Winfield Navy Veteran takes Honor Flight

CEDAR RAPIDS — On May 1 at 5:30 a.m. 88 veterans and their guardians took off from Cedar Rapids airport headed to Washington, D.C. Aboard the 50th Eastern Iowa Honor Flight was 90-year-old Winfield resident George Buster, a Navy veteran of the Vietnam War.

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“During the Korean War I was on a troop ship headed for Korea,” George shared his experience while serving in the Navy. “I was a Navy Hospital Corpsman attached to the third Marine division, but they signed the truce in Korea. So, we were diverted to Nagoya Japan where I went to work in an Air Force hospital on a ward treating guys coming back from Korea.”

As a Vietnam War veteran, George qualified to participate in an Honor Flight free of charge. So, through his son Mark applying on his behalf and making all the arrangements, George “didn’t think too much,” about the logistics. Flying together, Mark acted as George’s Honor Flight Guardian for the trip that began with a flight George described as “pretty much as [he] expected.” Once they landed however, the adventure really began, and George quickly realized this was an experience of a lifetime.

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Much like the logistics of taking the flight to Washington, D.C. George did not have to think much about his itinerary, meals, or transportation as the organization planned every aspect.

According to George, the group stuck to a tight schedule which included visits to the World War II Memorial, Korean Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, and the Military Women’s Memorial.

“I especially liked the raising if the flag over Iwo Jima,” George commented.

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Meals and snacks were provided throughout the trip. According to George, the food, which included boxed lunches on outings, and doughnuts the morning of the flight, “was delicious.”

George came across a few inedible surprise treats during this meticulously planned trip including meeting his nephew assigned to the same tour bus as himself.

Additionally, as the flight arrived back in Cedar Rapids about 10:30 p.m. where they received a rousing welcome from a large crowd that gathered to pay their respects to the veterans.

On the plane the veterans were surprised by a “mail call.” Veterans were given letters and cards which were sent to their guardians and given to them to read on the fight.

“I didn’t expect all the cards and letters that I received, especially from the kindergarten class at Winfield-Mt. Union,” George said. “They each drew a picture and wished me a safe trip.”

He also received cards from other WMU students which he also thoroughly enjoyed. Two students asked George if he liked golf and one added, “I do.” George was pleasantly surprised to realize that kids would take time to write to him. He said he received over 100 cards and letters from the students, friends, and relatives which added even more joy to his trip. He thanks each one who took time to send him mail.

“I didn’t have time to read them all on the plane, but I enjoyed reading them over and over again when I got home,” he said.

When asked if he would encourage other veterans to go on an Honor Flight he replied, “Yes, very much so. I would strongly encourage you, if you have a chance to go on an Honor Flight, you won’t regret it. I’m so glad my boy, Mike and I went together.”

From the time National Honor Flight Network founders Jeff Miller and Earl Morse began their journeys transporting veterans to Washington, D.C. to see the memorials erected in their honor, to now, hundreds of thousands of veterans have taken the flight from across the United States.

It all began in 2005 when Earl Morse, a retired Air Force captain and pilot, worked as a physician assistant where he encountered many veterans. He knew most of them would not be able to travel to Washington D. C. on their own so, he volunteered to fly two veterans there. Some of Morse’s flying friends also volunteered their services and in May 2005 and covered the costs of the aircraft rentals so veterans would not pay for the trip.

The first Honor Flight began with six small planes that flew 12 World War II veterans from Spring Field, Ohio to Washington, D.C. By the end of 2006 Honor Flight had transported more than 300 veterans to Washington, D.C.

About the same time Jeff Miller, who owned a dry-cleaning company and was a charter member of the National World War II Memorial Foundation, was chartering jets to take veterans to Washington, D.C. In 2007 Miller and Morse merged their flight operations and formed the National Honor Flight Network based out of Arlington, Virginia.

The Honor Flight Network, as a whole, transports approximately 22,000 veterans annually and since its inception it has transported over 295,000 veterans to Washington, D.C.

There are over 135 hubs scattered over 42 states from the Honor Flight Network. Since their start in 2009, Eastern Iowa Honor Flights have taken over 4,500 veterans and their guardians over fifty trips, including this last one with George, on tours of the nation’s capital to visit memorials.

The Eastern Iowa Honor Flight hub has three more flights scheduled for 2024.

As it is known today, the National Honor Flight Network chooses veterans based on when they served in the military giving priority to World War II veterans. Veterans within the same war are prioritized by the date their application is received. There still is no cost for World War II, terminally ill, Korean War, and Vietnam veterans to participate in Honor Flights. To help cover expenses incurred the guardians pay a fee which varies depending on the flight. Veterans can supply their own guardians, but if needed one will be supplied for them. Guardians are required to be one generation removed from the veteran they are with. The organization makes accommodations for those needing oxygen and/or wheelchairs. A veteran can expect to be accepted within two years of submitting their application.

To learn more about the organization, donate, or apply for an Honor Flight visit www.eihonorflight.org.

AnnaMarie Ward also contributed to this article.