Four Purple Heart veterans of the Vietnam War were treated to a two-day trip to the country’s capital to view memorials of the war they each gave blood in over 50 years ago.
Jamestown, New York’s Post-Journal reported that the Buffalo Niagara Honor Flight group took the four veterans from the area on the special trip last month.
The Honor Flight Network generally flies veterans to Washington for day trips and invites family members along for a memorable and solemn experience.
Barb Cessna, a coordinator with the group Vets Finding Vets, told the Post-Journal that this time “it was … a two-day trip instead of the usual one day, which made it possible to tour Washington a bit more and absorb more of its substantial history.”
Cessna said two days gave veterans Dennis Erickson, Greg Harle, James Lemanski and Westley Tessey time to get to know one another. They bonded over their shared experience of not only fighting overseas but also having been wounded in combat.
“The trip provided healing for these particular vets because they even shed blood for their country and yet were treated badly for years by people in their own country, as were all Vietnam vets,” Cessna said.
Cessna said one of the veterans was asked if he felt better about his service after seeing the Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and visiting the Vietnam Wall.
She said the man replied, “Yes, this is the first day that I can say that I am proud to be a Vietnam vet.”
Reporter Kevin Hayes with Spectrum News documented some of the trip on Twitter:
Heartwarming reunions at @BWI_Airport as #BuffaloNiagaraHonorFlight #Mission14 lands and heads to DC. Stay tuned for the details and stories in the weeks ahead on @SPECNews1BUF pic.twitter.com/MfJ0IrzW9t
— Kevin Hayes (@KHayes_reports) June 16, 2023
We are headed back to the 716 on Buffalo Niagara Honor Flight #Mission14 and I have got a LOT to comb through to to even Start putting together the stories you’ll only see on @SPECNews1BUF . Stay tuned and Semper Fi. 🪖🦅✈️🦬 pic.twitter.com/M286Jdag47
— Kevin Hayes (@KHayes_reports) June 17, 2023
Erickson, Harle, Lemanski and Tessey served in Vietnam between 1967 and 1969. Lemanski stayed in the military while the others chose to return to civilian life after their respective tours of duty.
The men shared similar sentiments about their visit together to the nation’s capital.
“It was nice to be remembered,” said Harle, who described the trip as the “chance of a lifetime.”
“Over the years I have been satisfied by every so often people coming up to me in the store and thanking me for my service. That was enough for me, but it was well worth it to go on this trip.”
“I see in this country now a return to God and country,” Tessey said.
“The amount of young people that were looking at the monuments with us or who met us at the airport and thanked us for our service was good to see. It’s good to see the country still honors veterans and people still care.”
The Honor Flight Network says it paid homage to over 21,000 veterans last year. The group features a quote from entertainer Will Rogers on its website: “We can’t all be heroes. Some of us have to stand on the curb and clap as they walk by.”
As America celebrates another Independence Day, it is heartwarming to see a group continuing to support veterans long after they arrive home and assuring them their sacrifices will never be forgotten.
If you are interested in donating to help a veteran see national monuments, you can do so by clicking here.
