Local Veterans Honored on Trip to D.C.
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
World War II veteran Russell Hoffert was chaperoned by his grandson, Warsaw Community Schools Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert; Korean War veteran Don Thallemer was chaperoned by his son, Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer; and WWII veteran Bruce Howe was chaperoned by his friend of 27 years, Salvation Army Community Ministries Director Ken Locke.
Honor Flight Network is a nonprofit organization that honors America’s veterans for their sacrifices by flying them to Washington, D.C., to reflect at their memorials. Top priority is given to WWII survivors along with other veterans who are terminally ill. All flights are free to the veterans, according to the Honor Flight website.
Honor Flight Northeast Indiana is a recognized independent hub of the Honor Flight network and was created to raise funds and provide volunteers to take WWII veterans directly from Fort Wayne to Washington, D.C. Its website is www.hfnei.org
“The thing that flabbergasted my dad was – he didn’t think he needed to be thanked,” Joe said. “He just said he did what he needed to do. I saw that in a lot of veterans yesterday,” but the veterans were constantly stopped and thanked for their service by pedestrians, passersby and joggers. “All these people acknowledged him as a veteran.”
Joe said he felt very privileged to be with his dad on the trip and see the respect the veterans were given.
Don, 86, served in Korea from 1953 to 1954 and was a military police officer, Joe said.
Wednesday’s flight was “pretty much the last dedicated World War II flight” and HFNEI’s 17th, Joe said. It has taken over 1,100 veterans to D.C., mainly WWII veterans, but is now ready to move to Korean War vets.
“We got on a standby list. Dad was the only Korean veteran on the trip. I think there were 75 veterans on this trip, with the majority being World War II. Some had served in two wars, World War II and Korea, but my dad was the only solely Korean veteran. We were fortunate to get on. We planned to go in October or the spring. We just found out last week we were going (Wednesday). The weather was perfect,” Joe explained.
He said HFNEI is so well organized and police escorts got the charter bus of veterans through the D.C. traffic.
“We were able to get everything done. It was a busy day. We left Warsaw at 5 a.m. and got home at 11 p.m.,” Joe said.
David said when everyone got there it was a surprise at what a “wonderful Warsaw contingent” was represented. Russell, Don and Bruce buddied up for the day because of their life experiences and being longtime Warsaw residents, he said.
David agreed with Joe that HFNEI was a first-class organization centered around the veterans. The plane was set up and decorated for the veterans, as was everything else during the day.
“The first thing they all noticed was the police escort all through Washington, D.C. It was like they were the president of the United States through D.C.,” David said.
Of all the war memorials the veterans saw, Joe said they stayed at the World War II Memorial the longest.
David said he could see the wheels turning in his grandfather’s head while at the memorial. He told stories David was not sure he had told anyone else.
Russell, 95, enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving from July 16, 1943, until his honorable discharge Nov. 12, 1945, at the rank of corporal.
One of the most touching things of the day was that there were so many middle and high school students at the memorial, and all day those students as well as adults would see the veterans and thank them for their service. David said that was very touching for not only the veterans, but also for the students who got to meet a bit of history.
Ken said that Bruce loved the WWII Memorial, but was pretty quiet at it. A group of Indianapolis kids were at the Memorial and starting shaking Bruce’s hand and thanking him for his service.
“The time the young kids came up to him, that impacted him the most,” Ken said.
Bruce turned 95 last Saturday. He served in the U.S. Army, ending up as a first sergeant. He served in Europe, going in a day after D-Day. During his service, Bruce went to France, Belgium and Germany, earning five Battle Stars. Ken said Bruce served in the Battle of the Bulge, the largest battle he was in.
When David asked his grandfather what he thought about the WWII Memorial, Russell replied, “They did a good job of it.”
Joe said Don didn’t say a lot about the Korean War Memorial, but he thought his dad was very impressed with it. They also went to the Vietnam War Memorial, which was “very sobering,” he said.
David said he learned Wednesday’s trip was the first time Russell ever visited D.C. They checked out the Lincoln Memorial, and Russell just wanted to people watch and talk. They stood at the top of the memorial’s steps for awhile and talked.
The veterans ended up at the Arlington National Cemetery and saw the changing of the guard and the laying of a wreath for the unknown soldier.
“They said 400,000 veterans are buried there. There was a World War II gal, she was a veteran, who got a commendation and she got to lay the wreath,” Joe said.
“While we were there at the cemetery, we could hear 21-gun salutes going on. I think she said 30 veterans a day were buried there,” Joe said.
David said that what was sobering for him at Arlington was what was going through the veterans’ heads. He said they had lots of friends buried there.
He said you could see the experience in the men’s eyes as they visited the different sites like the Iwo Jima Marine memorial and the Air Force Memorial next to the Pentagon.
David asked Russell what he liked about it and Russell replied, “I liked it all. I liked it all.”
On their return to Fort Wayne Wednesday night, Joe said over 1,000 people waited to greet the veterans. The double-sided line snaked from the plane, through the terminal to the parking exit. There were Scouts, other veterans and civilians shaking the hands of the returning veterans while a band played for them.
“The line kept on forever,” David said, recalling how the bus driver said that every time they do an Honor Flight, the crowd continues to grow. Everyone from little kids holding American flags to everyday citizens were there.
Ken said the return welcome at Fort Wayne was “overwhelming” to Bruce. “I was overwhelmed too. Little kids coming up to him and hugging him” had a big impact on Bruce, he said.
“It just gave you chills,” David said. “All day you heard and saw things that made you proud of Northern Indiana and the nation for respecting these veterans.”
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Joe said.
Upon their return, the veterans received letters from schoolchildren. David witnessed one veteran open a letter and tearing up after reading it.
Ken said it was an honor to take Bruce on the trip. “My god, the service he gave to this country. How he survived in all those places is beyond me with all the battles he saw,” Ken said.
“It’s just the reality that freedom isn’t free. Watching the veterans, you realize freedom isn’t free ...,” he said. “I recommend the experience for any veteran to go. It’s a good experience.”[[In-content Ad]]
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World War II veteran Russell Hoffert was chaperoned by his grandson, Warsaw Community Schools Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert; Korean War veteran Don Thallemer was chaperoned by his son, Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer; and WWII veteran Bruce Howe was chaperoned by his friend of 27 years, Salvation Army Community Ministries Director Ken Locke.
Honor Flight Network is a nonprofit organization that honors America’s veterans for their sacrifices by flying them to Washington, D.C., to reflect at their memorials. Top priority is given to WWII survivors along with other veterans who are terminally ill. All flights are free to the veterans, according to the Honor Flight website.
Honor Flight Northeast Indiana is a recognized independent hub of the Honor Flight network and was created to raise funds and provide volunteers to take WWII veterans directly from Fort Wayne to Washington, D.C. Its website is www.hfnei.org
“The thing that flabbergasted my dad was – he didn’t think he needed to be thanked,” Joe said. “He just said he did what he needed to do. I saw that in a lot of veterans yesterday,” but the veterans were constantly stopped and thanked for their service by pedestrians, passersby and joggers. “All these people acknowledged him as a veteran.”
Joe said he felt very privileged to be with his dad on the trip and see the respect the veterans were given.
Don, 86, served in Korea from 1953 to 1954 and was a military police officer, Joe said.
Wednesday’s flight was “pretty much the last dedicated World War II flight” and HFNEI’s 17th, Joe said. It has taken over 1,100 veterans to D.C., mainly WWII veterans, but is now ready to move to Korean War vets.
“We got on a standby list. Dad was the only Korean veteran on the trip. I think there were 75 veterans on this trip, with the majority being World War II. Some had served in two wars, World War II and Korea, but my dad was the only solely Korean veteran. We were fortunate to get on. We planned to go in October or the spring. We just found out last week we were going (Wednesday). The weather was perfect,” Joe explained.
He said HFNEI is so well organized and police escorts got the charter bus of veterans through the D.C. traffic.
“We were able to get everything done. It was a busy day. We left Warsaw at 5 a.m. and got home at 11 p.m.,” Joe said.
David said when everyone got there it was a surprise at what a “wonderful Warsaw contingent” was represented. Russell, Don and Bruce buddied up for the day because of their life experiences and being longtime Warsaw residents, he said.
David agreed with Joe that HFNEI was a first-class organization centered around the veterans. The plane was set up and decorated for the veterans, as was everything else during the day.
“The first thing they all noticed was the police escort all through Washington, D.C. It was like they were the president of the United States through D.C.,” David said.
Of all the war memorials the veterans saw, Joe said they stayed at the World War II Memorial the longest.
David said he could see the wheels turning in his grandfather’s head while at the memorial. He told stories David was not sure he had told anyone else.
Russell, 95, enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving from July 16, 1943, until his honorable discharge Nov. 12, 1945, at the rank of corporal.
One of the most touching things of the day was that there were so many middle and high school students at the memorial, and all day those students as well as adults would see the veterans and thank them for their service. David said that was very touching for not only the veterans, but also for the students who got to meet a bit of history.
Ken said that Bruce loved the WWII Memorial, but was pretty quiet at it. A group of Indianapolis kids were at the Memorial and starting shaking Bruce’s hand and thanking him for his service.
“The time the young kids came up to him, that impacted him the most,” Ken said.
Bruce turned 95 last Saturday. He served in the U.S. Army, ending up as a first sergeant. He served in Europe, going in a day after D-Day. During his service, Bruce went to France, Belgium and Germany, earning five Battle Stars. Ken said Bruce served in the Battle of the Bulge, the largest battle he was in.
When David asked his grandfather what he thought about the WWII Memorial, Russell replied, “They did a good job of it.”
Joe said Don didn’t say a lot about the Korean War Memorial, but he thought his dad was very impressed with it. They also went to the Vietnam War Memorial, which was “very sobering,” he said.
David said he learned Wednesday’s trip was the first time Russell ever visited D.C. They checked out the Lincoln Memorial, and Russell just wanted to people watch and talk. They stood at the top of the memorial’s steps for awhile and talked.
The veterans ended up at the Arlington National Cemetery and saw the changing of the guard and the laying of a wreath for the unknown soldier.
“They said 400,000 veterans are buried there. There was a World War II gal, she was a veteran, who got a commendation and she got to lay the wreath,” Joe said.
“While we were there at the cemetery, we could hear 21-gun salutes going on. I think she said 30 veterans a day were buried there,” Joe said.
David said that what was sobering for him at Arlington was what was going through the veterans’ heads. He said they had lots of friends buried there.
He said you could see the experience in the men’s eyes as they visited the different sites like the Iwo Jima Marine memorial and the Air Force Memorial next to the Pentagon.
David asked Russell what he liked about it and Russell replied, “I liked it all. I liked it all.”
On their return to Fort Wayne Wednesday night, Joe said over 1,000 people waited to greet the veterans. The double-sided line snaked from the plane, through the terminal to the parking exit. There were Scouts, other veterans and civilians shaking the hands of the returning veterans while a band played for them.
“The line kept on forever,” David said, recalling how the bus driver said that every time they do an Honor Flight, the crowd continues to grow. Everyone from little kids holding American flags to everyday citizens were there.
Ken said the return welcome at Fort Wayne was “overwhelming” to Bruce. “I was overwhelmed too. Little kids coming up to him and hugging him” had a big impact on Bruce, he said.
“It just gave you chills,” David said. “All day you heard and saw things that made you proud of Northern Indiana and the nation for respecting these veterans.”
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Joe said.
Upon their return, the veterans received letters from schoolchildren. David witnessed one veteran open a letter and tearing up after reading it.
Ken said it was an honor to take Bruce on the trip. “My god, the service he gave to this country. How he survived in all those places is beyond me with all the battles he saw,” Ken said.
“It’s just the reality that freedom isn’t free. Watching the veterans, you realize freedom isn’t free ...,” he said. “I recommend the experience for any veteran to go. It’s a good experience.”[[In-content Ad]]
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