 George Guest and other WWII Veterans in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Debbie Rogers/Sentinel-Tribune)
What the Bowling Green veteran didn't anticipate was the sense that the developers had so perfectly captured the essence of World War II in the United States - especially since it was built some 40 years after the end.
Parker was touched by the wreaths representing each state and territory with bronze rope intertwining. The entire circle of the memorial - seemingly perfectly situated exactly between the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument - represents the unification of a nation during a terrible time, she believes.
"We were in step together. We had a job to do, with no bickering. I can't remember any dissension," said Parker, who traveled to the memorial Wednesday with Honor Flight of Northwest Ohio.
The Toledo-based group made its inaugural flight with 29 veterans, including five from Wood County.
The day was also symbolic for Travis Chapin, a flight "guardian" who helped veterans with everything from pushing wheelchairs to taking pictures for them.
Chapin, who is a professor of construction management at Bowling Green State University, paid $300 to be on the flight. He was honoring the memory of his father, Robert, who flew bombers in WWII.
"Symbolically, it gives me a chance to take my dad to the WWII Memorial," he said.
Snapshots like this were captured all day in the nation's capital.
There was the WWII veteran who walked to the Vietnam Memorial where he could find his son's name on the wall of the dead; Wednesday would have been his birthday. Another veteran talked about torture by the Japanese as a prisoner of war.
Not all the pictures were sad.
Vincent Wilczynski of Walbridge embraced his son, Vince, at the entrance. Vince, a captain at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, flew in from Connecticut to tour the memorial with his dad.
Wilczynski said the memorial made him feel happy and content. He traded stories with George Guest of Rossford.
"Where were you on D-Day?" Wilczynski boomed.
Watching all these ships go by, replied Guest. At the time, he added, he had no idea they were headed for France and liberation.
"That was the best secret that was ever kept," Guest said. "Not even journalists knew."
Wilczynski, a Coast Guard vet, said, "The day before D-Day, I was in the English Channel - and they didn't tell us it had been canceled."
He was part of the Normandy invasion the next day, June 6, 1944.
Walking back into the memorial after lunch, which included visits from former Sen. Bob Dole, who led fundraising efforts for the memorial, and Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, Wilczynski tipped his tattered Navy hat toward another Honor Flight veteran.
"Hey, salty!" he called.
Honor Flights from Florida, Kansas and Alabama also made the trip Wednesday.
Founder Earl Morse said time is of the essence.
The non-profit group has flown 6,000 veterans to the memorial over the last three years. But that number seems paltry, he said, when 1,000 veterans die everyday.
"Every World War II veteran in this nation who is capable of getting on a plane will get here," Morse pledged, as he accepted salutes and hugs. "They just need to stay healthy."
Dee Pakulski, director of Honor Flight of Northwest Ohio, said donations are needed to keep sending area vets to Washington. Wednesday's charter flight cost $22,000, not including bus transportation and meals.
Pakulski also arranges "extras," like the water cannon arches made by fire trucks sprayed over the plane in Toledo and Dulles, the marching band and color guard welcoming the group home, and the Lake Middle School students wildly waving American flags while the vets boarded.
Walter Foley of Northwood said he appreciated seeing the kids.
"It made it feel like it was worthwhile."
Both Foley and Guest said they were approached by countless tourists and visitors at the WWII Memorial who thanked them profusely for their service.
"I have no idea how many came up. Really," Guest said. "It gives you a tingle. Somebody does that and they don't have to."
Two Wood County fundraisers are planned for Honor Flight of Northwest Ohio.
¥ Volunteers will staff a booth at Walbridge's Rally by the Rails May 16-17.
¥ Members will also be at the American Roadhouse Parking Lot Party in Perrysburg May 16 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
On the Net:
honorflightnwo.org  Mary Jane Parker at the WWII Memorial. 4/30/08 (Photo by: Debbie Rogers/Sentinel-Tribune) All photos by J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune
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1Comment
at Thursday, 01 May 2008 07:46
FYI....Jim Tichy is coming to speak about the Honor Flight at BG Kiwanis meeting May 29th.
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