thedrifter
12-14-06, 11:24 AM
Injured Troops Take To The Skies
24 Marines Ride Along County Coast
UPDATED: 5:29 pm PST December 13, 2006
SAN DIEGO, Calif -- Camp Pendleton-based Marines flew high in the sky over San Diego Wednesday, but in a different type of aircraft than they're used to.
Twenty-four Marines wounded in Iraq got the chance to get a bird's-eye view of the county courtesy of the Sanyo Blimp.
John Will, a local veteran, coordinated the unique experience through the Wounded Warriors Center at Camp Pendleton. He contacted his longtime acquaintance Alan Foster, who is the corporate communications vice president for Sanyo North America, to coordinate the blimp ride as a way to thank the Marines for their service.
"This is the first time we've done this for the military," said Foster.
For the past nine years Sanyo has been coordinating blimp rides for the charity Believe in Tomorrow. Foster said that when Will called him with the idea, he couldn't resist.
There was an overwhelming response from Marines at the Wounded Warriors Center who wanted a ride on the blimp. Many were unable to attend, however, because of doctor appointments.
For those who could escape, the 45-minute flight took off from Otay Mesa and traveled down the Coronado coast and into Tijuana before making its way back to Brown Field.
When asked to compare the blimp ride to the various helicopters he had been in, Lance Cpl. Michael Cole said, "It was a smoother, nicer ride than I'm used to."
The blimp is filled with enough helium to keep 150,000 balloons afloat.
Ellie
24 Marines Ride Along County Coast
UPDATED: 5:29 pm PST December 13, 2006
SAN DIEGO, Calif -- Camp Pendleton-based Marines flew high in the sky over San Diego Wednesday, but in a different type of aircraft than they're used to.
Twenty-four Marines wounded in Iraq got the chance to get a bird's-eye view of the county courtesy of the Sanyo Blimp.
John Will, a local veteran, coordinated the unique experience through the Wounded Warriors Center at Camp Pendleton. He contacted his longtime acquaintance Alan Foster, who is the corporate communications vice president for Sanyo North America, to coordinate the blimp ride as a way to thank the Marines for their service.
"This is the first time we've done this for the military," said Foster.
For the past nine years Sanyo has been coordinating blimp rides for the charity Believe in Tomorrow. Foster said that when Will called him with the idea, he couldn't resist.
There was an overwhelming response from Marines at the Wounded Warriors Center who wanted a ride on the blimp. Many were unable to attend, however, because of doctor appointments.
For those who could escape, the 45-minute flight took off from Otay Mesa and traveled down the Coronado coast and into Tijuana before making its way back to Brown Field.
When asked to compare the blimp ride to the various helicopters he had been in, Lance Cpl. Michael Cole said, "It was a smoother, nicer ride than I'm used to."
The blimp is filled with enough helium to keep 150,000 balloons afloat.
Ellie