6 minute read
‘Time Will Heal Everybody’
Vietnam veteran feels appreciated after Honor Flight
BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI
Sound of Freedom Executive Editor
When Lynn Erickson returned to the United States from Vietnam, he, like others, was not exactly welcomed.
“It wasn’t really pleasant,” says Erickson, a PebbleCreek resident. “As a matter of fact, on my fl ight back from Minneapolis from Fort Lewis, Washington, there was a gentleman who wouldn’t sit with me. He told the lady I had to be moved. She moved him. She left me alone.”
Recently, the 73-year-old Erickson joined fellow veterans for Honor Flight Arizona at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to travel to Washington, D.C.
Th e fl ight included veterans from the Korean and Vietnam wars, across all branches of service. Additionally, four ROTC cadets from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott traveled as guardian escorts.
“We started here in Phoenix,” he says. “We were at the bottom corner
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Lynn Erickson recently joined fellow veterans for Honor Flight Arizona at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. (Enrique Garcia/Contributor)
of baggage claim. When it was time to go, we walked up to our gate, and it was just amazing. Everybody stopped what they were doing, applauded, and thanked us for our service. It was really heartwarming.
“We never expected it. We never realized how nice that would feel. As we walked through the hallway past security, everybody in the restaurants, the gates and the shops all applauded and said thank you.”
Erickson said a couple men cried because it was so special.
“Honor Flight Arizona is thrilled to continue fl ying into June of this year,” says Robert Krug, Honor Flight Arizona vice president.
“We have a long waiting list of veterans aft er the COVID-19 pause, and it’s important to keep the fl ights going. Many veterans have told us it was the trip of a lifetime.”
Honor Flight Arizona took its fi rst fl ight of 11 World War II veterans in November 2009 and has now fl own more than 2,400 World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans.
Trips have also included more than 1,600 guardians assisting the veterans along the way. Honor Flight Arizona has a base of many active volunteers.
Honor Flight Arizona is part of the nationwide Honor Flight Network. Th e nonprofi ts accept private donations and corporate support. Th is trip’s sponsor was Daughters of the American Revolution – Yavapai Chapter.
Th e trip’s fi rst stop was the U.S. Navy Museum, and from there they went to the Marine Corps War Memorial with Iwo Jima, the Vietnam Veterans, the Korean War and the World War II memorials.
“When we got to the Iwo Jima Memorial (Marine Corps War Memorial), schoolkids wished us well and thanked us for our service,” he says.
Honor Flight Arizona included veterans from the Korean and Vietnam wars, across all branches of service. (Honor Flight Arizona/Contributor)
“I saw a couple of boys talking to the older vets and asking them what it was like to be in the military. It was a great example of the youth of today looking at the soldiers of yesterday.”
He shares with youngsters the hard work it takes to be in the military.
“I always encourage them,” he says. “I’m very happy that kids have an interest in it, and I hope they continue to have that interest. If you go in as an enlisted soldier, the fi rst fi ve ranks are the hardest. Once you make staff sergeant, your life starts to get easier. Until then, you’re at the bottom.
“It’s a real learning experience. You learn discipline and regimentation. Sometimes you learn you have something you didn’t know you had.”
At Fort Meyer, the veterans and their guests had dinner and they wrapped it up with a visit to Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore.
“Being a Vietnam Veteran, I just thought it would be nice to go with a band of brothers who had gone through the same thing and see what it was like,” says Erickson, who was draft ed into the Army in 1969 and served on and off until he retired in 2000.
“I’ve seen the memorials before when I was stationed out East, but I have friends on that (Vietnam Memorial) wall. It’s always nice to go and visit them again.”
It could be a somber visit, but Erickson takes it in stride.
“It’s been 53 years,” he says. “It’s OK now. It’s just the way it is.”
Erickson says he hopes Honor Flights continue for Afghanistan and Iraqi veterans because they’re “carrying a big burden.”
“Th ey need their thank-yous, too,” he says. “Th ey came home to a lot diff erent ending than we did. Th ese days, everybody over there is a hero. In my day, everyone was a villain.
“It was diff erent. I just saw on Facebook the other day that two gentlemen ran into each other. One was one of those hippies who refused to go and was one of our archenemies of the day. He said he was sorry that happened. Everyone should have been nicer.
“Time will heal everybody.”
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