Comments on: In Their Honor

Program Sponsors World War II Veterans' Trips To National Memorial

[drlashley]

I am a WW11 vet still alive. I served as a member of the Womens Army Corps assigned to the Army Air Corps. I want to continue my efforts to fill the gap in history about women in the military. 400,000 women served in all branches of the service during WW11. Though we were not allowed to serve in combat positions, those combat positions would not have been possible were it not for the women,and some men,who supported those in combat. I enabled the training of bombardiers who flew in both war theatres. Women served as aircraft mechanics, spys, drivers, interpreters, nurses, transcribers, etc. both here and abroad. Five women were on a troop ship which was bombed and all five survived, 80 some nurses were taken c aptive the South Pacific and servived. Members of the Womens Army Corps served in Algeria, North Africa, England, Southeast Asia, Italy, Egypt, the,Pacific, and Australia . Therefore, I was distressed not to see/hear mention of women serving in the military in the "greatest war with the greatest generation". Lynn Ashley, EdD

[lavonne104]

Thank you Bill Geist and CBS for covering this wonderful story. As one of the Guardians that accompanied this group I can speak first hand as to what an emotional day this was for all who participated. The veterans were treated as true heroes and celebrities from the time they entered the Asheville airport at 7:00 am until their return at 7:00 pm. The staff and crew of US Airways were wonderful and thought of every detail even playing 40's music while we waited!
This story deserves more coverage so that more communities will take the initiative and send their veterans to see the Memorial.

LaVonne McKay

[mamzellebear]

This was the most emotional story about World War II. This was particularly touching for me as I listened to Mr. Collins (veteral and POW) telling his story about being shot down and taken prisoner at Stalag Luft III. My father, Roger C.H. Gagnon, radio operator,from Philadelphia/Montreal, Canada, was also shot down on July 21/44 and taken as POW at Stalag Luft III in Block 107, Room 15. I have a diary of my father's days as a POW and here is one of many poems he wrote... I dedicate this to all the veterans and their families!!!

KRIEGY LAMENT

Here we are at Stalag Luft III
Drinking at the bar
With Lovely girls to buy us beer
Like Bloody Hell we are!

We travelled here in Luxury
The whole trip for a Quid
A sleeping berth for each of us
Like Bloody Hell we did!

Our featherbeds are two feet deep
The carpets almost new
In easy chairs we spend the day
Like Bloody Hell we do!

The guards are realy wizard chaps
Their hopes of victory good
We'd change them places any day
Like Bloody Hell we would!

When winter comes and snow's around
The temperature at nil
We'll find hot water bottles in our beds
Like Bloody Hell we will!

And when this war is over
And Jerry gets his fill
We'll remember all that's happened here
My Bloody Oath we will!!!

C'est pour toi aussi mon beau papa....je t'aime!!
Forever proud daughter of a valiant father who passed away June 5, 2002.

Lynne Gagnon
[e-mail]

[eisamposas]

I want to thank the sponsors of the trip. That was such a great tribute. My father fought in WWII and is still alive at 82. His mother signed so that he could enlist at an early age during the war. He wanted to go and help fight the war. I love my dad. I hope he gets to go see the memorial soon. We should honor these men always for what they did. We should honor all our soldiers for what they have done and for what they continue to do for our freedom and our children's freedom.

[tannermom]

This Sunday you had a segment on the WWII Veterans memorial, and my question is:
Why should they have to climb so many steps to get there, when most of them can't!

[h0zae]

great work in Hendersonville - thanks Jeff Miller -- You can see a list of Veterans who are attending at http://www.honorair.com

[mmbutcher]

I was in Reagan National when the vets came in Saturday. It was just too much for me and I couldn't hold back the tears. You see, my father ran away from home to join the Navy in 1944 and never looked back. He never talked about his experiences there and unfortunately, we never asked. He died in 1983 at 53. He never knew how proud the country is of his (and others') service. My cousin was killed in Vietnam in 1968. He never knew, either. Today, I wait as my eldest son is being deployed to Iraq after the first of the year and I am PROUD that he chose to be an Army Ranger and wait until he goes to college. It is all he has ever wanted to do and he wanted to mature before he enters the univeristy. As a university professor I both applauded and wept over his choice. Thank you all for going...thank you all for your service.

[drbrucek-2009]

P.S. I agree with what others have posted. Bill Geist did a great job, and I hope this story is reaired at some point such as the evening news when more will see it. I, too, was in tears. When my father passed away in July 2005, I did OK until I saw his casket draped with the flag when it was closed for the last time in the church. He got a 21-gun salute at the cemetery. He was in WWII for 5 years, and never talked about it. It took his funeral for me to swallow hard and realize what a significant part of his life this was for my dad, a former history professor who didn't share his personal history of his service to his country.

[mcraig57]

This story has hit close to my home. Great tribute to all our WW II veterans. And Wow, what a cummunity to send these veterans there. My story is that my dad passed 7 years ago. He lost his leg in this war.
A point that was brought up is that veterans are dying at 1200 to 1500 a day, so many that the veterans are not getting a proper military burial. Some get it some done.

[jccopeland1]

In Their Honor is long overdue! Thank you so very much for the reporting and to Mr. Miller in Hendersonville for his efforts and idea! My dad, also a WWII veteran, died one year ago today and wasn't well enough to travel after the memorial was completed. My husband, a Viet Nam veteran, and I did see it in May and we were both quite emotional upon catching the first glimpse. Thank you again for your wonderful coverage. I agree that it needs to be broadcast during a prime time news show.

[drbrucek-2009]

My father lost his only brother in WWII and I was shocked to find that his Army intelligence ship in the Mediterranean was torpedoed, killing several of his shipmates when he was remember at his funeral last year. My uncle was killed in the Battle of the Bulge. I found a fisherman one day who was quite friendly and a WWII vet. I almost scolded him for his peers NOT talking about WWII because as George Santayana wrote, "Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." After some prodding, he finally told me why he didn't talk about WWII. He was in the Pacific on a number islands, and he said he saw completely innocent island dwellers bombed with body parts to be found everywhere. It was sobering. I also know there is the "survivor's guilt" along with the fact many of them simply wanted the war to end so they could come home.

I believe my generation (baby boomers) have not been asked to sacrifice in any way that our parents' did. We reaped the benefits. There needs to be many more stories like this before the WWII veterans are gone. There are enough of them left, that some will talk. We are losing touch with the sacrifice that our fathers made, and how they truly saved the world. What%u2019s worse, this puts us in a position in which the next generation will have no emotional connection to WWII, increasing the chances that we might repeat history.

[donnydanny]

I would like to get a copy of todays show. The credits rolled by so fast I could not get the phone number .Your show is my favorite news show. I have watched since it started.Bill Geist' best. Sincerely, Donald Edone

[donnydanny]

My father is a WWll Navy Vet. I have been trying to get him there for two years now. He watched your show. We were all in tears.They are my heroes.

[bobguest]

Bill Geist at his best.

[drduck3]

My husband is a WWII Veteran. I would like him to see this piece. Is that possible? How do I retreive a copy?
N. L.

An excellent piece of journalism. I was moved to tears watching it. My father was a veteran of World War II but died 6 years before the memorial was completed. How I wish he would have lived long enough for me to take him there. Thank you for keeping the sacrifice of these "humble heroes" ever present in our hearts and minds.

[plwb57]

Itwas an awesome news story. My father was in WWII Pacific Theater and was from Hendersonville and might have been on this trip if he hadn't passed away a year ago October. This was a tribute long over due....I cried like a baby watching it.

How about rerunning it on the 6:00 news...prime time... where more people will see it. This is a story that should not just be run on Sunday morning......how about again on Veteran's Day?

Great Job!

I really didn't want to have to subscribe to more email but felt I had to comment, so I did.

Patricia Barbara

[daynlarz]

Wow! What a great tribute to these humble heros! Great story, Bill, your best yet! Thank you!

[hmoskowitz1]

This segment had to be one of the most moving pieces i have ever seen Bill Geist do. I love the show and have been watching it forever. Keep up the great journalism!
Sincerely,
Helen Moskowitz