Cheektowaga, NY (WBEN) After a weekend that seemed like a whirlwind, with stops at numerous military memorials including Arlington, the 37 veterans of Honor Flight return home. It falls on the same night as the Sabres' first playoff game in 15 years, but the roar at KeyBank Center doesn't rival the cheers at Buffalo Niagara International Airport.
Eugene Pierce served as a military policeman from 1958-64. He says he takes away the camaraderie among his fellow veterans. "Soldiers that had the same had gone through the same experience I had, but I didn't realize it, so they felt the same way about certain things that was not pleasant, and certain things that were pleasant, so it was, it was the realization that others felt the same way I did, and they were coping with their situation, I was coping with mine, but I didn't realize it. So it gives me a clarity of mind that I've done the best I could," says Pierce. He says something gnawed at him over the years. "It was that, why did I give some, but I didn't give all, and I realized that was not up to me, that was up to God," says Pierce, He says Honor Flight showed him he was the rule, not the exception.
Honor Flight veterans return homeTom Puckett WBEN Photo
Honor Flight homecomingTom Puckett WBEN Photo
Gordon Pierce served in the Navy. He says serving made him feel more like a man. He says he's grateful for the experience. "I think Honor Flight is great for the veterans, well organized and well run, and I never thought about putting in for it until last November, December, and a friend of mine said, get your papers, and it might be a year, it was about a month and a half when they called me, so it was quite quick, and my daughter, she, she was my guardian, went with me," says Pierce. He notes the staff "overfeeds" the veterans, as snacks were provided at each stop.
Carl Stange says Honor Flight helped him heal from his time in Marines and Navy. "You can look at them and say they're doing good, and it makes me say, I don't have to feel like crap all the time. I can just get out and do my thing too. I ride a 1200 Harley. So I just like to get up and go. One of these days I'm flying to take off to California," says Stange
Russ Casterline's great-granddaughter greets him at Honor FlightTom Puckett WBEN Photo
.Fred Nussbaum says the homecoming he received that Sunday night was something he wished he received coming home from Vietnam. "It's about time things, especially for those who came back from Vietnam, people are recognizing our service," says Nussbaum. He credits the Vietnam Veterans of America for helping him through that as well, and let him know about applying for Honor Flight
IF you know of a veteran who may be interested, you can learn about applying here.
