19
thePeorian.com
The Present
It
was a dark, early morn-
ing, June 4, 2013 when
my brother and I drove
into the vast parking lot out at the
Peoria Airport. I had one of the
flashbacks we see in the movies,
back to Jan. 23, 1951 when I was
dropped off there by another
brother to begin my life in the
United States Air Force during
the Korean War. I was scared,
I was a teen, and I remember
wondering what in the hell did I
get myself into.
This morning I was mixed
up with the military again and
although I was not afraid I was
certainly apprehensive about the
long day in front of me and what
it would be like crammed into a
jet with a bunch of old veterans. I
decided to go when I realized this
might be my last chance to see
my brother Dave, a Korean vet
himself. He lives in St. Louis and
he and I do not travel as easily as
we once did, considering my age
of 81 and he not far behind.
I already had my Honor Flight
Cap and t-shirt so the moment
we walked up near the front door
we were greeted by a large group
of young service men and women
who greeted us like we were with
General MacArthur when he
returned to the Philippines. From
that moment on the kindness, the
respect and the love never ended.
OUR VETERANS
D.C. ODYSSEY
By NORMAN V. KELLY
The group of veterans and their escorts who were on the initial Greater Peoria Honor Flight pose for photos
at the World War II Memorial. Behind them is the Washington Monument, which is under repair.
Continued on page 20
(
Editor’s note: The following story
was written by Korean War veteran Norm
Kelly, a frequent contributor to The Peorian
who was one of the honorees on the inaugural Greater
Peoria Honor Flight. The story first was printed in Adventure
Sports Outdoors magazine,
. The story
and photos by Bruce Brown are reprinted with their permission
and that of ASO magazine.)
