In Their Honor

Program Sponsors World War II Veterans' Trips To National Memorial

(CBS)  This story originally aired on Sept. 24, 2006

For more information visit www.honorair.com and www.honorflight.org

Veterans Day Came a little early last year for a group of World War II vets from North Carolina, aged 79 to 102. As CBS Sunday Morning contributor Bill Geist reports, they journeyed to see the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.

They were there because Jeff Miller, a local businessman in Hendersonville, N.C., started a campaign last year to send every World War II veteran in the country who wanted to see it.

"Sixteen million served in World War II. Now there's probably just a little more than 3 million alive," he said. "They're dying at a rate of anywhere from 1,200 to 1,500 a day so, yeah, there was a lot of urgency."

After all, the memorial was built for them.

"I look at it this way," Miller said. "Everything good I have in my life is because of them - I mean everything. We wanted to take the veterans there to the World War II Memorial who had not been - that was the number one thing - and that had financial or physical limitations, or both.

They'd probably have to charter a plane. But soon they needed a bigger plane and then two bigger planes. This was going to cost a small community big bucks. Henderson rallied and came through on fundraising.

"In less than 12 weeks we raised-I think the number was $133,000," Miller said. "I'd be walking down the street and somebody would come up and hand me five dollars."

Individuals and clubs like the American Legion pitched in.

"They raised $2,300 selling spaghetti - that's a lot of spaghetti at $5 a dinner," Miller said. "Little Henderson elementary school - they had a jar where they put all the change for a party at the end of school, and they took that jar and took that money and sponsored two veterans out of it."

The local Boys and Girls Club raised $300 - enough to send former Sergeant Fred Logan, who served in the Pacific.

"I thank them from my heart," Logan said. "This is the best thing that ever happened to me."

Sergeant Henry Bradley also went. He served in a front lines surgical hospital and saw unspeakable things.

"I remember a lot of it, but I don't talk about it," Bradley said. "I wanted to just forget as much of it as possible cause most of it was not pleasant. We wasn't glory-hunting. All we wanted to do was get on with our lives."

World War II veterans are known for rarely speaking of their valor and sacrifice.

"We call them the humble heroes," Jeff Miller said. "We kid them all the time about it was their own fault they didn't have a memorial because they weren't gonna come home and build one to themselves. That took other generations to build."

Indeed, the World War II Memorial didn't open until 2004 - 59 years after the war ended.

Lieutenant Joe Collins didn't tell his children for a half century about being shot down in a B-24 and becoming a prisoner of war.

"It was get out before it went down or blew up," he said. "We wound up in Stalag-Luft 3. We have some of the letters I sent. This is my favorite. It says, 'Well, hon, I'm a prisoner of war.'"

He'll never forget liberation day.

"I was looking into the city and I could see the German swastika up there - started coming down and our flag went up there," he remembered. "And Patton came in - he came right in on his jeep there - that was something."

Victor Brown, who also flew in a B-24 bomber, was chosen to place a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. (He passed away several days before the story re-aired.)

"That to me is a great honor, and I'm very, very touched is all I can say," Brown said. "I just hope I can do it. I'll crawl if I have to."

"There's 24 steps at the Tomb of the Unknown. It's pretty steep, so they're trying to make arrangements for us to go around," Jeff Miller said. "We've got six EMT guys going with us each day - a doctor going each day. We'll have 50 to 60 guardians each day to push wheelchairs, get 'em drinks, help them up and down stairs."

Two-hundred and twenty Hendersonville vets signed up for the first of what have come to be called honorflights. They arrived in Washington to a hero's welcome and were escorted to the memorial, where some were surprised by friends and family. Joe Collins' son was there to meet him.

For two hours they toured the memorial, met comrades in arms, mourned the 400,000 war dead who'd never see it and the millions of veterans for whom it was built too late. Five have died since signing up for this trip.

But the veterans who attended were feeling the appreciation so long overdue in this, a final tribute to the men-boys then, really, in their teens and twenties-who answered the call and saved the world. Think of it.

[bigdrod]

This segment made me think of a nation that was and a nation that is. The generation that fought WWII was made up of various ethnic groups and nationalities; legal immigrants or descendants of legal immigrants that had come to America for a better way of life. They served to protect that way of life and to preserve the freedoms that we so enjoy. They were proud to be Americans, their ethnicity and birthplace was their linage; their nationality was American. They had come to be Americans and enjoy the freedoms it offered. Their service was considered an honor. Being a descendant of that generation I have been privileged with benefits of their sacrifice; however we have benefited to the point that we no longer can remember what they sacrificed for. They didn%u2019t sacrifice for us to become a nation of small groups identified by our ethnicity, nationality, or religious affiliation; they sacrificed for us to be Americans. They didn%u2019t sacrifice for the good of one; they sacrificed for all Americans. They didn%u2019t sacrifice for us to become a society that wants to quit before a mission is completed; they sacrificed for us to be strong and represent freedom around the world, The men and women that served in WWII are leaving us at an alarming rate. It is my opinion that we not only owe this great generation much gratitude for what they did but also should be asking the remaining forgiveness for making such a mess of what they fought for. Dale Elrod, TN

[nordane1]

Nancy Giles''s Procrastination challenge got to us, encouraging us to tell you how moving Bill Geist''s feature was. With class, he stayed out of the film. With great tenderness, his entire piece was beautifully filmed, lovingly edited and annotated. We wept. Thanks, Bill. Johnsons/Boca Grande,FL

[springbrook6]

Sunday morning is the best program on television! Thank you for airing,In Their Honor,an excellent, moving piece. The people of Hendersonville did a great service sending these veterans to Washington. They are to be commended and your program did honor those who are so giving, the veterans and the people who made this trip possible.

[iforgot5050]

What a wonderful story of the honor given to the WWW11 veterans! It is so true that we owe are all to them. Thank You!

[sherril987]

I agree with the first commenter that I expected something humorous and light in Bill Geist''s segment, but was not at all disappointed by it. In fact, it, combined with a few other recent facotrs, greatly enhanced my appreciation of and desire to learn more about World War II and the Veterans who fought that war. I must admit that until recently, my interest in the subject of the war and it''s Veterans, was not great. The congruity of recent events, reading Elizabeth Berg''s new novel, Dream When Youre Feeling Blue, the anticipation of seeing Ken Burn''s upcoming PBS documentary, The War and now having seen Geist''s segment, In Their Honor has truly set in motion for me a strong interest and enthuseasm for learning more about the war, it''s veterans and the homefront at the time, something that perhaps I should have had all along the way in my 55 years.

[carolk52]

I was totally moved to tears,(actually sobbed at times),this morning watching this segment. It was not what I expected from Bill Geist. I usually look forward to laughing out loud at some of his antics, etc. This was his best piece ever!! My father is 82, a Navy WWII vet. The gentleman from NC was so right!! It if wasn''t for these wonderful men & women from their generation who gave so much for us "baby boomers",etc. we would not have the life we have today. What a wonderful, wonderful story!! I wish everyone could have seen it. Keep it up!!

[griffon185]

Your story reminds us all about the sacrifices this generation made for our country. Our community started a ''Veteran''s Celebration'' on the 4th of July to honor and respect all of our Veteran''s. We provide a special commorative hat pin every year to honor their efforts. Your story has brought tears to my eyes and a desire to do more. I look forward to learning more about the process and doing even more for our Veterans. Many thanks for all you have and will do for those who made that sacrifice to serve with honor.

[griffon185]

Your story reminds us all about the sacrifices this generation made for our country. Our community started a ''Veteran''s Celebration'' on the 4th of July to honor and respect all of our Veteran''s. We provide a special commorative hat pin every year to honor%

[griffon185]

Your story reminds us all about the sacrifices this generation made for our country. Our community started a ''Veteran''s Celebration'' on the 4th of July to honor and respect all of our Veteran''s. We provide a special commorative hat pin every year to honor their efforts. Your story has brought tears to my eyes and a desire to do more. I look forward to learning more about the process and doing even more for our Veterans. Many thanks for all you have and will do for those who made that sacrifice to serve with honor.

[redrose1213]

My dad passed away in 1981. He only spoke once about being a prisoner of war when the movie Patton came out. He was a B17 pilot shot down and was in a prison camp in Berlin. I would like to be able to contact Lt. Joe Collins to see if he knew my dad. Thanks for the great story.

[sfisher53]

My daddy served in WWII and retired as a Captain. Your story moved me to tears as my daddy passed away one year after the memorial opened. He served in the Atlantic and Pacific. How heartbreaking that when I went to the wall website I found he is not there. What a disservice to a man who spent his life loving his army and his country.

[wild4u1]

IN THEIR HONOR:
Great story, I would like to do the same thing for our WWII Vets in the WEST COUNTY AREA of Saint Louis, Mo.

[pyr97]

Have often wondered what happened to all the Military
families who were stationed in Schofield, Hawaii when
the bombing of Pearl Harbor happened. I know most of the Military families who eventually retired in the
islands of Hawaii, but those families who left right after Pearl Harbor, where did they go to on the continent of U. S.? All the children never forgot that eventful day, we had no way to address PTS...

[maureen4165]

Thank you so much for showing this piece again this year, I was fortunate to catch it this morning. It was one of the most touching stories that I have ever seen about WWII. It''s amazing the emotions that stirred after just such a short story. I felt compelled to write and thank you and everyone involved. Now I must call my 81yr old father a WWII vet and thank him. He also rarely talks about his time in the Pacific, but when he does, he ONLY talks about the "good times". He''s an amazing man.

[christine756]

I was extremely moved by the story of the WWW II veterans'' visit to the DC memorial and the role of Jeff Miller. It takes passion to move a project from idea to reality and it was clear that Jeff''s belief was a key to its success. Timing is so important in our lives and I watched CBS Sunday Morning just after speaking to my sister in the UK about our father''s role in the liberation of Belsen. Is there anyway to contact Mr. Miller?

[mjracette]

Tears flooded my eyes at the wonderful account of the WW2 Veterans from Hendersonville going to the memorial. With programs that move a person like this one did,it makes me thankful for television that has so much drivel and downright porn in the content of many programs nowadays. Thank you for such a wonderful program as Sunday Morning! Joyce Racette

[salebu]

Thank you. Though my father passed a number of years ago, I know he would have been thrilled and honored at the memorial and the thank you being given to those who survive. Your best story ever Mr. Giest.

[slpinkerton]

There is a group out of Ohio that actually started the idea of flying WWII veterans to D.C. since then several groups throughout the US have joined in, including Indiana and Hendersonville. I would contact Earl Morse, www.honorflight.org to see about starting such a venture from your hometown. With the average age of a WWII veteran approaching 88 and the life expectancy of an American male at 84.5 that doesn't leave much time. Don't wait, there is no time left. They need your help to see a Memorial that was built 60 years too late.

[sbcmrn]

If you are thinking about starting an Honor Group in your hometown please go to www.honorflight.org. Contact Capt. Earl Morse. They are a non-profit group from Ohio that has made 10 trips in 2 years with over 250 well deserving WWII Veterans. They are also flown free of charge due to donations from thankful Americans of all walks of life. I have traveled with them as a paying Guardian and have seen the same response in the staff and passengers and public at every place the Vets traveled. By the end of the day they have become taller, lines soften, worries are forgotten and it is because of the love they have felt by a proud nation who still embraces them%u2026and always will.

Thank You to all who served and kept America FREE!

(You can donate to send a veteran at www.honorflight.org)
SB %u2013Guardian Honor Flight RN
Grand Daughter of a WWI Army Veteran (Lewis F Hurd)
Daughter and Niece of Korean War Navy Veterans (Walter and Wilbur Hurd)
Niece of a WWII Navy pilot MIA/KIA (Lewis F Hurd, Jr)

[heelfan49]

I had the opportunity to participate as a volunteer to help serve lunch to the HonorAir group. What an amazing group of men and women! They were all so humble. Many were simply amazed at the expressions of gratitude expressed by strangers they encountered during their visits. To me, it appeared they enjoyed the opportunity to get together and talk about their wartime experiences as a "band of brothers" as much as they enjoyed seeing the memorial that honors them. Thanks to Bill and CBS for sharing this story with the whole country. Here's hoping that my son, now in Iraq, will someday experience similar respect from friends, family and a grateful nation in his twilight years.