October 6, 2021
Dream flight
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Features
Photo courtesy Theresa L Photography Tom Lacey, a 96-year-old World War II veteran, from Weldon Spring Heights, takes his seat in a Boeing Steerman open cockpit recently at Creve Coeur Airport. Lacey was among five World War II veterans who were selected to fly as a part of Dream Flights, an organization that takes veterans up for a flight in a biplane. Pictured with Lacey is Dream Flights’ Andrew Lohman.
World War II veteran from St. Charles County returns to the skies thanks to a program that takes veterans up for a trip in a Boeing Steerman biplane By Brett Auten On a clear morning, just before the start of fall, Paul Lacey returned to the wild, blue yonder. Lacey, 96, was among five World War II veterans who had gathered that day on the east side of the Missouri River at Creve Coeur Airport. The group was selected to return to the skies as a part of Dream Flights. Launched in 2011 and headquartered out of Nevada, Dream Flights is an organization that takes
veterans up for a trip in a Boeing Steerman biplane. The Steerman was used to train virtually every pilot in World War II before the pilots eventually moved on to fighter planes and bombers. Lacey was elated with his 20-minute trip in the Stearman. “That is such a remarkable airplane, and they made so many of them,” Lacey said. “This was my second flight in that historic marvel. My first was a few years ago, also from Creve Coeur Airport. I was allowed to fly most of that flight. It was a blast.”
Lacey said that one of his daughters had heard about Dream Flights, who can be contacted at dreamflights.org to request a flight, and set the afternoon up. “I would certainly recommend the flight for other vets who qualify,” he said. “There is no other airplane that flies quite like the old Steerman.” Joining Lacey on that day were Ralph Goldsticken, Don Miller, Tom Wilhite, and George Grafton, who were from St. Louis See ‘FLIGHT’ page 2
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