How You Can Help Honor A WWII Hero

Gregg Slapak February 25, 2013 at 03:09 pm

Thanks to the editor of www.LincolnParkPatch.com for her earlier post in support of "Honor Flight Chicago"! Folks, this is a wonderful program. My Wheaton, Il dad who will be 87 next month was an "honored" participant of this program in 2012. He was wowed over the pre-organization of the trip by Honor Flight Chicago and all the way through the experience. And we, his family and friends who attended the incredible ,( I get a lump in my throat, bumps on my arms and my "blues" are blurred as I recall and write this brief account) "welcome home ceremony" at Midway Aiprort Terminal where a couple thousand Chicagoans with various of signs, hundreds and hundreds of flags, military and community bands and a whole lot of pride and patriotic spirit met those who were honored that day as they returned from our nation's capital. Thanks for this post. I will share with others on my various of social media pages. I attempted last year to tweak the interest of our local Wheaton Patch "editor", but that~my friend~ very unfortunately fell on complete deaf ears. Again, my thanks to you for this post and my heart-felt thanks to the hundreds of Chicagoland and Washington, DC area volunteers who donate countless hours of their time to make Honor Flight Chicago possible and happen as it does to make such an occasion late in these soldiers' lives so very special! Gregg Slapak~Wheaton, Illinois

Eugene Salganik February 25, 2013 at 04:49 pm

My grandfather, who would have been 113 today, fought against nazi Germany in 1941 and 1942 (Russian Front) until he could not fight due to his wounds. He immigrated to the United States in 1980s and he was always proud to wear his medals, because he had known he fought to make our world a better place. He loved this country. War veterans made our world what it is today, it is not perfect, but the alternative would have been a disaster for the human race.
Eugene Salganik FunderHut

Russ February 25, 2013 at 10:59 pm

Thanks for your comments Gregg. I had the privilege to chaperone my Dad and my Uncle on the Honor Flight Chicago back in 2011, Hands down the best day ever. It is a patriotic tear jerker. I was so thankful to all the volunteers and servicemen and women that pushed the wheelchairs and lined the corridors of the airports to greet and salute the WW 2 veterans. If you know of any veterans that served in ww2 please, contact the Honor Flight Organization. The charity goes above and beyond to accommodate the older servicemen. A day well deserved for the vets that they and you will never forget.

Charlotte Eriksen (Editor) February 26, 2013 at 07:38 pm

No, I heard you loud and clear. Here is the story: "Wheaton WW2 Veteran Chosen for 'Honor Flight' to Nation's Capital' (http://patch.com/A-vCCP).