[ad_1]
It was an emotional weekend for 82 Vietnamese veterans from all over Michigan.
In the American Revolution, the Yellow Ribbon Flight flew to Washington, DC, to see the monuments.
“He’s really here,” said Alice Kraz.
From the age of eight, it was time for a Vietnamese veteran to tell her a story.
“When he returned from Vietnam, he started spitting in his face,” she explained. “And when I was eight, I still don’t understand why anyone would do that.
Eager to make that change, Alice served as president of the American Revolutionary Association of Michigan at the age of 13.
“I wanted to do something that would have a profound effect on people’s lives,” she says.
She wanted to send a special flight of Vietnamese patriots to Washington, DC, to see the monuments.
“I knew that other states had made these yellow ribbon flights with all the Vietnamese patriots, and it was a more powerful healing experience,” Alice said.
$ 140,000 Big challenge.
Although the leaders initially refused, the 13-year-old did not answer.
“I know that everything is in order and that this is possible and that I can do it,” Alice said. “It was a lot of driving, a lot of phone calls. I owe my mother a lot.
Alice’s mother, Elizabeth, said that she was drowning.
“And Alice learned that she can swim,” she said proudly. “And every time I saw her able to effectively represent her thoughts and ideas to the public, I could go back and look at her because I was sure she had confidence in herself.”
“If there is a road from Kalamazu, Michigan to New Delhi, India, we would go back and forth, traveling around Michigan, talking to different groups and raising money,” Alice laughed.
Every mile he drives, every second he spends, is worth it.
Just a year later, Alice’s hard work increased to $ 140,000.
The American Revolution sent 82 Vietnamese veterans to Washington, DC, as part of a flight in honor of the Michigan Yellow Ribbon.
Alice said: “I am especially happy to see the Vietnamese tower, not my own, but the Vietnamese patriotic eye.”
The flight was supposed to have been a few years ago, but COVID-19 blocked all flights.
Alice, now 17, has spent some time thinking about how to make this Vietnam Warrior special in her lifetime.
“Fortunately, it was considered a special flight of honor, so we were able to take some of her ideas and put them into practice, which is unusual, flights of honor run in a certain way,” said Elizabeth.
A bus like Dave and Ronald Curziel took soldiers from the lakes of Canada to northern Michigan. Friday, June 17.
They are blood relatives and nephews, they are brothers by choice.
“We were brothers,” says Dave. “So wherever we went, we always lived together.”
Imagine for a second you were transposed into the karmic driven world of Earl.
But many of the first amazing guests look forward to shaking hands with these heroes, hugging them, singing and so on.
“I was amazed at all the people who came back,” said Dave.
“Good, good people come and make you very good,” said Ronald.
Another special touch of this first flight of honor on Talon Out Honor Flight and Mid-Michigan Honor Flight is the invitation to gather all 82 veterans and their guardians in one room.
“It’s amazing to see these faces and I’m working hard to bring them here, and they’re all happy to be here,” said Alice.
Alice met James McKlog on another flight of honor.
She asked him to be the keynote speaker in honor of this yellow ribbon.
“I said in a heartbeat,” You know, I’ll come to her, “said James. “It’s amazing how a young woman came forward and said, ‘I’m raising this money, and all this is to be a Vietnamese patriot.’”
James served as a medical fighter in Vietnam from 1968-70.
It was the place where he proudly hung his neck and won the congressional medal.
“This is the greatest reward you can get for being a hero, and you have to be overworked and risk your life,” said James.
President Trump awarded him on January 31, 48 years after he committed the act.St2017.
He said: “I never talked about my ministry because I didn’t want to go there for two reasons. “And I’ve never said a lot of things that I’ve seen because when someone called for treatment, I was the only one who went to the scene.”
James was afraid to see the Vietnamese wall for a long time, but after the first flight of glory, he found that there was healing.
He hopes that the next day, his brothers and sisters will find similar comfort.
“I want to be part of the whole team and see how other people use this unique event to bring something together,” Jim said. Because for a long time, they had to deal with some things that were wrong or something that was not right.
“I think my hope is that these veterans will feel the lasting impact of this glorious flight and feel more motivated to share what they have experienced over the years,” said Alice. And my generation knows that these people are all heroes, whether we agree with them or not.
The next morning it was bright and early in the morning.
82 Vietnam Veterans and their guardians arrive at Washington, DC at 6 p.m.
Lee Carey served from 1962 to 1967.
His son Kevin is his guardian for this trip, but this Gaylord family is traveling in seven groups.
“I am amazed that four of us are brothers-in-law,” says Lee.
“So Uncle Dennis met someone from Michigan, and he checked it out with the rest of the family,” Kevin Kerry said.
A close-knit family often gathers for family supper, but this is no different.
“Everyone is so excited to be with us,” Lee says.
It will be the first time in Washington DC.
He said, “I’m worried, my heart is here, you know, and, and I don’t care anymore.”
The celebrations began as the children of the American Revolution flew the yellow yellow ribbon in Michigan, the capital of our country.
The first stop of an action-packed day was the Navy Corps War Memorial.
“If we don’t have one part of our history, we have another part, so it is very important to identify every part of history, every branch of the military, and every person who has served in the military,” says Alice.
Then the Air Force Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery to replace the guard at the tomb of an unknown soldier.
“They took 21 steps and stopped for 21 seconds, then changed direction and stopped for 21 seconds and took 21 steps,” Alice said.
Alice, James, and another veteran had the opportunity to place a wreath at the tomb of an unknown soldier.
Alice: “I mean, it’s something no one else can do. “And it was amazing and it was the most amazing thing I could ask.”
Each experience is more powerful than the past, and next to the people they serve, the ones who can manage and are lucky enough to call a family.
Dennis Dickerson is part of the Giloud Seven Group with his brother Eric.
He says that during his ministry from 1968 to 1973, many things happened.
“I miss a lot of family history in about five years,” he said. “So I have some flaws there, I miss some weddings.”
Another part of the Giloord puzzle is Ted Nichols.
He served from 1970 to 1992.
Ted said, “I mean, yes, it was nice to have someone with you and it makes you feel, you know, more than you really want.”
This is the first time in DC that he has seen the most horrific Vietnam Veterans Memorial of the day.
Dave said: “Yeah, I knew it would make me cry, so I just got rid of it. “This is personal. You know, before all this, everything, you know, when people respect, you know, they’re doing great things, and this was horrible.
Alice says: “Now that we are here in Vietnam, it is a very reflective, inner tone. “All these men and women are looking at the names of their dead friends, brothers and sisters.”
Hearing the wall and looking at the wall, seeing their own reflection in thousands of names inspires many memories.
“I remember that this storm left my entire magazine and someone empty, and I thought that if I left the whole magazine to someone to kill him, he would not come home,” says Dave.
But with fear comes healing.
“I feel better now than ever before,” says Dave.
side by side.
“We grew up together, we lived together, we died together,” Dave said of Ronald.
Family communicates with each other.
“Oh, it’s hard to say, I’m relieved,” said Lee.
“Thank God for Dennis, Dennis and Ted and Dick, you know.”
“It was an adventure,” says Kevin. “You know, you know, I saw not only my father but my uncles and aunts passing by and seeing different things and I saw their feelings on their faces and everything and I hope so, they are a little relieved from this.
Much relief without saying a word.
That is the flight of glory.
“You can feel this unity, you can feel that understanding from everyone else in the same situation you have,” James said.
Says Dave: “Looking around, looking at people like you, and seeing how big we have all changed in 52 years.
But one thing that has not changed for them is the longing for the welcome they did not receive when they returned from Vietnam.
“When we got home, we kept quiet and you let no one know. You wanted to be, they should have been embarrassed to wear uniforms,” Dave said.
People spit in their faces and say unthinkable names because of their work.
They want to forget their experience, but they can’t.
“It was the first time I had ever heard of a baby killer,” lamented Lee. “I don’t understand that we’ve done our job for a long, long time.”
So when the children of the American Revolution came back in Michigan, they had one last surprise.
Flags, first responders, music, smiles, hugs and tears.
“It’s amazing to see the entire state of Michigan and all segments of society working together to support a team and to correct the mistakes of 50 years ago,” said Alice.
Dave says: “It makes me feel good because people are so preoccupied with the past.
Different from when they returned from the war.
“You’re better,” Lee said, lost in words. “Thank you for your sacrifice.”
This is the welcome home that these 82 Vietnamese patriots have been waiting for for decades.
“It’s just terrifying, you don’t see children, you know, moms and dads and flags and everyone and welcome home,” he said.
Click here for more information about Talons Out Honor Flight.
Click here for more information about Michigan Glory Flight.
[ad_2]
Source link
