THE PAPER
of Wabash County Inc.
www.thepaperofwabash.com
September 12, 2012
Proudly Serving Wabash County Since 1977
Cramer’s Honor Flight a “day to remember” By J.D. Sparks Tough memories and mixed emotions awaited Phil Cramer in Washington D.C. Cramer, an 81-year-old Wabash resident, recently joined 69 other Korean War veterans on an Honor Flight trip, visiting war memorials in D.C. “It was an incredible trip,” Cramer said to The Paper. “It was even more than I was expecting. I experienced mixed emotions, I would say.” The Honor Flight program aims to take veterans from world wars to Washington D.C., free of charge to the veterans. Cramer flew out of Greater Cincinnati Airport in Ohio on Aug. 21 with his daughter and guardian, Phyllis McNamee. Each veteran brought a guardian to “take care of every need of the veterans,” Cramer said in a press release. He said bringing his daughter was “extraspecial.” “She was born right after I came home from Korea,” Cramer said. “She only knew what I was able to share with her. I have distanced myself from the way. I don’t think about it a lot. It was really special to have her come.” He also felt sharing experiences with other Korean War veterans was special. “That was great,” he said. “Around (Wabash), the emphasis is on World War II vets. It was just good to talk to other Korean War vets about our experiences and where we were stationed and what outfit we were with. I was in the First Marine Division of the Third Battalion.” Families, military personnel, and a fire truck water solute all greeted Cramer and the veterans as they taxied to the airplane at Greater Cincinnati and from it at Washington Reagan Airport in D.C. “That was one of the really nice things they had there w a s t h e f i r e trucks on two sides of the run-
ways,” Cramer said. “They shot their water cannons and sprayed the whole airplane. There was a welcome at the (Greater) Cincinnati Airport with a speaker, too. It kind of pepped us up for the trip and introduced us to what was going to happen. “When we arrived in D.C. they had flags and signs and there were military personnel, too, wherever we went. There was even a family with signs honoring us.” Once in D.C., Cramer visited the Iwo Jima Memorial, the Arlington National Cemetery, the Air Force Memorial and the Vietnam Memorial. He and the rest of the Honor Flight honorees also saw sights such as the White House, Smithsonian, Jefferson Memorial, Capitol Building, and the Pentagon. The most moving stop for Cramer, however, was the Korean War Memorial, which he described in a press release as “ghostly figures walking through rice paddies and a granite wall with etched faces of servicemen.” “I got a little emotional,” Cramer told The Paper. “The Korean War Memorial was very moving to me. It brought back some of the memories of the country.” Cramer also met a Korean girl. “That was one of the highlights of the trip,” he said. “Meeting a Korean girl and a Belgium couple. They happened to be tourists. PHIL CRAMER and his honor flight guardian and daughter Phyllis McNamee stand in front It was nice of the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial in Washington D.C. during Cramer’s Honor Flight trip. talking to (photo provided) t h e m about their countries. They even thanked us for our service.” Overall, Cramer said the trip was more than he was expecting. “It was a day to by Brent Swan Bottom, a clothing and after we talked to remember,” he said. “I For Wabash resi- store located at 1048 N. a few people and saw had mixed emotions, but there was an excitedents Darrell and Deb Cass St., Wabash. I’m glad I went. It was Benson, raising a “Our son wants the ment there, we decidincredible.” teenager has resulted name brand clothes of ed to go ahead with in numerous trips to course, and here in starting this up.” The couple says the Fort Wayne or Wabash you can’t realPHIL CRAMER VISITED Kokomo in a search ly find that any- store will offer not name-brand the Tomb of the Unknown for clothing that suits where,” Deb said. only Soldier in Washington his needs. After con- “Your options are clothing for ages 10 D.C. on his Honor Flight templating the deci- pretty much an hour and up, but also a trip. There, he witnessed sion for nearly a year, drive to Kokomo or variety of other cloththe Changing of the the Bensons have offi- Fort Wayne. With the ing-related items. Guard. (photo provid- cially launched Top 2 economy the way it is, (continued on page 5) ed)
Local couple launches Top 2 Bottom clothing store
Index Classifieds ......................28-31
Weekly Reports................13-15
D&E ................................21-22
Sports..............................19-20
In Memoriam Marjorie Brewer, 90 Daniel Clark, 60 Devona Farley, 86 Mylee Garza
Thomas Harrell, 92 Michael Lamb, 56 Catherine Marks, 75 Alice Mowan, 90
Gregory Murphy, 38 Peggy Rife, 85 Jackqulyn Wooten, 69 Rheba Weaver, 79 Donald Weitzel, Jr., 85
Vol. 35, No. 26
PO Box 603, Wabash, IN 46992 (260) 563-8326