Retired Colonel Clifford A. Poutre returns to Asheville Regional Airport (NC) after his first visit to see the National WWII Memorial via "HonorAir" on Sep 24, 2006. Col Poutre at 102 years old was the oldest vet in the group of some 200 to make the trip from Hendersonville, NC. He was at one time in charge of the Army Signal Corps pigeon program, up through the early days of WWII.

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 > A Henderson County (NC) WWII veteran runs a gauntlet of appreciative applause at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport after his visit to the National WWII Memorial on Sep 24th, 2006. The two complimentary trips for about 200 Henderson County vets that weekend was arranged by "HonorAir". (See www.honorair.com)

jawtex > Rick Hefner of Asheville, NC, pushes his father, Bob Hefner of Hendersonville, NC - an Army Air Corps veteran - through a line of applauding and cheering onlookers at Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC, for Bob's flight back home after the second "HonorAir" trip of Henderson County WWII vets to see their National WWII Memorial on Sep 24th, 2006. (See www.honorair.com)

jawtex > Retired Colonel Clifford A. Poutre returns to Asheville Regional Airport (NC) after his first visit to see the National WWII Memorial via "HonorAir" on Sep 24, 2006. Col Poutre at 102 years old was the oldest vet in the group of some 200 to make the trip from Hendersonville, NC. He was at one time in charge of the Army Signal Corps pigeon program, up through the early days of WWII.

jawtex > "Welcome home; we're proud of you!" A Henderson County (NC) WWII vet, arriving back home from his first visit to the National WWII Memorial via "HonorAir", returns a salute from local Cub Scouts who were on hand as part of the reception committee at Asheville Regional Airport. Sep 24th, 2006.

Retired Colonel Clifford A. Poutre returns to Asheville Regional Airport (NC) after his first visit to see the National WWII Memorial via "HonorAir" on Sep 24, 2006. Col Poutre at 102 years old was the oldest vet in the group of some 200 to make the trip from Hendersonville, NC. He was at one time in charge of the Army Signal Corps pigeon program, up through the early days of WWII.