Honor Flight San Diego pays tribute to local veterans

“We can’t all be heroes,” Will Rogers once wrote. “Some of us have to stand on the curb and clap as they go by.” I learned the importance of those words recently while covering an Honor Flight San Diego trip to Washington, D.C. to celebrate our veterans. 

I was born into a U.S. Air Force family, the daughter of an Air Force officer who served in both World War II and Vietnam, the sister of two Air Force veterans, and the wife of a retired Air Force pilot and Vietnam veteran. I know what it means, and the sacrifice it takes, for veterans and their families to serve our country in both war and peace.

So, it was a special privilege to travel to our nation’s capital in April, meeting many of the 90 veterans who were honored. Their flights, hotels, meals, and tours of memorials and monuments were free, thanks to Honor Flight San Diego, founded by Dave Smith in 2010, part of a nationwide network of more than 129 chapters in the United States, which is staffed by a small army including Chairman Julie Brightwell, 13 board members, and key volunteers.

Both Smith and Brightwell got involved after taking their own fathers, both World War II veterans, on Honor Flights over the years. Since then, the San Diego hub has flown more than 2,000 veterans to Washington, D.C.

“An Honor Flight is a healing life-extending opportunity for our veterans,” Brightwell says. “We offer them an opportunity to make connections and share their stories with other veterans, their own families, our volunteers, and our San Diego community. The veterans see that their service did matter, and the nation is indeed grateful.”

On the eve of the flight, many of the honorees and their escorts, known as guardians or “battle buddies,” mingled at a get-together at the Doubletree by Hilton Bayside near the airport. There, in a surprise announcement, we learned that Sue Busby of Del Cerro, who turned 92 in June, had donated more than $300,000 to underwrite the entire flight, hotel rooms, meals, and bus transportation for all of the veterans. “Why?” I asked. “We love the USA,” she told me of her patriotic family that includes daughter Elizabeth who was a guardian on the flight for 84-year-old Bob Thomas, a former member of the U.S. Army’s Special Forces known as the Green Berets.

Guardians undergo online training prior to the flight to ensure the safety of their veterans, many of whom have health issues or need wheelchairs. Guardians, volunteers, guests, and journalists also pay for their own flights, hotels, and meals.

Priority on Honor Flights is given to veterans of World War II and Korea, and the terminally ill, followed by Vietnam veterans in order of their age.

Russ Loftman of Rancho Santa Fe, who at 97 was the senior veteran on the flight, was assisted by his grandson Will Modine, a sergeant in the National Guard. Loftman was just 17 when he enlisted in the Navy during World War II. After the war, he earned multiple college degrees and spent more than 60 years in the evolving aerospace industry.

Retired Marine Corps. Brigadier General Mike Neil, a Vietnam War hero, was escorted by his son Sean. Neil enlisted in the Marine Corps after graduating from law school at the University of California, Berkeley, earning a Navy Cross and Purple Heart for his bravery under enemy fire in Vietnam. He also had a long career as an attorney. Neil returned to active duty as Commanding General of Camp Pendleton for nine months during Operation Desert Storm.

Retired Air Force Major Neil Black was held captive in Hanoi for 2,703 days — nearly eight years — after his helicopter was shot down during a valiant attempt to rescue a downed pilot. Black was just 20 years old at the time. Asked how he survived — including eight months over the years in solitary confinement — Black had a simple reply: “By the grace of God.”

He was released during Operation Homecoming in 1973. “It was absolutely joyful, coming back home, setting foot on American soil,” he remembers. “It was without words. I had tears in my eyes.” Black earned his pilot wings on C-130 transport planes, became an instructor pilot, attended Russian language school, and had a classified assignment in East Germany before retiring as a major. His battle buddy on the trip was Paul Seitz, whom he had never met, but they soon became fast friends.

Roger Rhodes, an 86-year-old retired Navy cryptologist in Escondido, was paired with guardian Bob Kamensky, chief executive officer of Feeding San Diego. Kamensky had a distinguished 35-year career in the Navy, retiring as a rear admiral after serving as vice commander of U.S. Submarine Forces and as Commander of Submarine Forces NATO.

Despite an 18-year age difference, the two veterans quickly found common ground, and shared some remarkable coincidences. Kamensky’s father, had also served as a cryptologist; Rhodes and Kamensky both once lived in San Angelo, Texas, home of the cryptology school where Kamensky’s Dad taught; and both men had ties to the nuclear-powered submarine the USS Drum (named after a type of fish). Rhodes helped build the sub, and 13 years later, Kamensky served aboard it, his first assignment in the Navy. 

The next morning, veterans, battle buddies, and volunteers boarded an Alaska Airlines charter at Lindbergh Field. Airport personnel applauded the veterans, and the ground crew waved red, white, and blue flags as the plane left the ramp and taxied toward the runway. Once airborne, a highlight of the flight was “mail call,” a tradition cherished by homesick servicemen and servicewomen over the decades. Each honoree was surprised with a thick package of letters, notes, and cards from well-wishers from all over the country: school children, scout troops, sports teams, veterans groups, and more. “Thank you so much for your service and sacrifice,” read one of the notes from Aimee in Dunnellon, Florida. “You are loved and forever in our hearts.” There were also personal letters, notes, and cards from family and friends that drew smiles, laughter, and tears.

When the plane landed at Baltimore/Washington International Airport, water cannons greeted the flight, along with “Squire Frederick” Taylor, the official Town Crier of Annapolis, dressed in 1700s garb. “God bless our veterans. God bless America,” he shouted. “Land of the free because of the brave!” School children and supporters cheered and clapped as veterans, many with walkers or in wheelchairs, headed down the ramp into the terminal.

Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Dwight Wait of Carlsbad, who was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses for his service in Vietnam and later served in the California Air National Guard, was met by son, Tyler, his battle buddy, as well as daughter Kristen and son Bryon, all of whom flew separately to join the tour. Coincidentally, Wait’s nephew Nathan, an Allegiant Air pilot, flew another Honor Flight group that same weekend from Florida to the same airport.

From then on, it was a whirlwind weekend that began with a welcome dinner and color guard. We learned that Earl Morse, a retired Air Force captain and private pilot, founded Honor Flight in 2005 in Springfield, Ohio, flying World War II veterans to Washington, D.C. in small planes. Jeff Miller had a bigger idea: chartering a 737 to fly more than 300 veterans to the U.S. Capitol in 2006. The two men later joined forces, co-founding the Honor Flight Network, which to date has flown more than 300,000 veterans to D.C.

On Saturday, veterans and their escorts embarked on the “Tour of Honor,” visiting memorials for the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy. The group also toured memorials commemorating World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam.

Called the “Jewel of the National Mall,” the World War II Memorial is located between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. It is composed of 17-foot-high columns representing each state in the union, and 24 bas relief displays depicting both the battlefield and home front. The Freedom Wall has 4,048 gold stars, each signifying 100 Americans who died in the conflict. “The gold stars representing the casualties, the cost you pay for being a free country, was the most emotional part of the trip,” World War II veteran Russ Loftman later told me.

Dedicated in 1995, the Korean War Memorial honors the 5.8-million Americans who served in the conflict. It includes “The Column,” dramatic stainless steel sculptures by Frank Gaylord of 19 armed servicemen crossing a field, and a 164-foot-long Mural Wall sandblasted with photographs of troops by Louis Nelson.

Here I spoke with Lee Coffey, an 88-year-old veteran who was a medic in Korea from 1953-1956, treating hundreds of veterans in a field hospital. Coffey says he is grateful for the memorial, although it brought back some painful memories. “There are people we were charged with keeping alive who didn’t make it,” he said quietly. “We did our best.”

Coffey’s battle buddy was his grandson Tristan King, who serves with Homeland Security. King wanted to learn about the Korean conflict and said he is proud of his grandfather’s service and life-saving efforts.

Designed by Yale architecture student Maya Lin in a nationwide contest, The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated on November 13, 1982. Located between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, “The Wall,” as it is known, is especially emotional for veterans and their families. Slabs of black granite are etched with the names of 58,276 dead or missing members of the armed forces.” Too many names,” one veteran told me quietly, as we stood, staring at the wall.

Robert Thomas, a Green Beret who spent three years in Vietnam, said he “broke down like a baby” when he saw the wall for the first time. “I was able to see it, feel it, touch it,” he told me upon his return to his Valley Center home. “I feel so much better for having seen it. I got the hate out of me at the wall. I can’t describe what that wall did for me, but it was good medicine.” Thomas declined to talk about his painful experiences as part of his elite fighting force, but after seeing the wall he says he is now sleeping better than he has in years.

Another Vietnam veteran in our group was a “Screaming Eagle,” a member of the 101^st Airborne Division of the U.S. Army, a unit known for its daring parachute jumps into enemy territory. He found the name of his late battalion commander on the wall, a lieutenant colonel who died in a fierce, 23-day battle at Fire Support Base Ripcord, one of the bloodiest of the war. “He was a good officer,” the veteran reflected as he stared at the names on the wall. “We were all good.” Then he shook his head. “And now they say the war was a mistake?”

Coast Guard veteran Larry Brooks of Del Mar and his grandson Tom found another familiar name on the granite walls, Coast Guard Lieutenant JG Dave Brostom, Brooks’ friend when they both attended the Coast Guard Academy. Brostom and Engineman Second Class Jerry Phillips were the first Coast Guardsmen killed in action in Vietnam on August 11, 1966 — but by friendly fire. Brooks had a much different fate. He had a long career, including 23 years in the Coast Guard, and is now president of the Del Mar Historical Society and a longtime community volunteer.

After scanning the wall, Dwight Wait found the name of a fellow pilot shot down in Vietnam. A young boy quickly climbed a ladder and obtained a pencil rubbing of the name, handing it to the veteran. Although offered money for his services, the boy refused. A heartfelt thank you was enough.

One of the most memorable moments during the tour was at the Marine Corps Memorial in Arlington County where, beneath the famous bronze statue of Marines hoisting an American flag over Iwo Gima, a group of veterans including Retired Brigadier General Mike Neil spontaneously broke into a rousing rendition of the Marines’ Hymn. “From the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli,” they sang, “We fight our country’s battles in the air, on land, and sea…”  After viewing so many “cold granite memorials and cold bronze men,” Brooks later told me, “The veterans standing and singing brought the memorial to life.” 

One of the most compelling monuments to me is the Lincoln Memorial, honoring the late president Abraham Lincoln, who tried to reunite a struggling nation after the Civil War led to the end of slavery. It was here, four decades after the memorial was built that Martin Luther King, Jr. stood on its steps to deliver his “I Have a Dream” speech. The slain civil rights leader now has his own towering memorial etched in granite, dedicated by President Barack Obama in October 2011, where Honor Flight veterans also paused to pay their respects.“

I was very emotionally impacted by this trip,” says Kamensky, who recalls that Roger Rhodes at one point asked him to stop so he could have a private conversation with a wheelchair-bound Vietnam veteran, who is Black. “Both men were streaming tears,” said Kamensky. Rhodes later told me by phone: “I took the veteran by the hand and said, ‘I just want to apologize for the way you were treated…I want to thank you for your service.’”

Before boarding buses back to our hotel, we watched a flag folding ceremony in honor of Neil Black, the former prisoner of war in Vietnam. “Thank you all for being here to honor Neil in such a special way for his huge sacrifice to our country,” team leader Saundra Cima told the crowd. “Freedom is not free. He proved that by serving 2,703 days [in captivity.]”

After a celebratory closing dinner, we packed up and got ready for the early morning flight back to San Diego. During the trip, veterans and their battle buddies reminisced about all they had seen and experienced. Little did many of them know what awaited them. As the plane touched down at Lindbergh Field, water cannons announced their arrival and a Navy Honor Guard saluted the veterans as they deplaned.

At the Terminal Two baggage claim, a crowd estimated at 1,500 greeted the veterans with signs and banners, cheers and applause. There were balloons, bands, beauty queens, junior marines, scout troops, schoolteachers, and veterans from previous flights. “Welcome, Home!” cried the emcee over and over as the veterans came into view. “This is all for you! Thank you for your service!”

Veterans, many of whom had received no such homecoming, especially, after the Vietnam War, seemed stunned by the stirring reception. “That brought tears to my eyes,” said World War II veteran Russ Loftman. “It was an astounding demonstration of appreciation. It made an impression on me, that people understand what being a veteran has meant.”

Retired Navy Chief Petty Officer Bruce Plummer of Escondido, 86, who also served in Vietnam and spent most of his 20-year career in classified Navy communications, called the entire Honor Flight experience “awe inspiring.” His son Jeff, who was his battle buddy, also had a wonderful time, he says. “It gave us a chance to bond more together.”

Feeding America’s Kamensky was so moved by his experience that he has already signed up to become a guardian on an Honor Flight next spring. “There is a sense of camaraderie among the brotherhood of arms that transcends the different generations who were represented on the Honor Flight regardless of your age, the theatre you were involved in, whether you were in combat or not,” he told me.

Rhodes later told me he was grateful that Kamensky was his battle buddy, and humbled by the entire experience. He plans to write notes to all the people who sent him cards and letters for the flight’s “mail call.” That could take quite a while — more than 60 people thanked him for his service. “I don’t think Webster’s Dictionary has a word that describes what that trip meant to me,” he later told me by phone. “It’s a trip that I wish every veteran could take.” 

In the cheering crowd was a beaming Sue Busby, the generous donor who had sponsored the flight. Dressed in red, white, and blue, she waved an American flag in honor of all those who serve our country in both war and peace. She reminded me of what Will Rogers once wrote: “We can’t all be heroes. Some of us have to stand on the curb and clap as they go by.”

Honor Flight San Diego is open to all veterans who served in the U.S. military from the start of WW II in 1941 to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. Combat service or foreign deployment is not required. There is currently a waiting list of 600 Vietnam veterans, so younger veterans in their 70s may have a two-to-three-year wait. The community is welcome to sponsor a veteran for about $3,000 or become a battle buddy for $950. To apply either as a veteran or as a battle buddy, visit the Honor Flight San Diego website. 800.655.6997, honorflightsandiego.org