Honoring Fallen Friends
Story and photos by Jim Ryan, WBAP 24/7 News
Dallas (WBAP) - Memories filled a conference room at Dallas Love Field, as nearly three dozen military veterans talked about serving their country during World War II.
"I joined the service in 1940," said Arthur Harness. "I volunteered and went into the 9th Cavalry," he said as he waited with 34 other vets to board a flight for Washington DC. "We found out the horses couldn't cut the mustard in those days, couldn't keep up. So therefore they broke up the Cavalry," Harness told WBAP, adding that he was transferred to Air Base Security in the Pacific Theater.
Harness and his fellow veterans were offered air fare, lodging and food for two days so they could tour the World War II memorial and visit present-day soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen being treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. They left Monday morning and will return Tuesday evening.
They've lived long, full lives, but these people were still seeing new things on this trip: "I've never been east of the state of Tennessee," said Aubrey Stewart, 83. "I've been about as far west as you can go -- all the way to Japan," said Stewart, who joined the military at 17. "I had my 18th birthday in boot camp."
As hard as military was during World War II, "it was glorious," says Carol Wilkerson, who served in the Women's Army Corps, the WACs. "Every woman and every boy should be in the service, because it either makes you or breaks you."
The trip was organized by the volunteer Honor Flight organization, which has been working for months to raise money to take the group to Washington. For more information, click here.
(Copyright 2009, WBAP 24/7 News. All rights reserved.)
