Last year, I traveled with my 81-year old father to Washington to see the WWII memorial. In fact, I believe I wrote about it. I’ll search and send again. Until then….please read on.
-----Original Message-----
From: BettyFritz@aol.com [mailto:BettyFritz@aol.com]
Jeff,
I was hoping that you might be interested in some news about the good works of one of Jerry and Betty Fritz’s childhood Kingsport friends. This is about the deeds of Col. Henry T. Johnson, USAF, retired. Henry was a 1963 D-B graduate with us and is an Air Force Academy grad. His father was W. Pope Johnson, DDS, our family’s dentist until he retired and they were members of Waverly Road Presbyterian Church with my family. What a wonderful family they were!
After retirement, Henry settled in the suburbs of Hendersonville, NC (Laurel Park) and has been very active in community affairs there, as United Way director and as Laurel Park Mayor as well as some that I probably do not even know about!
I’d offered him my UT – AF football tickets in September and he already had tickets, but we communicated via e-mail several times about the game. He sent me some info on a very wonderful project and I looked at the http://www.honorair.com/ web site that he pointed me to and copied some Hendersonville News info to save. I was wondering if this is something that you’d like to publish in one of your “blog things.” Henry said it was fine and if you’d like to communicate with him about it in more detail, his e-mail address is oldpronc@gmail.com. I’d feel really good to see a hometown fellow get some well-deserved publicity.
What a wonderful community effort this is! We will be watching the CBS Sunday Morning program this Sunday, September, 24th. Apparently this is a “first” for this type of event. I wonder how many WWII veterans are still alive in the Tri-Cities area? Could this be a community effort that the Tri-Cities folks would be interested in? Living in Northern Virginia at this time makes it difficult for me to do much organization as I don’t have the appropriate contacts in the Kingsport area. If someone is interested in a local Tri-Cities HonorAir program, I’ll write the first contribution check for $250.00. In the last e-mail I received from Henry, it looks like he will be working on making a task list so that other communities could do this too.
Thanks for reading my communication and attachments.
One attachment is a newspaper article I copied.
Betty Fritz
bettyfritz@aol.com
August 31. 2006 12:00AM
HonorAir to touch down in D.C.
About 220 veterans who fought and sacrificed in Europe and the Pacific during World War II will visit their National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., thanks to the generosity of the residents of Henderson County.
"What we're doing has never been done," said Frank Schell, a member of the HonorAir Committee.
All the county's World War II veterans who signed up are being taken as a group to visit the memorial, at no cost to the veterans. Residents have set an example for the rest of the nation to follow.
"This community has done something never seen," said HonorAir Chairman Jeff Miller. "We're going to print up a guide for any other community who wants to do this."
Within six months, residents young and old rallied together, raised more than $100,000 and volunteered their time as guardians to honor the county's World War II veterans.
"We're here because of the support and sacrifice you gave us," Schell said to the veterans who gathered in one of two orientation meetings Wednesday at the Opportunity House.
"We're so proud of you," Henry Johnson, commmittee member and mayor of Laurel Park, said to the veterans. "From the heart of this community, thank you very much. You are the parade and the rest of the community is standing on the side clapping."
The veterans and guardians will travel in two USAir 737 Boeing jets from the Asheville Regional Airport to Washington. One jet will leave Sept. 23 and the other group of veterans will travel Sept. 24. The jets are larger than the normal planes that arrive and depart from the Asheville Regional Airport. A special ramp is being brought to the airport, along with additional security staff. Each person traveling on the planes will receive one free parking pass.
"USAir and Homeland Security are embracing you like you can't imagine," Miller told the veterans.
Upon arrival in Washington, veterans and guardians will board motor coaches and travel to the Washington Mall to tour the memorial and have a box lunch. There will also be an opportunity to tour the Korean War and Vietnam War memorials and the Iwo Jima Memorial. A visit will be made to Arlington National Cemetery.
"We want this to be one of the best days of your life," Schell said to the assembled veterans, who represent all military service branches and range in age from their late 70s to 102.
There will be a couple of surprises built into the itinerary, Schell said.
"Lots of things will happen we're not telling you about," Miller said.
The guardians are paying their way, with some guardians taking commercial flights earlier each day so veterans on a waiting list could have their seats. As a result, there is no longer a waiting list of veterans, Miller said.
"The guardians are giving their time and money in support of the greatest generation," Schell said.
"My father was in the Air Force," said Mills River firefighter Rick Livingston, who is volunteering his time as a guardian and EMT. "Both my parents taught my brother and I we should return something to the community. It's an added incentive to be able to return something to those folks who did so much for this country."
Through fundraisers, donations and grants the residents of Henderson County raised more than $100,000 to charter the jets and motor coaches and pay for other expenses.
"I'd like to see the new memorial," said Navy veteran Melvin Wieland, who saw service in the Pacific and Atlantic theaters. "It's an honor to all of us."
"It'll be an interesting trip," said Marine Corps veteran LeRoy Hawkins.
Army Air Corps veteran J.H. Stepp is also looking forward to seeing the memorials. He will be accompanied by his grandson, J.H. Stepp IV, who serves in the National Guard and volunteered as a guardian.
Veterans must arrive at the Asheville Regional Airport before 7:30 a.m. on the day of their assigned flight. Guardians will be there to assist the veterans with paperwork, tickets and security.
One medical doctor and three emergency medical technicians will be aboard each flight.
Three motor coaches will be awaiting the veterans upon arrival in Washington.
The jets are expected to arrive back at the Asheville Regional Airport between 7:30 and 8:15 p.m. each day.
Veterans must bring a photo identification. If any medication is needed, the name on the medication must match that on the photo identification.
Manual wheelchairs, walkers and canes can be brought if needed. Electric wheelchairs will not be allowed. There will be wheelchairs and scooters at the memorial for veterans who may need the help.
No oxygen tanks will be allowed, but oxygen concentrators are allowed.
Veterans may bring light rain gear, an umbrella, cameras and cell phones. No sun lotions, creams, food or water can be brought onto the planes. Food and beverages will be provided on the flights.
Veterans are also reminded that pocketknives, scissors and lighters are not allowed on the planes.
Each veteran will receive a phone call from an assigned guardian in the next few days. Any questions about the trip or what is allowed on the plane should be given to the guardian.
For more information about HonorAir or to make a donation, visit www.HonorAir.com.
The American Legion Post 77 in Hendersonville, N.C. raised $2326 for HonorAir through their spaghetti dinner on Saturday August 19, 2006. “We served over 365 dinners last Saturday night,” said Ed Schaffer, spoke person for The American Legion. “We were very happy with the turnout for this event. So many people wanted to come out and support our World War II Veterans and help make this trip to Washington, D.C. possible,” he added.
All proceeds from this event go directly to the Honor Air Fund and will help our local World War II Veterans go to Washington, D.C. to see their memorial. “This spaghetti dinner was a wonderful fundraiser for HonorAir not only in terms of funds raised but also in getting the word out about the importance of this project,” said Jeff Miller, chairman of the HonorAir project. “The American Legion has done so much to support this project, and their efforts continue to be invaluable to ensuring this event happen,” he added.
Honor Air is a program organized by local volunteers to pay tribute to our Henderson County World War II Veterans, by sponsoring tours to Washington, DC, to visit their World War II Memorial. More than 200 local veterans are signed up for these one-day tours, which are scheduled for Saturday, September 23, and Sunday, September 24, 2006. The veterans and their guardians will travel by chartered aircraft from Asheville, NC to Washington, D.C. Upon arrival, they will board motor coaches and travel to the Washington Mall to tour the World War II Memorial and enjoy a box lunch. There will also be an opportunity to tour the Korean War Veterans, Vietnam Veterans and Iwo Jima Memorials. If time permits, the coaches will make a slow, respectful tour of Arlington National Cemetery before returning to the airport.
For more information about HonorAir or to make a donation please visit www.HonorAir.com.
