WASHINGTON, D.C. (WKBW) — In mid-June, photojournalist J. Garrett Vorreuter and I joined Buffalo Niagara Flight on its 20th mission with 34 local veterans.
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We left on the morning of June 13 and came back to Buffalo the following night. Our trip had some detours during what was a busy weekend in the nation's capital for the Army's 250th Birthday parade. It was truly the trip of a lifetime!
It was an emotional weekend full of surprises, reflection, remembrance, and well-deserved gratitude for our veterans - many of whom never received a warm welcome home decades ago.
The best part of the trip for me was getting to personally connect with all 34 veterans, experience historical monuments with them, and listen to their personal stories from when they served.
World War II
- Warren Richard, Army Paratrooper Veteran
Korean War
- Rev. Ralph Gardner, Navy Veteran
- Steve Zatlukal, Army Veteran
- Bob Rook, Navy Veteran
- Leo Wroblewski, Army Veteran
Vietnam War
- Bob Berger, Navy Veteran
- Dave Chmielewski, Army Veteran
- George Enzinna, Navy Veteran
- Tom Hayes, Purple Heart Army Veteran
- Dave King, Navy Veteran
- Bob Kunkel Jr., Purple Heart Army Veteran
- Wil Lamarre, Air Force Veteran
- Dick McElroy, Navy Veteran
- Michael McKendry, Army Veteran
- Frank Novara, Marine Veteran (Cold War/Vietnam)
- Jimmy Spence, Purple Heart Army Veteran
- Tom Taylor, Army Veteran
- Mike Wagner, Marine Veteran
- Bill Wheeler, Army Veteran
- Walt Winiarczyk, Navy Veteran
- Don Armstrong, Army Veteran
- Danny Barlette Sr., Army Veteran
- Paul Biellak, Purple Heart Army Veteran
- Talis Bogis, Air Force Veteran (Cuban Missile Crisis)
- Gregory Brehm, Navy Veteran
- Mike "Goose" Gusek, Air Force Veteran
- Merritt Hanks, Navy Veteran
- Steve Harvey, Air Force Veteran
- Ed Kirchhoff, Army National Guard & Air Force Veteran
- Kenny McKervey, Navy Seabee Marine Veteran, Army Reserves and Air Force Veteran
- John Stanek, Navy Veteran
- Paul Thines, Coast Guard Veteran
Cold War
- Bill Rott, Army & National Guard
- Bob Koza, Navy Veteran (Cold War)
