Honor Flight Veterans Receive First Class Welcome

By Sgt. Ken Scar

108th Training Command (IET) Public Affairs

GREENVILLE, S.C. — The Greatest Generation is leaving us. According to the U.S. Veterans Administration: Of the 16,112,566 U.S. service members that served in World War II, only some 800,000 are still with us, with that number dwindling by a count of 492 every day. Moreover, we can shake the hands of less than two million of the more than five million heroes who fought in Korea. The window of opportunity to honor these champions of freedom is closing fast.

On the evening of April 21, more than 1,000 citizens gathered in the main terminal of South Carolina’s Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport to seize that chance. That morning, Upstate Honor Flight - a non-profit, all-volunteer program - had flown 91 WWII and Korean War Veterans to Washington to see in person the memorials that were built in their honor and to experience recognition for their service that literally saved the world. Now they were due to arrive back and the citizens of the Upstate meant to give them a hero’s welcome home.

The enthusiastic crowd was comprised of a broad spectrum of demographics, from babies to businessmen, retired Marines and grizzled bikers. Passengers who had the strange luck to de-board flights that came in ahead of the Veterans were greeted by quite the sight as they reached the top of the escalator on their way to baggage claim. A few of them waved nervously, or saluted the noisy assembly as they descended into their midst.

Husband and wife Peter and Nell Kivett came early so they could stand at the front of the crowd.

“We’re so lucky to have these few still with us,” said Peter. “Anything we can do to honor them for what they did, and thank them for their service – we do.”

The patriotic gathering was peppered with Veterans who had taken previous Honor Flights.

“I did an Honor Flight in 2009,” said WWII U.S. Air Corps Veteran Gene Tabbot, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, who can’t stand for long periods of time but came with a chair and sat next to a Color Guard formation of highschool ROTC cadets. “It was an awesome trip, and I made a vow that I would be here every year that I possibly could to show my appreciation to the other flights.”

The bonds created during the trips often last long after the flight is over.

The man who had been Tabbot’s escort during his Honor Flight, retired U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Maj. Jack Wright, formerly of the 108th Training Command (IET) in Charlotte, North Carolina, joined him for the ceremony, standing right behind his chair. Honor Flight guardians, as they’re called, donate their time and pay for their own plane tickets.

Navy Vet Dick Compton, who stood out in the crowd with a hat saying he was in both WWII and Korea, echoed Tabbot’s sentiment.

“I took an honor flight a while back. We had a lady pilot that flew us and she was perfect; the whole thing was perfect,” he said. “It was a great day. I’m proud to be here.”

Brothers Daniel and Joseph Kocsis, 12 and 10, joined fellow cadets of Upstate Young Marines, and formed up in a neat line - dressed impeccably in their green camouflage uniforms - to salute handicapped Veterans as they exited the elevator.

Daniel was succinct when asked why so many people were gathered in an airport terminal so late on a weeknight.

“We’re here for the Veterans returning home.”

Finally, after more than two hours of waiting, the first Honor Flight Veteran appeared at the top of the escalator, looking a little feeble and tired from the long day until the sight of him sent a wave of energy through the crowd below. A roar of applause erupted, filling the cavernous terminal and perking up the Vet considerably. None of them had any idea they were going to get such a reception on their return.

One-by-one the Veterans were

“Thank you for your service.” Girls from American Heritage Girls troops SC0722 and SC5207 welcome WWII Navy Veteran Bill Cain, 90 - who was a machinist’s mate on the USS Mississippi during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, widely considered to be the largest naval battle in history - as he returns to Greenville, S.C. from an Honor Flight to Washington D.C., April 21, 2015. Upstate Honor Flight hosted the event, which flew 91 Veterans from WWII and Korea to see the national memorials that were built in their honor. Photo by Sgt. Ken Scar, 108th Training Command (IET), Public Affairs

led to the top of the escalator to be greeted by the adoring throng. All 91 of them got a huge ovation – the enthusiasm of the crowd never waning.

Bill Cain, a 90-yearold Navy Vet who was a machinist mate on the USS Mississippi during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, widely considered to be the largest naval battle in history, was swamped by admirers as he was wheeled through the crowd.

Upstate Honor Flight had filled his day with visits to Arlington National Cemetery, the Lincoln Memorial, the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, and of course the Korean War and World War II memorials.

His eyes lit up as he described seeing it all for the first time.

“Probably the most astounding thing was the World War II Memorial. It took them quite a while to get one built, and I’d never seen it. I’ve seen pictures of it, but I never realized it was so big. It went for acres.”

As he sat in his wheelchair outside the terminal waiting for his daughter to drive around

Retired U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Maj. Jack Wright, formerly of the 108th Training Command (IET) (left), joins former U.S. Army Air Corps Staff Sgt. Gene Tabbot - who served in China, Burma and India during World War II - as they wait among a crowd to welcome home an Honor Flight of WWII and Korean War Veterans in the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, S.C., April 21, 2015. Wright escorted Tabbot on an Honor Flight in 2009. Photo by Sgt. Ken Scar, 108th Training Command (IET), Public Affairs and pick him up, he reflected on the huge reception that had just topped off his day. “Oh my god I’ve never seen anything like that in my life,” he marveled. “That was first class.”