Honored

Lately people have been doubting the good old US of A. The recession, education, health care, crime??? I have to say I am right there with the critics sometimes, wondering where this country is headed.

But Saturday night I saw a new perspective of what this country is really about. At about 9pm I headed out with my family to General Mitchell Field Airport to welcome the passengers of the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight back home to Milwaukee.

I have known about the Honor Flight program for a while now. I listen to 620 WTMJ and have heard the stories of the WWII veterans that have had the privilege to participate in the program. I even thought it a worthy enough cause to make a donation myself. I had heard that everyone is invited to gather at the airport to welcome the veterans home when they arrive at the end of their day, and had planned on taking my children to do so in order be witness to those who served our country.

But like most things planned, it got put on the back burner. Until this month when my mom told us a family friend was going on the flight scheduled for Nov 6th. So now we had the perfect excuse to follow through.

We gathered with the incredible mass of 6,ooo or so people to welcome home the heros of WWII. And after and hour or two wait, the crowd erupted into a roar of flag waving enthusiasm as the veterans, one by one, were wheeled or walked down the pathway through the crowd. I was too far back to get good photos. And the sights and emotions of the evening can not be described well enough unless you were there.

There were countless heartfelt moments. Wonderful were the looks on the faces of those elderly men and women; some of them actually stopped in their tracks in awe of the mass of people gathered to honor them. Some looked like politicians as they shook all the hands extending out from the bystanders. I loved the veteran who made his way down the pathway with his digital camera up to his eye snapping pictures of the crowd as he walked along. Or another who literally danced and jumped in circles as he made his way along. The crowd roared even louder for his show of glee.

And the group of supporters that had gathered. Some were waiting for family members, others just there as a sign of long awaited respect. There was the small boy across form me who reached out to shake hands with every hero that looked his way. The girl next to him in her navy blue star dress who held a sign that read "My grandpa. My hero". And then there was the 30 some year old man who I heard shouting out like a little boy "Grandpa, Grandpa!" as his veteran approached, and as he caught his attention "I'm proud of you Grandpa! Welcome home!"

There were many of those moments as we waited for our veteran. Finally close to the end of the procession we saw him. This is our hero Alvin Stack receiving a big welcome home from his wife.

So as I witnessed this hug I felt a sense of patriotism. Thinking back to another time when our country experienced hardship. A time when these men were young, leaving their loved ones to serve our country. Remembering those that suffered the ultimate price, and others who where no longer here to celebrate. But that small group chosen to participate on this Saturday's Honor Flight, this group, decades later, were able to embrace a grand moment with the people in the country for which they served.

To see more images of past Honor Flights click here for a professional photographers images from the trips he attended. And if you would like to find out more or where to donate go to the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight site.