Editor:

Last Wednesday, I was fortunate to be a part of the World War II Honor Flight III to Washington, D.C.

Many thanks are due to the people who made this possible. Dr. Barry Boothe worked tirelessly and joyfully. Fred Hayek very graciously sponsored me; Douglas Nester, my guardian for the day, saw to my every need. I would like to name all the volunteers individually but that is not possible. They spent countless hours of hard work to make this trip a reality.

My wife and I spent an evening reading and enjoying the letters written by children from area schools. Rest assured we will be in good hands with this next generation.

The trip was so well coordinated that each stop went like clockwork. I knew we were scheduled to visit the war memorials. I can tell you that this trip was so much more. The greetings we received at every stop were both humbling and surprising.

A special thank you to the locals who welcomed us home at the Mobile Regional Airport; it was awesome! My heartfelt gratitude to all involved in this endeavor from a former Naval aviator.

Retired U.S. Navy Cmdr.

Fairhope