Printer-Friendly
Email this Story
Post a Comment (0)
American Legion plans veterans' visit to WWII Memorial
American Legion plans veterans' visit to WWII MemorialBy Bill Walsh
Times-Democrat Staff Writer
Veterans of World War II, the youngest of whom is now 82 years old, are passing away at the rate of 1,200 men and women a day.
"I don't know how many [World War II] veterans there are in Fauquier County," Bob Brady told the Times-Democrat last week, "but I do know that there were six in your obituary pages in the last three weeks."
It is particularly upsetting, the 16th District Adjutant of the American Legion said, that local World War II veterans might die without seeing the the Washington, D. C., memorial to their military efforts, and, he reckons, the vast majority of them have not.
Brady has teamed with Robert Talton, manager of the Wachovia branch on Broadview Avenue, to provide an Honor Bus for local veterans to make the short trip to the nation's capital to see the memorial and feel the gratitude of a nation for the sacrifices they made more than half a century ago.
The trip will originate at American Legion Post No. 330 in Culpeper and will stop for more passengers at the commuter parking lot on Lee Highway near the Route 605 interchange just outside Warrenton. The trip is planned for Sunday, Oct. 19.
The bus will arrive in Washington at about 11:30 and lunches will arrive about noon. The group will tour the memorial for an hour or so, with plans to be back in Warrenton about 3:30.
"I think we are going to spend an hour of so at the memorial itself," Brady said, "then drive down by the Korean War Memorial, which isn't very far away, and let anyone who wants walk around there for a while. We might have some dual (World War II and Korea) members."
"I got to thinking about this, and I'm passionate about it," Talton said. "I have taken my kids to D.C. on Veterans' Day for several years. They look forward to it and enjoy it, and we spend the day thanking as many [veterans] as we can. It's an incredible experience."
A Wachovia client, who has asked to remain anonymous, has donated the bus, and the bank is kicking in to cover the cost of a commemorative T-shirt, box lunches and bottled water.
Brady and Talton are anticipating that about 26 veterans will make the trip on the 54-seat bus, with the remainder of the vehicle reserved for guardians or assistants for the aging soldiers and two emergency health-care providers.
"I'm just doing that because this is the first trip, and I want to be on the safe side," Brady said.
"If I can get more vets to go, and I can get some guardians to drive down or take the Metro down and meet us there, I will do that," Brady said. If a veteran doesn't have someone to assist on the trip, Brady said that he has volunteers waiting in the wings. And, of course, he expects to ferry veterans in good health who do not need assistance.
He is also trying to borrow a number of wheelchairs to take on the visit. The visitors' center at the memorial has five, he noted, but, again, he wants to be on the safe side.
The trip is free for veterans. Guardians will be asked for a free-will donation. Application can be downloaded from www.va16thdistrict.org/honorbus, and veterans and guardians are asked to have them submitted no later than Oct. 4.
Veterans do not have to be members of the American Legion to participate.
Brady believes that this will be the first of several trips.
Call (540) 270-3096 for more information.
You must be logged in to post a comment.