World War II Veterans Visit Memorial For Free

WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA) --- World War II veteran Carl Smith visits the WWII Memorial for the first time this year. He gets up at 6AM on a Saturday and boards a free flight from Atlanta, Georgia, Sept. 19, 2009.

Smith comes to Washington with the Fayette Chapter of the Honor Flight Network. Gail Sparrow launched the chapter a year ago. Over 60 WWII Veterans make the trip with Smith.

"I knew the time was running out to honor our vets. Now I'm a former teacher. So I always had Vets in the classroom, because I wanted the next generation to understand the sacrifice, the honor, the loyalty, the bravery these men and women have shown," Sparrow says.

Veterans travel on an all-expense-paid trip to the WWII Memorial everyday through the Honor Flight Network. The trip includes volunteers guardians whom accompany the Vets. 

"I kind of do this in honor of my father. My father was a World War II Veteran," says guardian Linda Payne.

Sparrow says the chapter runs solely on donations from the community, schools and civic clubs. And despite the tough economic times, she says donations to her Honor Flight are holding steady.

"It's not unusual for people to write me out a $400 dollar check that's what it cost us to fly vets out of Atlanta."

But time is ticking. The Dept. of Veteran Affairs estimates 851 WWII Veterans die each day in 2009.

Smith touches the walls of the Memorial and says it's a tangible reminder of his experiences. He says he served in the Army's Quartermaster and got stationed on the French Peninsula during the war.

After weathering the cold winter in Europe, Smith says he went to Florida because he wanted to see sunshine.

 Carl shows off both of his dog tags. He recalls the young soldiers who never made it home.

"War, there must be another way," he says.

Veterans get a personal greeting and photo opportunity with World War II Veteran and former Senator Bob Dole.

 "I don't care what they did. If they were peeling potatoes or firing canons. They were in WWII and they did their duty and they did what they were asked to do...and we prevailed and saved the world, " says Dole.  

And from saving the world more than a half a century ago, the memories never fade.

"I'm very fortunate to be alive. And I lost a brother in WWII and this sort of touches me," say Turner Davis, a WWII Navy Veteran.