In April 2004, more than 60 years after World War II ended, the WWII
memorial opened to the public in Washington D.C. honoring the 16
million who served in the war, the 400,000 who perished and all who
supported the war effort at home.
With an average age of veterans being 86 years old and approximately 1,200 to 1,500 veterans dying per day, a major push began in 2005 to make sure all vets who are willing and able to visit the memorial and receive thanks could do so. The Honor Flight Network, spearheaded by Earl Morse, a retired physician and retired Air Force Captain, took its inaugural flight with 12 WWII vets from the Springfield, Ohio area to Washington D.C. to visit the memorial. Shortly after the first flight, hubs of The Honor Flight Network began popping up across the United States to carry on this tradition to allow the veterans to see their memorial, free of charge.
In April 2009, Patriot Flight Inc. of Albany took its first crew down to Washington D.C. On Saturday, October 3, Clifton Park resident and retired Navy SK2C John Newman, 83, took his flight from Albany International Airport to Maryland for his Honor Flight.
"When we landed in Baltimore, we were greeted by 50 to 60 military personnel, both men and woman and a military band. They clapped for us for more than 10 minutes. It was really a 'wow' moment," Newman said.
From Baltimore, the 38 veterans boarded a bus to D.C. The veterans then visited their memorial, as well as the Vietnam and Korean War memorials.
"As I walked through the memorials and saw the statue of the soldiers raising the flag at Iwo Jima, I could see the flag actually move as if it was being raised," Newman said. "It was an astounding, moving moment for me."
Newman, who today works as the Marketing Manager for the New York State Military Heritage Institute, was ecstatic to have been able to take this trip.
"I signed up and waited four or five months before I heard anything. I wasn't sure if I was going to get to go, and then I got the call. This was one of the best planned events I've ever been attached to," he said. "They gave us all a camera with two pieces of plastic and I wondered what that could be for. It was to cover the camera in case in rained and sure enough, it did."
Newman enlisted in the United States Navy during World War II by choice.
"I loved the water - the ocean; It was a natural choice for me to join the Navy," he said. He was stationed in Panama guarding the Canal when a hurricane ripped through the area, injuring Newman in the leg and sending him to a military hospital. He continued his duty of two and a half years before heading off to college to pursue a career in journalism and marketing. He worked as a District Manager for General Motors before moving to Clifton Park where he met his wife of 47 years, Margaret, on a blind date.
Newman recalls his days in Panama, and while he was temporarily injured and battled a bout of Malaria, he said he loved it there.
"It was just beautiful. We worked 10 days on and had five days off. When we weren't working, we would go fishing - without poles. I caught a nine-foot hammerhead shark, an 11-foot tiger shark and a 300 pound sea bass. We really enjoyed it," he said. He added that while he caught malaria in Panama, it didn't surface until he was home on leave, which disqualified him from disability payments.
"I was lucky though, I only had two attacks. Some people have many attacks and have the disease for a long time," he said.
Today, Newman is still active and doesn't see retirement as an option. As marketing manager at NYSMI, he organizes fundraisers and events on a regular basis. He also recently joined the Toast Masters speaking group. As compared to the other veterans that traveled with him to Washington D.C., Newman considers himself "a young guy."
"That trip just felt astounding. That's a good word for it," he said. "It's exciting to be a part of history and such a special event."
In April 2009, Patriot Flight Inc. of Albany took its first crew down to Washington D.C. On Saturday, October 3, Clifton Park resident and retired Navy SK2C John Newman, 83, took his flight from Albany International Airport to Maryland for his Honor Flight.
"When we landed in Baltimore, we were greeted by 50 to 60 military personnel, both men and woman and a military band. They clapped for us for more than 10 minutes. It was really a 'wow' moment," Newman said.
From Baltimore, the 38 veterans boarded a bus to D.C. The veterans then visited their memorial, as well as the Vietnam and Korean War memorials.
"As I walked through the memorials and saw the statue of the soldiers raising the flag at Iwo Jima, I could see the flag actually move as if it was being raised," Newman said. "It was an astounding, moving moment for me."
Newman, who today works as the Marketing Manager for the New York State Military Heritage Institute, was ecstatic to have been able to take this trip.
"I signed up and waited four or five months before I heard anything. I wasn't sure if I was going to get to go, and then I got the call. This was one of the best planned events I've ever been attached to," he said. "They gave us all a camera with two pieces of plastic and I wondered what that could be for. It was to cover the camera in case in rained and sure enough, it did."
Newman enlisted in the United States Navy during World War II by choice.
"I loved the water - the ocean; It was a natural choice for me to join the Navy," he said. He was stationed in Panama guarding the Canal when a hurricane ripped through the area, injuring Newman in the leg and sending him to a military hospital. He continued his duty of two and a half years before heading off to college to pursue a career in journalism and marketing. He worked as a District Manager for General Motors before moving to Clifton Park where he met his wife of 47 years, Margaret, on a blind date.
Newman recalls his days in Panama, and while he was temporarily injured and battled a bout of Malaria, he said he loved it there.
"It was just beautiful. We worked 10 days on and had five days off. When we weren't working, we would go fishing - without poles. I caught a nine-foot hammerhead shark, an 11-foot tiger shark and a 300 pound sea bass. We really enjoyed it," he said. He added that while he caught malaria in Panama, it didn't surface until he was home on leave, which disqualified him from disability payments.
"I was lucky though, I only had two attacks. Some people have many attacks and have the disease for a long time," he said.
Today, Newman is still active and doesn't see retirement as an option. As marketing manager at NYSMI, he organizes fundraisers and events on a regular basis. He also recently joined the Toast Masters speaking group. As compared to the other veterans that traveled with him to Washington D.C., Newman considers himself "a young guy."
"That trip just felt astounding. That's a good word for it," he said. "It's exciting to be a part of history and such a special event."
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