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HONOR FLIGHT WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA
A CALL TO HONOR Local veterans tour D.C. war memorials
Retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Sid Wade shakes hands with veteran Dudley Davis and his guardian, Scott Daniels, at the World War II memorial.
PHOTOS AND COPY BY JESSICA SALMOND
T
he Honor Flight of West Central Florida completed its fifth year of service and its 22nd mission, flying 80 veterans to Washington, D.C. Veterans and volunteers from Sarasota, Manatee and surrounding counties flew out of the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport Tuesday, June 23, to spend the day in D.C. and view the World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War memorials.
Eleven recent graduates of Sarasota Military Academy were among those volunteers who were assigned to a veteran for the day. “It’s been an honor,” said Austin Moriarty, one of the graduates. “Getting to talk to all the veterans gave me a new perspective. I learned history from someone involved, not just a textbook. The insight the veterans provided was invaluable.”
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They deserve to see the memorials this country built for them. It’s all about the veterans and the freedom they got for this country.” — Ralph Brignac, Honor Flight motorcycle escort
Above: Veterans prepare to board the plane amid the applause of the Honor Flight ground crew. Left: Richard Stoyles, a U.S. Army veteran, talks with his guardian, Jessica Hays. Hays, president and CEO of Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center in Sarasota, said she wanted to go on the Honor Flight because both of her grandfathers fought in World War II.
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Left: Veterans and guardians boarded the Allegiant Air aircraft before the sun rose Tuesday morning. The Allegiant flight crew volunteered its time to charter the flight to D.C. Below: Captain Joe Ferreria talked with a few veterans before the flight. His grandfather served as a World War II Army Air Corps crew chief for a B-24 bomber during the Battle of the Aleutian Islands.
To put on a flight takes months. It’s just the little bit we can do to thank the veterans.” — Emmett Dykes, Honor Flight volunteer
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The Honor Flight veterans gather for a group photo at the National World War II Memorial.
Albert Thomas, a Navy veteran, reads the names on the Vietnam War Memorial.
Honor Flight veterans visited the World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War memorials.
It was an eye-opener. I’ve never been around World War II veterans or heard from them what they’ve experienced. I felt very blessed.” — Molly McGowan, Sarasota Military Academy graduate and Honor Flight guardian
Guardians wheel veterans into the shade before taking them out to see the National World War II Memorial.
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Greyson Nace, a Sarasota Military Academy cadet, and his veteran, Korean War Army veteran Everett DeWitt, gaze upon the Washington Monument.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was decorated with roses and personal messages that visitors to the site left on Father’s Day.
Col. Patrick McCourt, dressed in a World War II Army Air Force major uniform, shakes hands with World War II Navy veteran Jim Tench at the National World War II Memorial.
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Left: Nicole Miller, 14, shakes hands with World War II veteran Emanuel Johnson. Miller was visiting Washington, D.C., with a student tour from Washington state. When she saw Johnson with his guardian, Steven Luhrsen, she thanked Johnson for his service. Below: Tony DiBello rolls his dad, Ono, into the Baltimore-Washington International Airport. DiBello volunteered to take his father on the Honor Flight, but said he would be willing to volunteer again and be a guardian for any veteran. “It’s fun and heartwarming,” he said. “Every time is a different experience, I imagine.”
It’s the honorable thing to do. They could have been killed. Because of them, we’re here now.” — Nicole Miller
Paul Hefflefinger, a World War II and Korean War Navy veteran, reads a letter from a family member during the Honor Flight mail call.
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Right: Veteran Roy Siegle shakes hands with Sarah Kasper during the welcome back procession at the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. Kasper and her friend, Audrey Moreno, are from Clearwater. They didn’t have any family members on the Honor Flight but wanted to come and honor the veterans who flew.
Left: Friends, family members and even patriotic strangers gathered at the Clearwater airport to greet the Honor Flight Mission 22 veterans after they returned from their trip to Washington, D.C. The flight arrived after midnight on Tuesday due to a weather delay.
Visit YourObserver.com to see more photos from the Honor Flight.
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