HONORED: Flight makes right

Our 94-year-old Uncle Bill Baker from Tacoma just returned from his Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., thanks to the Puget Sound Honor Flight Organization. Uncle Bill served in the U.S. Navy on the SS New York in the Atlantic, and on the SS Biloxi in the Pacific where he saw lots of action.

Uncle Bill said his Honor Flight was, without a doubt, the best weekend of his life — and he has had a lot of good weekends! They visited the WWII memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, and a few more. The Honor Flight’s tour buses are the only ones allowed to drive through Arlington National Cemetery, where he was able to see Audie Murphy’s grave. The best part of his trip was on the flight back to Seattle when the flight attendants had a “mail call” for each of the veterans as they were handed a package of letters written by school children, church groups and personal friends. Uncle Bill said every one of the 90-year-olds was crying like a baby. He said this past weekend was the first time he actually felt like a hero. Uncle Bill’s wonderful Honor Flight experience demonstrates there is no better way to honor our veterans.

There are over 20,000 U.S. veterans on the waiting list for Honor Flights. We hope this letter will inspire increased charitable giving to Honor Flight and other worthy veteran organizations.

KATHY and DALE FOSTER

Hayden