FReeper Wheelbarrow in Akron's First Honor Flight /for WW2 Vets-09-08-07 [After action report #41]

Honor Flight ^ | 4 September 2007 | DollyCali

[DollyCali]

FReeper Wheelbarrow(Bronze Star recipient) - part of Akron's First Honor Flight - for WW2 Vets - Sept 8, 2007

Freeper Social in Grand Island NY : AFPhys; The Mayor, Wheelbarrow, NYTexan

Wheelbarrow has been a FReeper for a few years. He lurks alot & has participated in many FReeps in Ohio, was active in the 04 national election & rallies & went to DC in 2005 for several events in FReeperdom.

He is 82 & was part of the European Theater in WW2. He received a bronze star for the efforts in the war.

Honor Flight i s a marvelous program only a few years old. It provides FREE FLIGHTS & ALL EXPENSES for a one day trip to DC so the vets can see the memorial before they die. It originated in Ohio & most flights have been from Columbus, Cleveland & Cincinnati.

The first flight from Akron is this Saturday & Wheelbarrow, will be part of it. The program is spreading throughout the USA & is designed to help the men & women who may not be able to get to DC at this point due to financial or physical reasons. Wheelchairs, volunteers, "you name it" assistance is available.

I am putting in the schedule with the hopes that any DC FReepers who can be there in the time slot for the Honor Flight at the WW2 memorial might be there. (bring signs?).There will no doubt be good media coverage & Sen Bob Dole will be part of the events at the WW2 memorial.

I know there is a morning FReep in Olney..perhaps afterwards some could join the memorial trip folks.

Say hi to Bill (wheelbarrow) & do take pix of him with digitals for this thread please.

Here is the schedule they have provided the men participating:

For fun & some laughs please visit the ONLY thread Wheelbarrow has posted.. (he thought he was posting a reply in a thread. ) Heoo Dolly

Kristinn, Wheelbarrow & Bert at Walter Reed spring 2005.



Bill & FReeper Pups Josy & Toby taking a break on a hot long afternoon FReeping Fred Phelps Creeps



Following the White House Correspondents FReep, relaxing in hotel with food/drink prior to rreturn to Ohio

[DollyCali]

Coshcton, OH? that isn’t too far from where I am

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

Going to a wedding.

By my calculations Wheelbarrow would have been 19 in 1944 - just a kid.

[DollyCali]

Wheelbarrow will TRY hard to sign in & answer your remarks everyone

. He seems to have misplaced his password & with Jim on the road on way to GOE, might not get it. He had it on a little sticky on his computer. Hope he can find it

Also today he is having oral surgery & quite a few teeth pulled, dug out.. OUCH.

[Mama_Bear]

....& with Jim on the road on way to GOE,

Jim isn't on this road trip, Dolly. He had previous commitments and wasn't able to go this time.

[Kitty Mittens]

God Bless this Good and Dear Man! (On Another Note, I Clicked on the Link you Posted Called “Heoo Dolly” and Laughed So Much I Cried, Lol!)

[DollyCali]

well, 20 hits with a wet noodle. that is what I get for ASSuming huh?

[daisyscarlett]

Give my best to Wheelbarrow.

I do hope he is recovered enough from his oral surgery to enjoy it but after all he endured during WWII, I am sure it will be a piece of cake for him. He sure didn't make it to age 82 by making poor decisions or being a wimp!!

[daisyscarlett]

I have not been to D.C. since the Memorial was finished but I sure hope I get to see it some day soon. What a fantastic job our very own Bob Dole did in getting it erected etc.

[Albion Wilde]

Great thread, Dolly! Wheelbarrow was awesome when he came to DC with you in 2006 and did a "Threeper" — 3 FReeps in 24 hours! Walter Reed on Friday night, Fred Phelps at Bethesda Naval Hospital on Saturday morning, and the 2006 White House Correspondents' dinner on Saturday afternoon. Whatta guy! Here are two more of your photos, Dolly, from the Correpondents' dinner FReep:

BillF, Wheelbarrow and Hellinahandcart

[VOA]

“Mr.Pinkney had 5 Bronze Stars.”

H-ll, it sounds like there’s a real story there.

Looks like Mr. Pickney packed a lot into his life.

http://www.theprophets.com/Passages/BillPinkney.htm

[DollyCali]

Thanks for posting those Albion. I saw Bill this PM at the cemetery(where I walk dogs).. He had ALL of his teeth extracted & was bleeding pretty heavily,

Poor guy.Too bad this couldn’t wait until after the DC trip but the oral surgery was scheduled before he had the notification on the DC trip.

He was on way to get some tylenol3 for pain.

[DollyCali]

thanks for that link. Bill P put on quite a show (all of the Drifters did).. He was talking & interacting enthusiastically with the audience & the fellow Drifters. We were all surprised & saddened to hear of his death.

[DollyCali]

Hi all.. well, Bill is in the air NOW. and it is a HUGE group going 90 WW 2 vets. The man who did the sculptures for the memorial is going to be in DC also.

They do NOT know if they are going to Arlington or to Roosevelt memorial. Each group votes & decided which they will see. I will post when he calls.

I know all of you are so busy & it is NOT convenient to just drop into that area, like the neighborhood grocery store! If any can be there I think you will be moved (and I would LOVE pix). To be wtih 90 vets .. plus the ones that will be there as tourists independently

one downer - Bill had ALL OF HIS TEETH extracted on Wed & has been given two plates. He is in a great deal of pain with that & the shingles. He is such a trooper however & was so looking forward to this trip. I pray he will have minimal pain

[The Mayor]

What an Honor! Wheelbarrow and Dolly you guys rock.

It was such a pleasure meeting you Wheelbarrow, to make that round trip in one day to come here is a challenge in it’s self.

Thank you!

[Kitty Mittens]

I pray he will have minimal pain

Amen, and my Prayers are with him for a Quick Healing, through our Savior's Grace.

[DollyCali]

I just got back from the airport welcoming him & all other of the 93 vets back. It was awesome . Several hundered from VFW, familiies, HS band etc.

Report /pix upcoming in next couple days.. Bill is still in a lot of pain & hasn’t eaten much but had a great time. The temps there were in 90s .

[Kitty Mittens]

I'm Looking Forward to the Report and Pics, and Thanks be to our Lord for His Hand of Blessing Over the Event!

Bill is still in my Prayers, in our Redeemer's Lovely Name.

[Wheelbarrow]

I served inn the ETO (UK, France, Belgium, Germany...and also covered assignments to the Netherlands, Slovenia, Switzerland, Italy...and passed by, and saw, Lichtenstein). I was in combat, and injured, w/the 26th Inf. Div in the Alsace. After being released from the hospital in England I joined the 9th AF Service Command in a support function.

[mylife]

Wow! You were all over the continent.

Thank you for your service Wheelbarrow.

[Wheelbarrow]

Your info here does me extreme honor. Actually the flight to DC and back exceeded my fondest anticipation. Earl Morse and his staff (including mostly volunteers) couldn't do enough for us to be sure we could see our Memorial and others. We were made to feel like heroes (including a ceremonial “wash down” (given only to important visiting foreign dignitaries) as we taxied to the Regan Terminal. It is sad to note but statistics say many of us will not be around at this time next year, so the honor given us seemed overwhelming. The weather was beautiful; large crowds turned out to cheer us at many points along the way...even Sen. Bob Dole, himself a badly wounded veteran, turned out to greet us individually. I can only hope that fellow FRKeepers may find it in their ability to contribute something to Honor Flight, for after the WWII vets have been transported, the organization moves on to the Korean, then the Vietnam, etc. It should be noted that, veterans of any war who are deemed “terminal” soon, can “step to the front of the line.” Honor Flight is expanding across our nation so you may now/soon have a chapter in your area. Finally, I, and lots of others of you, are deeply indebted to FRKeeper, Dolly Howard, for helping me to get this honor. Funny thing about this “hero business”: at the time we were “just doing our job” under miserable conditions, and to be so honored like this is fantastic, and I must publicly thank Dolly for her unselfish help along the way