thedrifter
11-20-08, 06:06 AM
Honor Flight takes 80 vets to World War II Memorial
By Dan Benson of the Journal Sentinel
Posted: Nov. 19, 2008
Visiting the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., Wednesday with 79 other World War II veterans brought back memories to Father James Ernster, 83, of the day 64 years ago, during the Battle of the Bulge, he vowed to enter the priesthood.
"A piece of shrapnel hit the steel-covered Bible in my breast pocket and bounced off," said Ernster, who lives in Lake Church and is retired but still assists parishes in northern Ozaukee County. " 'If I get out of this alive,' I said, 'I'm going to become a priest.' I'm not kidding you."
Ernster led the first Honor Flight group from the Milwaukee area in prayer Wednesday as they started what he called "a pilgrimage" to visit the World War II Memorial, the Iwo Jima Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, among other sites. "It was like going to a holy place."
Honor Flight Network is a national program started in 2004 in Ohio to provide free passage to veterans to make a one-day visit to the World War II Memorial. According to its Web site, there are 52 "hubs" in 26 states.
The Milwaukee-area hub, based in Port Washington, is the second in Wisconsin - the first is based in La Crosse. That group made the trip to Washington last month.
Ozaukee County Supervisor Joe Dean jump-started the Port Washington group with the help of county Veterans Affairs Officer Ken Brown.
The group left Mitchell International Airport before 7 a.m. Wednesday and returned at about 9:30 p.m.
Harvey Kurz, 83, of the Town of Grafton manned a landing craft during the invasion of Iwo Jima and saw the famed raising of the flag there. On Wednesday he visited the memorial to honor that occasion.
"I was very honored and excited to be there," he said. "I remember the flag going up and the beating the Marines took."
On the flight to Washington, Kurz said, he met a former B-29 bomber pilot who was among the first to make an emergency landing on the island, "which is why we had to take the island. To save the lives of guys like him. It was very heartwarming."
Joe Demler, 82, of Port Washington was captured by German soldiers during the Battle of the Bulge.
When he was liberated three months later, he adopted as his life motto the phrase, "Every day is a bonus. When you're just days away from dying," Demler said, referring to the Germans having executed American prisoners during the battle, "every day is a bonus after that."
Demler's motto became the group's motto on Wednesday, with the phrase emblazoned on commemorative red jackets.
Organizers prepared surprises for the veterans, including a water cannon salute from Baltimore firefighters when their plane landed, and a "mail call" on the return trip, where veterans were presented with letters written by family, friends and schoolchildren thanking them for their service.
Dean's group has a waiting list of more than 400 other veterans ready to make the trip and is in the process of raising money for another flight in spring.
"We have enough veterans for five more trips, but we don't quite have enough money for the next one," he said.
To Apply Or Donate
• Applications and donations can be made by contacting the Ozaukee County Veterans Service Office, 1201 S. Spring St., P.O. Box 994, Port Washington, WI 53074-0994, by calling (262) 238-8326 or online at www.co.ozaukee.wi.us.
• Checks should be made out to: Stars and Stripes Honor Flight c/o Flag Day Foundation and sent to the above address.
Ellie
By Dan Benson of the Journal Sentinel
Posted: Nov. 19, 2008
Visiting the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., Wednesday with 79 other World War II veterans brought back memories to Father James Ernster, 83, of the day 64 years ago, during the Battle of the Bulge, he vowed to enter the priesthood.
"A piece of shrapnel hit the steel-covered Bible in my breast pocket and bounced off," said Ernster, who lives in Lake Church and is retired but still assists parishes in northern Ozaukee County. " 'If I get out of this alive,' I said, 'I'm going to become a priest.' I'm not kidding you."
Ernster led the first Honor Flight group from the Milwaukee area in prayer Wednesday as they started what he called "a pilgrimage" to visit the World War II Memorial, the Iwo Jima Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, among other sites. "It was like going to a holy place."
Honor Flight Network is a national program started in 2004 in Ohio to provide free passage to veterans to make a one-day visit to the World War II Memorial. According to its Web site, there are 52 "hubs" in 26 states.
The Milwaukee-area hub, based in Port Washington, is the second in Wisconsin - the first is based in La Crosse. That group made the trip to Washington last month.
Ozaukee County Supervisor Joe Dean jump-started the Port Washington group with the help of county Veterans Affairs Officer Ken Brown.
The group left Mitchell International Airport before 7 a.m. Wednesday and returned at about 9:30 p.m.
Harvey Kurz, 83, of the Town of Grafton manned a landing craft during the invasion of Iwo Jima and saw the famed raising of the flag there. On Wednesday he visited the memorial to honor that occasion.
"I was very honored and excited to be there," he said. "I remember the flag going up and the beating the Marines took."
On the flight to Washington, Kurz said, he met a former B-29 bomber pilot who was among the first to make an emergency landing on the island, "which is why we had to take the island. To save the lives of guys like him. It was very heartwarming."
Joe Demler, 82, of Port Washington was captured by German soldiers during the Battle of the Bulge.
When he was liberated three months later, he adopted as his life motto the phrase, "Every day is a bonus. When you're just days away from dying," Demler said, referring to the Germans having executed American prisoners during the battle, "every day is a bonus after that."
Demler's motto became the group's motto on Wednesday, with the phrase emblazoned on commemorative red jackets.
Organizers prepared surprises for the veterans, including a water cannon salute from Baltimore firefighters when their plane landed, and a "mail call" on the return trip, where veterans were presented with letters written by family, friends and schoolchildren thanking them for their service.
Dean's group has a waiting list of more than 400 other veterans ready to make the trip and is in the process of raising money for another flight in spring.
"We have enough veterans for five more trips, but we don't quite have enough money for the next one," he said.
To Apply Or Donate
• Applications and donations can be made by contacting the Ozaukee County Veterans Service Office, 1201 S. Spring St., P.O. Box 994, Port Washington, WI 53074-0994, by calling (262) 238-8326 or online at www.co.ozaukee.wi.us.
• Checks should be made out to: Stars and Stripes Honor Flight c/o Flag Day Foundation and sent to the above address.
Ellie