Honor Flight trip was memorable experience
Our local veterans George Hirschkamp and Carol Karr recently took the Honor Flight back to Washington, D.C. Also, Carol would like any other veterans to know that this Honor Flight trip is for any World War II veterans. Here is the details of their trip.
Arriving at 6 a.m. on that Thursday morning they were just looking for some coffee and food. Finally, the plane took off at around 8 a.m. When they got on the plane they were all given a duffle bag full of different treats, letters, and gifts. There were many letters from young elementary kids on up to high schoolers or older. They enjoyed the five hour flight getting to know everyone on the plane. When they touched down in Washington, D.C., the trip began.
They got to spend about an hour at each memorial, which wasn’t nearly enough, but fun. Carol’s favorite memorial was the World War II memorial. Reason being was because she had a couple people she knew who died, including a cousin that went missing in a submarine.
When she served she was in the Navy for 14 months.
George loved the soldiers that presented at the tomb of the unknown soldier. He stated, “The precision was incredible!”
George was in China for a year-and-a-half before the war started. When the war broke out, he was locked in prison for four years, 1 month and 176 days someone counted.
Their favorite part of the trip was when the police officers had their lights and sirens on to block off traffic wherever the veterans walked. They said they felt like V.I.P members.
Every kid to adult would stop just to shake their hand. During lunch, they didn’t waste any time going to a restaurant, so while their bus driver chaffered them around they ate their box lunches.
It was a very short but magnificent time and they both wanted to thank: Windsor Elementary, Ferris High School, Jenifer Junior High, Mead High School, South Pines Elementary, Sandpoint High School, Farmin-Stidwell Elementary, Westwood Middle School, Continuous Curriculum School, Freeman Elementary, Freeman High School, East Valley Middle School, Priest River Elementary School, Esther Reed Chapter, Priest Lake Elementary, and anyone else who contributed to their trip.
They would especially like to thank Paula Marano, their guardian on the trip. She did and helped with everything that they needed. She actually even led three different veterans around. Carol and George were both very thankful to everyone and would go again in a heartbeat.
MADIE SLATON
Cocolalla