Laurel Park, NC resident and former Army nurse Marian Hines (in red sweater) relates some of her WWII experiences to acquaintances just outside of the Pacific Pavilion of the National World War II Memorial on Sep 24th, 2006. Marian was awarded the Bronze Star after her action in the Philippines when she landed there five days after MacArthur's return. She was married to Manley S. Hines, who was a photo reconnaissance P-38 pilot in Europe.

On Sep 23 & 24, 2006, over 200 WWII vets, residents of Henderson County, NC, were treated to a free trip to see their long overdue National WWII Memorial in Washington, DC. Hendersonville businessman Jeff Miller founded the "HonorAir" organization and facilitated the trip with the help of businesses and individuals in Hendersonville as a belated "thank you" to the Henderson County WWII vets for their service during "The Big One." (See their website at http://www.honorair.com) The idea of chartering entire commercial flights at no cost for vets to see their memorial before it is too late is already catching on in other states. In early 2007, Miller organized an "HonorAir For Dummies" summit in DC for other communities desiring to do the same thing for their unsung vets, with representatives from over 20 states in attendance. These photos were taken during the Sep 24th trip to the Memorial. A third HonorAir flight from Henderson County was made in Nov, 2006, and two more are planned in the Spring of 2007.

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jawtex > Henderson County (NC) resident Ned Wells poses at the National WWII Memorial on Sep 24th, 2006, with the Lincoln Memorial as a backdrop. Ned was among the first 200 local vets from Henderson County flown by the "HonorAir" commercial charter that weekend to see the Memorial. (See www.honorair.com)

jawtex > One of the 200 Henderson County (NC) WWII vets, who were flown by "HonorAir" to the National WWII Memorial in Washington, DC, courtesy of the folks and businesses back home, on Sep 23 & 24, 2006. The "Field of Stars" is visible behind this vet. Each star on the wall represents over 100 American servicemen and women killed during WWII. There are 4,000 stars on the wall.

jawtex > A WWII vet from Hendersonville, NC enjoys seeing the National WWII Memorial for the first time, thanks to an "HonorAir" flight. (Sep 24th, 2006) http://www.honorair.com

jawtex > Recording some of the stories from "The Big One" while there is yet time. Taken during a visit of about 200 Henderson County (NC) WWII vets to see their World War II Memorial in Washington via the "HonorAir" flights. (See www.honorair.com)

jawtex > Father and son visiting the National WWII Memorial. Rick Hefner (left) and his father, Bob Hefner, who was in the Army Air Corps during the war, make their first visit to the Memorial as part of the "HonorAir" chartered flights from Henderson County, NC, on Sep 23 & 24, 2006.

jawtex > Laurel Park, NC resident and former Army nurse Marian Hines (in red sweater) relates some of her WWII experiences to acquaintances just outside of the Pacific Pavilion of the National World War II Memorial on Sep 24th, 2006. Marian was awarded the Bronze Star after her action in the Philippines when she landed there five days after MacArthur's return. She was married to Manley S. Hines, who was a photo reconnaissance P-38 pilot in Europe.

jawtex > A Henderson County (NC) WWII vet waits for a Vietnam Veterans Memorial volunteer to make a tracing for him from the Wall during the first ever "HonorAir" trips to visit the National WWII Memorial. Jeff Miller (in blue shirt, at left), a businessman from Hendersonville, NC, organized the HonorAir flights.

jawtex > There's no mystery as to what this WWII vet did during the war. He's from Hendersonville, NC, and was part of a group of 200 WWII vets that were given free flights to the National WWII Memorial in Sep, 2006, as a "thank you" from the local residents and businesses back home. http://www.honorair.com

jawtex > Back on board one of the "HonorAir" busses, after having visited the National WWII Memorial and Vietnam Veterans Memorial, a Hendersonville resident and WWII vet prepares to go to Arlington National Cemetery for a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns.

Laurel Park, NC resident and former Army nurse Marian Hines (in red sweater) relates some of her WWII experiences to acquaintances just outside of the Pacific Pavilion of the National World War II Memorial on Sep 24th, 2006. Marian was awarded the Bronze Star after her action in the Philippines when she landed there five days after MacArthur's return. She was married to Manley S. Hines, who was a photo reconnaissance P-38 pilot in Europe.