Honor Flight

Perhaps you think we are making too big a deal of a plane full of old men on a free ride to a national memorial.

If you do, then chances are you've not gone online to get to know these men better.

Chances are you've not seen the expressions on the faces of these World War II vets as, one by one, they tell their stories that happened long ago, when time was on their side.

That also means you've not heard their voices -- some strong and matter-of-fact; others trembling with emotion -- as they recall their services in a war that turned out heroes and husbands and fathers and workers who went on to make this great country a whole lot greater.

"I've been shot at ... torpedoed at ... bombed at ... I've hit every hell hole in the world," says Lawrence Black, his words and expressions a mirror of the pain he still holds within.

The men you will meet in our presentation, "A Flight to Remember," are only a handful of the WWII veterans living in the Fox Valley. Their numbers used to be much higher. But time is not on their side and, as Naval Officer Donald Thompson noted in his video, "how long do we have? A few years ..."

Or, as former Army Ranger James Taff talks about the 12 men from his unit "who came back" from the war, he wonders aloud which one of the four remaining will "put the lights out."

That's why it's all the more crucial we do make a big deal out of these veterans and their stories. When they are gone, so also will be our opportunities to know them -- and perhaps more importantly, to honor them.

My suggestion: don't let any chance pass you by. One of the greatest privileges I've had in my 15 years of writing for this newspaper has been meeting many of these veterans. Their faces, lined with wrinkles and painted with age spots, are fascinating, as are the stories they tell with equal parts pride and humility.

That's why we invite you to get to know these men The Beacon News is featuring during this once-in-a-lifetime trip. Listen to them carefully. Study their deeply-etched faces and then try to envision them as handsome young men in the prime of their lives. If you look carefully, you will still see that youthfulness in their eyes. Some, like Gilbert Dumdie's, twinkle with the memories; while others, like Lawrence Black's, swell with tears.

Then imagine how these aging veterans will feel when they stand in front of that WWII Memorial for the first time today.

We will be there to capture the moments for you. Live blogging has already started -- at 2 a.m. this morning staff writer Andre Salles and videographer Heather Eidson began their all-day journey with these men on that Flight to Remember. And we will continue providing regular updates throughout the day, with coverage continuing both online and in print through Sunday.

Why are we making a big deal out of this trip? Because it is.

To these men. And to the history they helped shape those many years ago, when time was on their side.