Wayne and Peggy Wiley last weekend were pleasantly surprised when they received an unexpected package.
The Warsaw couple received the package from their nephew, James Martin, 33, who is a medical officer and flight surgeon with the Special Operations Command stationed in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
In the package was an American flag James flew Dec. 30 in Afghanistan in honor of the couple. The flag had been carefully folded in his helmet bag in the back of his aircraft while actively engaging the enemy.
The package also included a letter thanking the couple for supporting James.
In the letter, James writes to his uncle and aunt, "I wanted to present you with an American Flag that I was able to fly in Afghanistan and I wanted to describe what it went through and what it means to me."
The flag represents the American Resolve following the Sept 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and bears witness to the destruction of the terrorist forces threatening the United States, according to his letter.
James is the son of Sidney and Sharon Martin, Doylestown, Pa. Sidney graduated from Warsaw Community High School in 1963. James' grandparents are the late Furman and Louise Martin, Warsaw.
Wayne said serving in the military runs in the family.
Wayne served in the Air Force from 1951 to 1955; and Wayne's stepfather, Furman, served in Pearl Harbor in 1941.
James' cousin, Scott Moore, is stationed as a helicopter pilot in Afghanistan. Moore is the son of Steve and Martha Moore, Springfield, Mo. Martha graduated from WCHS in 1965.
"I'm proud of my nephew who is serving our country," Wayne said of James.
Wayne said the last time he and his wife saw James was during a family reunion at Center Lake in Warsaw a few years ago.
