A luncheon to honor WWII and Korean War Veterans was held at Foothill Village on Wednesday October 30, 2013.
Of the 15 WWII veterans in residence 11 of them attended the luncheon in their honor.
Each shared a small bit of their experiences all with humor and pride.
Wes was a pilot for United Airlines when Pearl Harbor hit. A waiver was put in for Wes to fly as a civilian pilot at the young age of 20 as the Air Corp was hiring civilian pilots yet the age requirement was 21. "It was a race between the draft and the waiver." The waiver won. Wes completed many missions in Europe and the Middle East.
Roy - Army Air Corps 42-46, stationed in India on a C-46 flying "the hump" a treacherous flight over the Himalayas.
Jack - Army 42-46, called himself the expendable 2nd Lt. "We had to scratch by, when they said 'go home' I couldn't go fast enough." Stationed in Germany he met up with the Russians at the Elk River and found out "how much vodka they could drink."
Kay, 42-45 WAVE officer and radar school superintendent. (WAVE - Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service)
Ike - Air Force 48-52, Air Traffic Control. "One time they buzzed the tower and hit it! With me in it!" Stationed in Alaska Ike could "see Russians flying all around" on any given day.
John- Navy 42-45, Pearl City Canton Island.
Elmer, Navy, parachute rigger. In Guam on VJ day. Spent time in an air squadron "touring targets."
Dick - Army 40-44 Army Signal Corp. Enlisted 9/40 as a private and "ended as a Lt." In a platoon of 110 he spent time in Europe, Ireland and Vienna.
Dorothy - Navy 45-46, supply store keeper on Treasure Island. First worked at Camp Parkinson with the Seabees supplying the hospital unit and the POW camp with an eventual move to Treasure Island.
John - Air Force 42-52, Pilot flying Belgium, Germany, England and France.
Ray - with a military career spanning 43 years Ray has served in the Naval Reserves, the National Guard, Army and Air Force. When Ray's older brother Tony was taken Prisoner of war at the Battle of the Bulge Ray asked his parents permission to enlist, they acquiesced to his request even though he was merely 16 years old. Ray was active during the Korean War, the Cuban missile crisis, Vietnam War, the invasion of Panama, and the first Gulf War. Active most of this time in a transport crew Ray would bring "troops in and mostly bring bodies back. A whole lot of bodies back in caskets draped with flags. Part of my job was to read the names on the manifest with respect, with honor, they deserved respect." It was common that when delivery troops or supplies the engines would not be shut off nor would the plane come to a complete stop, "before you land you open the back door, still taxiing, and begin off loading. We would circle the field a few times before coming in to lessen the possibility of getting hit."
