It also includes a Freedom Wall containing 4,048 gold stars, each representing 100 American deaths incurred in the war.
“It’s a huge thing — the feeling you get the minute you get there,” said Whitman of New Iberia.
“I thought of all the guys I was with that got killed. I was able to live to 86 and enjoy a wonderful life, and all they got out of it was death. It kind of gets to you.”
Moore, a New Iberia resident who served with the U.S. Navy in the Pacific, said the memorial was the highlight of his trip.
“It was quite a sober adventure in a way,” he said. “I didn’t see any combat, but I had friends who died. I sat down and pondered about how lucky I was that I didn’t see combat and didn’t get killed.”
The veterans also visited various other military monuments, including the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Marine Corps War Memorial, which depicts six figures raising the American flag during the World War II Battle of Iwo Jima.
The group also toured Arlington National Cemetery, the burial site of thousands of veterans from wars dating back to the American Revolution.
Crews, a U.S. Marine who served in Scandanavia and Hawaii during the war, said the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was his most memorable moment of the trip.
“It was almost like a prayer service — everyone was so quiet,” he said. “It was beautifully done.”
Veterans also were impressed by the warm welcome when they returned to Lafayette following the one-day trip.
A large crowd greeted them with applause and handshakes, and a big band played songs from each branch of the Armed Forces.
“It was unreal,” said Whitman, who served in India and China with the U.S. Army Air Corps during the war. “It made us feel great.”
Jim Sandoz, a veteran from New Iberia, encouraged other veterans to participate in the all-expenses paid event. Three more trips are scheduled this year, with more to come in 2008.
“It was a great experience,” said Viator, who served with the U.S. Army in the European Theater. “It’s going to live with me the rest of my life.”
Ellie