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EDITOR’S NOTE: Today through the end of the year we will look back and highlight what we consider to be some of the top news stories of 2016 in Logan County.
About a year of planning culminated in the inaugural trip for Logan County Vets to DC in May, as 43 veterans were given free trips to visit the nation’s war memorials.
They were soldiers, sailors, Marines and nurses who answered a call to serve during World War II and in Korea and Vietnam.
But the distinctions have faded over the years and became nearly indistinguishable over a three-day trip to Washington, D.C., May 13-15.
The group left the morning of May 13 from the Logan County Fairgrounds and traveled up Main Street with motorcycle and police escorts to head east for the capital.
New friendships sprung up and old friendships were strengthened as the group traveled by bus to and from the nation’s capital to visit Arlington National Cemetery, the Iwo Jima Memorial and the war memorials.
Overnight motel stays and shared meals provided opportunities to reflect on the trip and share stories of life in and out of their military experiences.
Logan County veterans Ron Banta, Jerry Davis and Terry Heath trace a name from the Vietnam Wall during the May trip to Washington, D.C. (EXAMINER FILE PHOTO | JOEL E. MAST)
“I went on a healing mission to Vietnam back in ’06,”said Glenn Gault, who served with the 27th Infantry Wolfhounds. “This was by far a better experience.”
Roger Holycross, a Marine who served in Vietnam, could not pinpoint a highlight.
“It was the whole trip that made it worthwhile,” he said. “I’ve been wanting to go for years and this was beyond my wildest dreams.
“I’ve already told them (the tour organizers), ‘Sign me up. Whatever you need me to do for the next trip I’ll do it.’”
Read complete story Thursday’s Examiner.
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